Five Creative Ways Car Manufacturers Celebrated Women's Day

Most people dismiss some of these holidays as business propaganda. That might be true, and sure, we don’t need a special day to celebrate and honor the people around us.

These types of special holidays, including International Women’s Day, do remind us to show some appreciation to those around in case our lives have gotten too busy or complicated.

They also provide a good marketing strategy, and some of the world’s most famous car manufacturers found creative ways to celebrate March 8.

#1 Ford

Our favorite ad this Women's Day is this short clip from Ford Motor Company. The caption couldn't be more conflicting to this holiday, because it writes, "Introducing the Ford Explorer Men’s Only Edition. That’s right — we’ve removed more than 100 years of women’s contributions."

The video starts by stating that the famous manufacturer completely reimagined the Explorer, before revealing the changes: no windshield wipers, no heater, no turn signals, no rearview mirror, no GPS, before explaining that "it's missing all the parts created by women."

The Explorer might look imposing and fierce, but Ford doesn't forget to mention that this vehicle is not for sale. The marque also adds that it "salutes the visionary automotive work by women past, present, and future." You can check out the video below.

Some of the women include Florence Lawrence, pioneer of brake and turn signals, Dr. Gladys West, innovator of modern GPS, Dorothy Levitt, innovator of the rearview mirror, and actress Hedy Lamarr, pioneer of wi-fi and GPS.

#2 Mercedes-Benz

Mercedes-Benz is also a brand that couldn't miss the opportunity to show appreciation to women while acknowledging the elephant in the room: the road to real equality.

We won't get too political here, don't worry, neither is Mercedes-Benz. But its message it's clear and accurate: "From racing to science to CEO: Women are still the exception. But it’s time that a woman can be one of many women – and have the world celebrate her for her talent, not just her gender."

The marque added a series of pictures of children that can become either the best athlete, engineer, scientist, or politician. Instead of preaching perfection, the short message says, "Don't be exceptional. Be one of many."

For this, the Fiona Jane Burgess-directed clip had the help of artist Nandi Bushell and race driver Reema Juffali.

And we couldn’t fail to mention that the brand had a lot of inspirational women going all the way to its beginnings, as Bertha Benz was the first person ever to take a long-distance drive in the world's first "car," back in 1888.

#3 Hyundai

Hyundai also found a creative way to send a message on Women's Day: with music. The South Korean brand created a power playlist for women on the road.

With "empowering anthems" for every drive, the brand handpicked a playlist to make you more relaxed and focused while going from point A to point B.

The "Who Drives the World?" playlist features a mix of genres, with 25 songs from popular artists, including Miley Cyrus' "Flowers," Lizzo's "Good as Hell," Chloe's Treat Me," Rosalia's "LLYLM," Chloe x Halle's "Treat Me," and more feel-good, get-lost-in-the-music songs. For the playlist, the brand used diverse and inclusive illustrations.

#4 McLaren

McLaren Automotive was all about celebrating female achievement and embracing diversity. Whether we're talking about the women who help with McLaren Racing, the engineers, testers, or developers, McLaren honored all the innovative, bold, unshaken, resilient, inspiring, and fearless women.

The 50-second clip doesn't use famous people, but real women that play crucial roles in the development and success of McLaren cars, whether we're talking about its supercars or racing team.

The marque added that the women at McLaren bring "unique perspectives, skills, and talents to the team, inspiring their colleagues with their dedication, creativity, and resilience."

The official account of McLaren Racing also acknowledged that "we still have a long way to go" and that "women are still underrepresented across motorsport," but that it's "working hard to change that" with the help of the McLaren Racing Engage Alliance.

#5 BMW

BMW combined business with pleasure when it comes to International Women's Day, bringing in Franks, a UK DJ.

With a clever use of its initials, BMW asks: what makes a Bold Magic Woman? For Franks, it's being bold, self-expression, and being herself without judgment.

The collaboration also features the Bavarian brand's BMW iX1 xDrive30, which is the first full electric version of the X1 model. With a dual electric motor setup, the BMW iX1 xDrive30 has a total output of 313 horsepower (317 ps) and 364 lb-ft (494 Nm) of torque, which helps the SUV hit 62 mph (100 kph) from zero in 112 mph (180 kph).

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