In a conference room at the Peninsula Hotel in Beverly Hills, two executives from rcedes-Benz's corporate communications departnt sat waiting early one morning.
“Schultz, I still think Matthew Horner is too young.”
On a sofa by the window, a middle-aged man with short blond hair looked utterly serious. “He’s not the right candidate for the G-Class,” he declared.
The man called Schultz, a portly, middle-aged man, spoke slowly and patiently. “Becker, I t Horner once at an event. He seed more mature than his peers, and since the G-Class needs a rugged man, his age isn’t an issue.”
Becker shook his head. “A Hollywood star under twenty-five...”
Schultz reminded him, “You're overlooking one thing: of all the male stars in Hollywood his age, Horner has the strongest image and the greatest fa.”
“To be honest, I'd rather we stick with our German stars,” Becker confessed.
This was a professional disagreent, not a personal attack, and Schultz smiled. “I understand, but the reality is that our stars are virtually unknown once they leave Germany, while the influence of Hollywood movie stars is undeniable. You've worked with Arnold Schwarzenegger, haven't you? I'm sure you know this better than I do.”
Becker had to admit that when it ca to global fa and influence, it was difficult for any European actors—barring a handful of female stars—to compete with their Arican counterparts.
While so of them might hold more sway in purely cinematic circles, this was an advertisent aid at a broad, middle-class consur base.
Becker's main concern was age. Matthew Horner’s on-screen persona was mature, but that could be fabricated with makeup and clever cara work. If he was anything like those Hollywood teen idols who secretly chugged beer and did drugs, he was absolutely wrong for their brand.
The rcedes-Benz G-Class, while not a top-tier luxury vehicle, started at $70,000 in North Arica—hardly an affordable price for the average teenager.
Schultz didn't argue further. More than six months ago, after the company decided not to renew Arnold Schwarzenegger’s contract due to his burgeoning political career, Schultz had been tasked with leading a global search for a new spokesperson. And, as part of the company’s new business strategy, that person had to be under the age of twenty-five.
The rcedes-Benz G-Class had been around for several decades, but it had started to feel stale in recent years, and the company was desperate to rejuvenate the line.
They had initially considered replacing Arnold Schwarzenegger with a soccer star, but few of today's players had the right image for the rugged G-Class.
Ultimately, the team turned its attention to Hollywood. That was when Schultz rembered seeing Matthew Horner at this year’s Academy Awards and put his na forward as a candidate.
A knock ca at the door. An assistant opened it and announced, “Matthew Horner and his agent have arrived.”
Schultz nodded. “Show them in.”
He stood and walked toward the door to welco his guests. Becker followed, his critical gaze fixed on the doorway.
A mont later, the assistant opened the conference room door again, ushering two people inside.
The first person to enter Becker's line of sight was a young, tall blonde woman. She wore a tailored professional suit and black-frad glasses, and carried an air of sharp intelligence.
Following her was an even taller, powerfully built young man. At first glance, he appeared to be in his early twenties, but as Becker’s gaze lingered, he perceived a maturity that belied the young man's years.
Having seen countless stars, Becker had a sharp eye. He knew this must be Matthew Horner, and his gaze narrowed, scrutinizing the young actor.
The young man was broad-shouldered, his shirt stretched taut over well-developed muscles. With his angular features, he was undeniably handso.
Moreover, Becker sensed a wildness in him, a raw energy that could tear through the concrete jungle. It was as if Tarzan had returned to civilization and been given a British education—polite and courteous on the surface, but with an untamable ruggedness deep in his bones that could never be fully hidden.
“Hello, Ms. Herman.”
Schultz’s welcoming voice broke Becker out of his thoughts. “Hello, Mr. Horner.”
Becker then shook hands and exchanged pleasantries with them both, his eyes widening slightly when he took Horner’s hand.
The man’s hand was broad and powerful, as hard and coarse as stone.
Becker didn’t say much, sitting at the conference table and simply listening as Schultz conversed with the two of them.
