Man Buys Mercedes. Then Something Unexpected Pops Up On The Screen: 'They Are Sending Ads To The Car Now'

A California man climbed into his new Mercedes-Benz, saw an image of a golf course on the dashboard screen, and posted a video calling it “an ad in sheep’s clothing.” The video sparked a debate in the comments about where ads end and themes begin.

The 40-second video was recently posted by Rex (@notdashfromincredibles), whose TikTok channel mostly covers life in San Diego, pop fandom and dating. Rex films himself from the driver’s seat of his Mercedes, with a brief moment in which he overlays the animated graphic he objects to behind him.

What Did He See On The Mercedes’ Display?

“To add to the endless list of things I hate about my new Mercedes, I don’t watch golf. I don’t care about golf. It’s not my thing, has nothing to do with me,” Rex says. “I feel like a lot of people saw this and they’re like, ‘whoa, like that’s so nice, like so luxury, so cool.’ That’s an ad. That is blatantly an ad in sheep’s clothing. Like they are sending ads to the car now.”

He places the moment on a continuum with the car’s previous holiday displays. “Every holiday they do like happy new year’s, merry Christmas, happy Easter, whatever,” he says. “This is them dipping their toes into literally giving us ads on our car. They’re trying to disguise it.”

He shows a logo for the Master’s Tournament on the screen of his Mercedes. Rex assumed it was an advertisement. While some may describe it as an ad, it was actually Mercedes-Benz celebrating its lengthy sponsorship of golf’s Masters Tournament, not a paid advertisement from a third party.

Mercedes-Benz has been a Global Sponsor of the Masters since 2014 and was an International Partner from 2008, sitting alongside AT&T and IBM in the tournament’s top sponsorship tier.

Event Marketer calls Mercedes “one of three global sponsors, the tier above international partners Delta Air Lines, Rolex and UPS,” with the 2024 tournament marking the 17th year of the relationship.

What that sponsorship looks like inside the car is laid out in Mercedes-Benz’s own April press release. During tournament week, the company says, owners with the third-generation MBUX system and the MBUX Entertainment Plus Package on the CLE, E-Class, C-Class and GLC get in-vehicle access to the Masters Tournament App, including live coverage and the leaderboard. “Special new imagery and graphics adorn the vehicle displays on a broad range of Mercedes-Benz models throughout the week of the tournament,” the release says.

Vehicles with the MBUX Hyperscreen or Superscreen display “stunning visuals of the legendary Hogan Bridge and Amen Corner” on the passenger display, and owners can set their ambient lighting to a custom Masters green via the Mercedes-Benz app.

In MBUX, the broader feature is called “Graphic Goodies.” It is the same setting that drops snow on the screen at Christmas and lays eggs in April. Mercedes-Benz owners in Rex’s comments noted that the Masters theme has been running for roughly eight years and can be toggled off in the display menu, with the trade-off that turning off “graphic goodies” also turns off all the seasonal touches.

Via email, a spokesperson for Mercedes told Motor1, "Graphical Goodies are intended to be a fun, experiential feature—not an advertisement. Unique visuals and animations commemorate various holidays, special events, and milestones."

Mercedes' spokesperson added, "Many of our customers also share a passion for golf. The Masters 'Graphical Goodies' provide a new way for our customers to further join in on the excitement of this storied event."

Is Rex’s Concern About Ads In Cars Off Base?

The “ad in sheep’s clothing” framing is overstated for what is actually a sponsor reskinning its own dashboard. There is no third-party brand paying Mercedes, and the brand on the screen matches the one on the steering wheel. The distinction would be different if a Louis Vuitton or McDonald’s banner appeared, which is the example Rex himself uses as his worst-case fear.

That said, the in-car advertising trend is real more broadly. Other carmakers have publicly explored sponsored content on infotainment screens, and at least one commenter reported similar experiences in another vehicle. “Stop, cause I’m getting ads on my Wagoneer S too,” wrote Terry Prince. “Paid enough already, why’s it got ads?” Rex’s instinct that something is shifting isn’t wrong; it just doesn’t fit the Masters theme.

Other commenters were not fazed by the graphic. “It’s like an Easter egg, not an ad. It’s not an ad if you can just turn it off,” wrote vxnzxn. “I love the different themes,” added bmwlad24. Patrick offered the most useful nuance: “This has been popping up on our Mercedes cars for years, and you can’t turn it off unless you don’t want any ‘goodies.’ So annoying.”

Rex held his line in replies, arguing that promoting a sponsored event is still promotion. “Burmester is a supplier; their products are in the car. The Masters adds absolutely no value to the car, and it is showcased seasonally during the Masters tournament to promote it. Aka an ad.”

How Can You Turn It Off?

If you have a new Mercedes and would rather not see the Hogan Bridge on your dashboard during the second week of April, the toggle lives in the MBUX settings under “Graphic Goodies.” Switching it off also retires the Christmas snow and the Easter eggs, so it’s a trade-off.

Motor1 reached out to Rex via TikTok direct message and to Mercedes-Benz USA via email for comment on whether the Masters theme is opt-in or opt-out and whether the company plans to expand the feature. We’ll be sure to update this if either responds.