We wanted to create awareness of BMW’s first-ever X7—the company’s biggest model yet and its first seven-seat vehicle. Our target audience included families making over US$250,000 whose next vehicle purchases were likely to be SUVs. Since the X7 is a family car, women outnumbered men (55/45) in making the purchase decision. At a time of superhero blockbusters, when women are finally and slowly getting the representation they deserve, we created a folk hero for the modern age. The legend of Ol’ McLanden is an epic poem in which a mysterious, unstoppable character braves the challenges of an everyday commute, including cityscapes, dockyards and mountains, only these hurdles are blown up to mythical proportions. The final reveal shows each one of us how biased we are, revealing to most viewers’ surprise, that Ol’ McLanden is actually a woman.

“Legend” is an epic poem read by Hollywood actor Chris Pine that tells the legend of mysterious Ol’ McLanden. As this enigmatic folktale unfolds, McLanden braves the challenges of cityscapes, dockyards, mountains and more, conquering everyday obstacles—although these hurdles are blown up to mythical proportions. In this world Wall Street is turned into a stampede of bankers; potholes are turned into a collapsing bridge; bikers are turned into a Mad Max–inspired gang, and a regular road worker is turned into mythical Poseidon. And while the commercial is set in the present day, the poem has an old-timey tone. The final reveal is suitably modern, showing that a hero can be any one of us. Despite what most people assume, McLanden is a woman. And it becomes clear that “Legend” depicts a day in her life as she leaves work, picks up her kids at school and heads home.