From Rainy Night Maybach to Esports Finals: Mercedes-Benz Luxury Is Easy to Imitate, But the Story Is Hard to Chase

When I was very young and didn't really understand cars, there were actually only two luxury cars in my mind.

One is an Audi A6L, and the other is a Maybach.

The Audi A6L needs no introduction; in northern cities, this model inherently carries a "respectable" filter.

Maybach, on the other hand, exists in another dimension.

I know it not because of magazines or advertisements, but because of Jiangnan's "Dragon Raja".

"Rainy day, highway, Maybach."

The combination of these three words brings an indescribable sense of romance: night rainstorm, highway, headlights illuminating the road ahead, and the Maybach is like the chariot of destiny, carrying people out of the Nibelungen.

At that time, I didn't even know that Maybach was a brand under Mercedes-Benz.

At that time, I only felt that there was a magical car in the world, which could connect with family ties, fate, and tragic grandeur.

Honestly, this might be the most valuable publicity for Mercedes-Benz—they didn't spend a penny, yet they planted the belief in the Star emblem in the hearts of a generation of young people.

For a long time, through the portrayal in various literary and film works, Mercedes-Benz has successfully associated its brand with success and elites.

Even in the present day when domestic luxury brands have risen, Mercedes-Benz is still perceived by the public as the brand that most prominently embodies the traits of "success."

Under the labels "Taste" and "Elite," the brand with the highest perception is Mercedes-Benz.

It never wins by cost-effectiveness. When you buy a Mercedes, you're not just buying a mode of transportation, but a sense of "elite feeling."

The sense of elitism is quite subtle. If you say it's intangible, it can practically change the way others look at you; if you say it's tangible, it often lacks a quantifiable metric.

Mercedes needs to maintain this "invisible but essential" atmosphere.

So we can see that in recent years, Mercedes-Benz has been continuously sponsoring various events and activities, almost covering most groups, scenarios, and age ranges.

In the traditional sports world, there are F1 teams and tennis, and recently table tennis player Wang Chuqin was announced as the brand's new ambassador.

In the fashion industry, Mercedes-Benz has sponsored New York, Berlin, and China International Fashion Weeks, as well as organized international music festivals, among other events.

In the esports events most followed by the younger generation, it has now been the 8th year since Mercedes-Benz began sponsoring the League of Legends S7 World Championship in 2017.

When first entering the arena, the elements of Mercedes-Benz were still at the level of "presence," merely adding a logo and a short video.

As the influence of the event skyrockets, Mercedes has stepped onto the stage, starting to customize trophies and award ceremonies. Players inducted into the Hall of Fame will also receive an exclusive Mercedes vehicle.

During the LPL finals in Shenzhen on the 21st, Mercedes-Benz's presence was ubiquitous. During the match, the Mercedes-Benz logo appeared in Summoner's Rift, and when the players lifted the championship trophy, the three-pointed star emblem was always flashing on the stage backdrop.

Mercedes forcefully inserted itself into the center stage of the lively scene.

▲ Photo taken by Dong Chehui at the finals====

Which young esports enthusiast wouldn't secretly fantasize after reading this: perhaps in some parallel universe, they too are a ten-time champion?

Mercedes-Benz and LPL have reviewed the classics over the past 8 years and co-created the "White Jade Silver Dragon" digital concept car epic trilogy.

The Mithril Azure Dragon and the White Jade Frost Dragon, inspired by the all-new Mercedes-Benz fully electric CLA and fully electric G580, go from racing against each other to galloping side by side, ultimately merging into a complete dragon medallion.

Experienced viewers familiar with League of Legends tournaments should be able to immediately recognize that the main visual design featuring "relief + Chinese dragon" elements was first used in the S7 World Championship.

In that year, the two Chinese teams, WE and RNG, reached the semifinals, while it was T1 and SSG who ultimately made it to the finals stage at the Beijing Bird's Nest Stadium.

This year, the World Championship is being held in China again, and perhaps we will have the chance to see a domestic team lift the championship trophy on home soil for the first time.

The accumulation of emotions in that instant is the value of Mercedes-Benz's investment in esports.

Isn't this just the new version of "Maybach on a Rainy Night"?

The rainy night on the highway from those years touched the youthful sentiments of novel readers, and now at the competition venue, it touches the youthful memories of esports audiences.

Horsepower and price can be matched by others, but the story and belief can only be maintained by being the first to establish them.

Mercedes-Benz has told the story of "Rainy Night on the Highway," the story of "A Century of Luxury Cars," and is now telling the story of "Success and Belief" in esports.

As long as people feel that the "three-pointed star" still stands for luxury, success, and legend, Mercedes will always have a market.