• by Tanya Gazdik , March 28, 2025

Lincoln’s newest campaign celebrates the launch of the all-new 2025 Navigator and stars tennis legend and longtime Lincoln ambassador Serena Williams.

“Mic Drop,” from Lincoln AOR Hudson Rouge, opens on a runner making her way through a quiet city. She stops to catch her breath and looks down at her watch to check the time. As her gaze rises, she sees the restyled Lincoln Navigator parked out front of a building.

Suddenly a microphone drops next to it. Then another mic drops, and then another, and we see mics dropping all around the city, bouncing and making a sound each time. One last mic falls -- and just as it’s about to hit the Navigator’s hood, a hand reaches out and catches it. 

It’s Williams, who turns to admire the new Navigator and then drops the one last mic beside it, gets in and drives away without saying a word. 

The spot debuts tonight during the Elite Eight March Madness games and then launches April 1 across linear broadcast, streaming platforms, digital and out-of-home.

Lincoln began working with Williams in 2018 and she continues to be a natural fit for the brand, says Hudson Rouge CCO Jon Pearce.

”Serena has a done a phenomenal job of shaping and defining her life post-tennis,” Pearce tells Marketing Daily. “Not content to rest on her laurels as a GOAT, she has made a name for herself as an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and certainly as a loving mom.”

She posts frequently on social media, where viewers can see that despite her accomplishments and fame, she’s “super down to earth and never takes herself too seriously,” he adds. “Lincoln’s reputation as a warm and human brand fits so nicely with someone like Serena -- someone people feel they can relate to.”

The Navigator demographic has remained consistent over the years, says Megan McKenzie, head of U.S. marketing and marketing communications, Lincoln.

“They are the youngest and most affluent customers in the Lincoln portfolio,” McKenzie tells Marketing Daily. “They value technology, capability, and a spacious design to support their actives lifestyles, family connections, and strong sense of community.”

As a large luxury SUV, the Lincoln Navigator is all about empowering drivers to live life to its fullest, Pearce adds. 

“Not only does it have the space for everyone and all your gear, it also acts as that ‘third space’ where you can revive and re-ocus before you go onto your next act,” he says. “Serena is so much like our target audience in the juggling of multiple aspects of life where the Navigator becomes truly integral in living a full, rewarding life.”

Pearce calls this “one of the most extensive, ambitious campaigns for a Lincoln launch in years.” The campaign is heavy on social and also includes an extensive out-of-home presence.

“You’re going to see a great social content series on some fun debates on what a ‘true original’ really means -- conducted from the comfort of the OG of large luxury SUVs, the Navigator, of course,” Pearce says. "When you think about it, people get quite animated over what constitutes ‘original’ on all sorts of thing, from pizza to athletic shoes, to music and mic drops. And through select media partners, we’ll bring in other names to continue the debates across various media platforms.” 

There is value to having consistency in brand ambassadors, he says. 

“It conveys authenticity, for one,” Pearce says. “It’s not just about hiring a famous face to appear with your brand. It’s about an authentic relationship with the product. In the case of Serena, we know that her first vehicle was a Navigator (affectionately named ‘Ginger’), which she began driving long before her official affiliation with Lincoln.”