His own opinion, of course, was crucial.
Mostly, Becker just observed Matthew. For this kind of campaign, the synergy between the spokesperson and the product was paramount. If they chose so skinny, weak-looking kid, the brand image they’d spent decades building would shatter.
Looking at Horner again, he was convinced that Matthew was nothing like what he had imagined.
That powerful physique, those hard, chiseled features...
This Hollywood star sitting before him, he realized, was the perfect spokesman for the rcedes G-Class!
Becker’s opinion did a complete 180-degree turn. A new thought began to crystallize in his mind: leaving aside his age, Horner fit the image of the rcedes-Benz G-Class SUV even better than an aging Arnold Schwarzenegger!
But even though his opinion had changed, Becker continued to silently observe the two people across from him.
Horner said little; his agent, Helen, did most of the talking with Schultz. When Horner did speak, his words were concise and to the point, revealing a maturity rare for a man his age.
The rcedes-Benz G-Class wasn’t just a tough, rugged vehicle; as Becker well knew, it had a legacy built over decades. And Horner fit that legacy perfectly.
The initial eting soon concluded, and Horner and his agent said their farewells and departed.
As soon as they were out of the room, Becker said imdiately, “I apologize, Schultz. I was wrong about my earlier assessnt.”
“Haha, I thought so. That’s why you were silent through the whole eting.” Schultz walked back to the sofa and sat down. “So, what’s your verdict?”
Becker thought for a mont before replying, “Visually, he’s a much better representative for the G-Class than Schwarzenegger ever was.”
Still, his cautious nature resurfaced. “But that’s just my first impression. I’ll withdraw my objections, but I think we need to conduct a systematic evaluation.”
Schultz nodded. “As we should. This is about our brand strategy. Any hasty decision would be foolish.”
He tapped his fingers slowly on the arm of his chair. “However, I agree that based on appearance alone, Matthew is a much better fit for the G-Class.”
“I never imagined a star factory like Hollywood could produce such an exceptional young actor.” Becker suddenly smiled, almost laughing at himself. “Maturity beyond his years, handso looks, and a composure you rarely see in soone so young.”
He added with a quiet sigh, “It’s a sha his fanbase is mostly made up of shrieking teenagers and young girls.”
Schultz conceded the point. “That is Matthew’s biggest drawback. Otherwise, he’s the absolute perfect face for the G-Class.”
The two n looked at each other, shook their heads, and smiled.
“Let’s see,” Schultz decided. “We’ll have half the task force focus on him. Let’s aim to have our findings by the New Year.”
“Agreed,” Becker said, fully on board. “Horner can be moved to the top of our target list.”
They had previously t with Matt Damon in New York, but he was nothing like the character he portrayed in The Bourne Identity—he lacked a sharp edge and had a more introverted temperant. In short, he wasn't the right fit.
...
Matthew and Helen got into the car and could finally relax.
“What do you think?” he asked Helen.
Helen first gave the driver instructions to head back to Burbank, then turned to Matthew. “From what I could tell, both Schultz and Becker seed more than satisfied with you.”
Matthew leaned back in his seat. “Our preparations weren’t in vain, then.”
The night he’d gotten the news, he had gone to et Helen at the Angel Acting Agency, and they had spent the last two days preparing ticulously.
This certainly wasn’t sothing you could rush through like a movie audition.
“What are the odds we’ll get the endorsent?” he asked again.
“Over fifty percent,” Helen mused. “Maybe even higher.”
She cautioned him, “The Germans are going to conduct a strict evaluation, of course, so you need to be on your best behavior. Don’t ss this up.”
Matthew just gave a careless wave of his hand.
...
Things appeared to be moving in the right direction. Shortly before Christmas, Matthew heard from Helen that rcedes-Benz was ready to formally begin contract negotiations.
The initial negotiations would take place in Los Angeles, and if everything went smoothly, the final contract would be signed in Germany.
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