BMW presents "Freude (Joy) Forever"

The BMW brand has released an emotional end-of-year message through a short film aimed at uniting its followers across generations. The film, titled "Freude (Joy) Forever," conveys the message that a driving license represents much more than just a plastic card to operate a vehicle. It becomes an essential element in creating countless experiences, memories, and character-building moments. Even when the day inevitably comes when one can no longer responsibly operate a vehicle on a public road and decides to give up their license, one thing endures: "the joy of driving that unites generations." This message will touch the souls of BMW fans of all ages.

The short film premiered on BMW's official social media channels and uses authentic storytelling and characters to convey its message. The narrative centers around the story of a family in Germany, where 85-year-old Robert realizes it's time to give up driving and hands in his license. His son, Christopher, accompanies him to the offices to deliver the license, and the return journey in Christopher's all-electric BMW i4 becomes a journey through the past and present, full of happy memories together.

The opening scene of the 90-second short film is set in a cold, gray waiting room, with only a Christmas tree adding a little warmth. The downcast look on Robert's face tells us that the time has come. Christopher tries to cheer him up, but for Robert, the piece of plastic he hands over the counter is an expression of freedom and the pure joy of driving. The mood in the car on the way home is suitably melancholy until Christopher veers off the road.

The two men stop before the doors of an unknown place, and a security guard opens the barrier. They are in the parking lot of their company, and Robert immediately remembers the place where he taught his son to drive almost 40 years ago. In a role reversal, Christopher invites his father to take the wheel of his BMW one last time.

Now, there's a flashback to the 1980s, where Robert swaps places with Christopher so his then-18-year-old son can take the controls of his BMW 3 Series. Back to the present, when Robert steps on the accelerator of the BMW i4, and the all-electric grand coupe dynamically springs into action, past and present merge into a visually stunning spectacle. In his mind, joyful memories of trips in the BMW with his son play: young Christopher fast asleep on overnight trips, unforgettable family vacations, all those miles across the country to cheer on his sporting exploits, picking him up at parties, and driving him to his first date. In a dramatic climax, Robert stops the car and pauses momentarily, ready to leave the driver's seat for good. After all, the feeling of joy will last forever.

The idea for this short film came from the creative and advertising agency Jung von Matt, produced in collaboration with the BMW Brand Marketing team in Munich.