Melody Lee assumed the role of MBUSA’s chief marketing officer in May 2023.Mercedes-Benz
How does the German automotive manufacturer Mercedes-Benz court its future demographic of purchasers?
“You must connect with those who drive and those who aspire,” states Melody Lee, the U.S. chief marketing officer for Mercedes.
Lee, who began her tenure with the brand in 2023, faces a significant task: ensuring the company’s endurance for another 14 decades.
A seasoned professional in marketing and the automotive industry (Lee previously served as global brand director of BOOK by Cadillac), Lee dedicates several hours each week engaging with patrons and enthusiasts to understand their vehicle purchasing behaviors and their desires for their subsequent Mercedes. She is supervising a new facility in California where automobile aficionados can explore the brand’s offerings and consult with a specialist capable of crafting their ideal Mercedes.
Lee is frequently seen at the Mercedes-Benz Formula 1 paddock or at sponsored functions such as the Masters and the Super Bowl. However, she notes that employment in the automotive sector is not as glamorous as it may appear.
Lee shared insights with ABC News on her strategies for acquiring new customers, her methods for upholding the brand’s esteemed legacy, and the essential role of women in automotive sales.
The following interview has undergone editing for enhanced readability.
Q: What specific instructions were you given upon your arrival as Mercedes-Benz’s chief marketing officer?
A: Upon my arrival in 2023, we were in the throes of a substantial transformation… we were grappling with how to market a variety of powertrains concurrently. I needed to discern how to articulate this novel era [of electrification] for Mercedes-Benz. Simultaneously, conditions were in constant flux. The second crucial element was safeguarding the heritage of a brand with a 140-year history. One cannot simply disregard prior achievements. Thus, my challenge lay in achieving equilibrium between the past, present, and future.
As CMO, Lee travels internationally almost every week, meeting with clients, customers, and retailers.Mercedes-Benz
Q: What strategies are you employing to engage potential EV buyers, particularly those who might be unfamiliar with the brand’s electric vehicle offerings?
A: Our primary objective is to communicate that we provide the vehicle that aligns with your preferences. We present the option of selecting your preferred powertrain. The typical consumer may not grasp the meaning of powertrain. Their understanding is limited to gasoline, electric, or hybrid vehicles.
Q: What methods are you using to attract new clientele? And to what extent is social media effective in promotional endeavors?
A: Our core strategy is to ensure a presence in the environments frequented by our clientele. This encompasses a diverse array of channels, with social media being one such platform. However, it also extends to mediums spanning from television to all manifestations of digital media, as well as experiential gatherings where [patrons] are afforded the opportunity to observe, perceive, interact with, and operate our vehicles. Our imperative is to be ubiquitous. Individuals are seeking various avenues for brand and product engagement.
[Clients] are originating from myriad sources. They are actively exploring and acquiring knowledge via social media platforms, without a doubt. We’ve achieved considerable triumph on [TikTok]. They’re undertaking significant research on external platforms. The Mercedes-Benz USA portal garners over 30 million annual visitors. They are arriving via conventional advertising channels, such as college football, NFL, or the Masters. Our objective is to seize that attention, generate a prospect, and subsequently delegate it to our dealers to finalize the deal.
No brand can maintain a static posture. A 140-year legacy is unattainable without continuous efforts to connect with both the upcoming generation and those that follow. One must engage both the current drivers and future dreamers.
Lee, a marketing veteran, is responsible for defending the Mercedes-Benz marque in the U.S.Mercedes-Benz
Q: How vital is the Formula 1 affiliation for the purpose of automobile sales?
A: Formula 1 is among our most valuable resources. Regardless of the team’s performance, our brand remains exceptionally strong.
It serves as a robust marketing instrument, allowing us to engage race enthusiasts and consumers situated in cities such as Miami or Las Vegas. We endeavor to leverage it to the fullest extent annually.
Q: What constitutes the most challenging aspect of your role?
A: Balancing a multitude of stakeholders, each with their own viewpoints and priorities. While being an executive in the automotive industry might seem appealing, in reality, it is a matter of making concessions. The daily task involves evaluating which aspects to compromise in order to emphasize others.
I am responsible for communicating with a diverse range of audiences daily. My day typically commences with discussions involving Germany and the headquarters, followed by conversations with my U.S. counterparts or the team under my supervision, and subsequently, our U.S. dealers. It is also imperative to engage with the clientele. Balancing communication among all these groups is a continuous effort.
Q: How frequently do you engage with patrons?
A: We are fortunate to possess the means to directly contact our customer base. We manage a program known as Silver Arrows, comprising our most devoted customers on a global scale. The advantage of having 150 Silver Arrow clients in the U.S. lies in the capacity to converse with them at any moment to ascertain their preferences, their experiences in shopping for a Mercedes-Benz vehicle, current trends, and their media consumption. One can gain insights into their travel patterns, accommodations, culinary interests, and wine collecting habits. This provides substantial understanding into their world and their methods of procuring automobiles.
Q: What are the prevailing trends in how individuals are currently shopping for automobiles?
A: There’s a prevalent notion that consumers universally desire to purchase vehicles digitally. However, our observation with Mercedes-Benz clients is their preference for interaction. They value test drives, participation in AMG experiences, physical inspection of vehicles, and visits to dealerships. While they extensively research online, they seek to experience the car’s interior and feel the leather upholstery when they are prepared to make a purchase.
In 2025 we transitioned to [actress] Lucy Liu as the brand’s voice. Her voice possesses elegance and adaptability. We’ve noted that every advertising piece performs more robustly as a result. [Women] are more persuasive in purchasing decisions [and] are regarded as more credible.
Lee alongside actress Lucy Liu, who is the official voice of Mercedes-Benz.Mercedes-Benz
Q: As a female leader in a largely male-dominated sector, how do you guarantee your opinions and perspective are acknowledged?
A: I remind our team — both male and female — that women comprise half of our clientele. Our data demonstrates that women are responsible for over 80% of purchasing decisions within households. My contributions are not self-serving; rather, they serve to represent our clientele.
Q: The U.S. luxury market has grown fiercely competitive, with an increase in brands offering exclusive residences, custom configurations, and invitations to exclusive events. How does Mercedes continue to maintain its leading position in this arena?
A: Our marketing principle is to connect with consumers wherever they are located. Be it through social media, we will engage them there. Should they prefer a tangible experience, where they can physically interact with and customize their vehicle, we will provide that as well. We are committed to constructing superior experiences that enable customers to engage with the automobile in accordance with their inclinations.
We anticipate launching a brand experience studio in Beverly Hills this summer. This facility will exhibit a rotating array of our vehicles. An atelier will be located upstairs for our Manufaktur program. This is a notable instance of crafting a space where a customer might prefer to experience the brand without the immediacy of visiting a dealership.
Q: What is your vision for the brand’s position in the forthcoming years?
A: When one is affiliated with a brand that has existed for 140 years, their task is to safeguard its heritage for the subsequent 140 years, while also directing it toward avenues that encourage expansion and the acquisition of novel customer demographics. This must be executed judiciously, thoughtfully, and with reverence for the foundations laid previously.
Cultural relevance is vital for all brands, and particularly for luxury brands. We must be culturally aligned in order to appeal to each generation.
Sourse: abcnews.go.com