Twenty-three time Grand Slam women's singles tennis champion Serena Williams stars in a new advertising campaign for Lincoln Motor Company. In the campaign, Williams, who announced the birth of her second child yesterday, is pictured testing the waters of Lincoln BlueCruise hands-off, eyes-on driver assist technology.
The new promotional, called "Letting Go", also features the 2023 Lincoln Navigator, the brand's full-size, flagship SUV.
Footage from a produced spot previewed by Newsweek shows Williams in the driver's seat of the Navigator juxtaposed against a father-daughter duo that are playing in the ocean. The daughter is working to trust that her body will float, drawing a parallel to Williams who is working to trust that BlueCruise will accurately drive the Navigator.
"Serena is an exceptional athlete, entrepreneur, and an authentic brand ambassador for Lincoln and our flagship Navigator SUV," Megan McKenzie, head of U.S. marketing and marketing communications at Lincoln told Newsweek. "We are honored to be a part of this pivotal moment as she embarks on the journey as a family of four, and hope that the Navigator continues to provide sanctuary to her on and off the road."
With three rows of seating, a high towing capacity, and luxurious interior appointments, the Navigator set the bar for large luxury SUVs when this generation debuted in 2017 as a 2018 model.
That bar is now challenged by the Cadillac Escalade and GMC Yukon, which have been completely overhauled since Navigator's launch. The Rivian R1S all-electric SUV and Jeep's revitalized Grand Wagoneer have also entered the chat.
BlueCruise is one big differentiating factor for Lincoln. Neither the Jeep nor the Rivian have hands-off driver assist technology. Cadillac and GMC offer their models with Super Cruise, the General Motors' equivalent of BlueCruise.
However, Super Cruise is able to perform more functions without a driver intervening than the Lincoln technology, like switching lanes while towing.
"GM's Super Cruise was the first of its kind and it remains the industry benchmark for hands-free driving technology, but BlueCruise has made significant strides since it was first launched. The latest version is far more adept and it's getting better with every over-the-air update. The technology is quickly proliferating deeper into the Ford and Lincoln portfolios, which means there are more data points the automaker can use to continually improve the product," Paul Waatti, manager of industry analysis at AutoPacific, told Newsweek.
Lincoln's lineup is in the midst of a revitalization. The company now sells the refreshed and widely lauded Corsair and midsize Aviator. Its Nautilus SUV recently received a complete makeover and will be coming to market later this year.
"Lincoln has faced declining sales and a shrinking market share since 2020 when the brand cut the cord on the sedan market. Meanwhile, emerging brands like Genesis and Volvo, not to mention stalwarts like BMW, Cadillac, and Mercedes-Benz, have experienced upward trends," Waatti said.
"Lincoln has struggled with production issues and finding visibility in an increasingly competitive premium market with many strong players. The Lincoln lineup is due for a significant product infusion and a better-defined brand image. The revamped Nautilus shows promise and needs to be followed by other enticing products that stand out in the market."
Order banks for the 2024 Navigator are now open, with minimal changes over the 2023 model. It starts at $82,765. To get hands-free driving technology, buyers will need to opt for a mid- or top-tier model. Pricing for those starts at $95,325.
Uncommon Knowledge
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
About the writer
Eileen Falkenberg-Hull leads the Autos team at Newsweek. She has written extensively about the auto industry for U.S. News & ... Read more
