You Are How You Car™

Turtle Wax today launched “You Are How You Car™,” a bold global campaign and platform that turns a simple truth into a statement: how you treat your car reflects how you show up in the world. For people who take pride in a gleaming finish, obsess over water beading or find satisfaction in a perfect interior cleanup, this campaign sees you. And for everyone else? Well, it might just be the nudge you didn’t know you needed.

First launching across the U.S., U.K. and India, the campaign kicks off with two surreal new TV commercials – dubbed “Pamper” and “Face It” – that lean hard into visual metaphor to capture what car lovers already know: when your car looks good, you look good. And you feel good, too. This isn’t just something your serious car enthusiasts say to justify their detailing habits: According to a new Turtle Wax-commissioned survey*, 75% of American drivers want their vehicle to reflect the best version of themselves, yet only 18% strongly feel like it actually does.

“For nearly 80 years, Turtle Wax has helped people bring out the best in their cars – and in the process, brought out something deeper about the person behind the wheel: pride, confidence and a little swagger,” said Daren Herbert, Chief Marketing Officer at Turtle Wax. “This campaign is for the ones who care – who show up with intention and a microfiber cloth at the ready – and for anyone who just needs a little motivation to start. Because no matter what you drive – from a decade-old used car to your dream car – it’s about taking pride in how you show up. There’s power in pulling up in something that should ultimately be a reflection of you. That’s the magic of Turtle Wax® – small transformations that leave a lasting impact.”

The campaign, created by Chicago indie agency Running Toward Giants, blurs the line between man and machine by seamlessly compositing human faces onto car ‘bodies’ – bringing the idea of a ‘car-self’ to life and positioning car care as a reflection of self-image.

“Face It” puts viewers face to face with their ‘car-self’ – literally. With CG faces atop metaphorical car ‘bodies,’ the spot transforms the everyday into something extraordinary, channeling the satisfaction of the ‘after’ moment: when the grime is gone, the shine is back, and you feel fully seen. From surprise mud splashes to bug-smacked grilles, Turtle Wax® makes bouncing back look easy – because this isn’t just about a clean car, it’s about the confidence and payoff that comes with it.

“Pamper” reimagines a full car care routine as indulgent and relaxing self-care; something car enthusiasts already know and love. Through a series of elevated, over-the-top facial treatments – each one a metaphor for a step in the car care ritual – the spot turns every wipe, buff and polish into something oddly calming and deeply satisfying.

“This isn’t your typical automotive industry creative concept,” said Jeremy Bersano, Executive Creative Director of Running Toward Giants. “We got to help reimagine car care and help reintroduce an iconic brand as something metaphorical, magical and weirdly wonderful. The result? Cars with faces, and a campaign you can’t look away from because several car-faces are quite literally looking right back at you.”

Developed in partnership with Ntropic and Not Just Any, known for creating high-concept, VFX-driven storytelling for world-renowned brands, the commercials leveraged a global team of artisans and emerging technologies to bring the stories to life. Both spots were co-directed by Aidan Gibbons and Ntropic founder Nate Robinson, who brought their signature visual style – and love of the offbeat – to a campaign that’s rolling out across, TV, digital, social media and more

“You Are How Your Car” builds on Turtle Wax’s recent revisited brand positioning (in an increasingly cluttered category) and deep cross-market audience research that explored the emotional drivers of car pride – not just the functional ones. The campaign and work will continue to evolve throughout summer 2025 and beyond, with fresh creative interpretations across TV, audio, digital, social and other chances for people to show the world what their car – and their car-self – is really made of.

SEE YOURSELF AS YOUR CAR, LITERALLY
To extend the idea beyond the screen, Turtle Wax is inviting people to imagine their own “car-self.” Launching in late June, eligible people in the U.S. can enter the “You Are How You Car Sweepstakes” by submitting one visual interpretation of what they would look like as a vehicle – a sketch, painting, mixed media, toy figure, digital image creation, or any other creative outlets in between.

Ten lucky winners will receive a custom Turtle Wax Car Bobblehead: a one-of-a-kind figurine with their actual face reimagined on a car body. It’s a playful, personalized keepsake that celebrates the pride people take in their vehicles – and how that pride reflects right back on them.

For more information on Turtle Wax’s newest brand campaign and to stay tuned on the sweepstakes launch, please visit www.turtlewax.com/pages/you-are-how-you-car.