The Inclusive Culture of the MBCA
In 2009, the Mercedes-Benz Club of America engaged a marketing firm to conduct a study of the club and its relevance to the membership. The results of that study provided the Board with many valuable insights and included recommendations for the inclusion of five core attributes: inclusive, contemporary, quality, expertise and fun. In Board members’ view, if the MBCA culture reflects these elements that characterize member value, the organization will be relevant to its members.
The term inclusive brings many things to mind. I recall that, when I first joined MBCA, I was reluctant to participate in local club activities. My car was not a collectable, it was not show quality, and it was not an SL. Instead, it was an aging W114 and it was my daily driver, affectionately referred to as the “old guy.” I wondered if I would be welcomed as a member with my old car and whether the club was inclusive.
Fortunately, my section president called and welcomed me to the MBCA. In that conversation, he asked me about my car and encouraged me to participate in an upcoming section event. “MBCA members are enthusiastic at many levels,” he said. “Members with old diesels, new SLs and everything in between share the same club benefits.” So, I attended my first event and began my personal MBCA experience.
The “old guy” and I have been included in organized technical sessions, car shows, rallies and section fun runs. We participated with other members on the club’s 50th-anniversary tour of Route 66. The participants in that event drove a variety of Mercedes-Benz vehicles including a limousine, SUVs, SLs, coupes and sedans. They represented six decades of Mercedes-Benz automobile production. More importantly, it was an inclusive group of MBCA enthusiasts. From the day we joined that tour, my old guy and I were included.
Each edition of The Star emphasizes inclusiveness as a core element of the MBCA. Articles such as this edition’s cover story about Udo Putzke’s attractive restoration of a 1972 300SEL. Others include members interested in concours, restoration and technical heritage. The article about Bertha Benz and the first-ever automobile journey emphasizes the heritage of the Mercedes-Benz brand. And, still other articles focus on the activities of members driving and enjoying their cars while participating in car shows, tours and track events.
Organized MBCA activities look for innovative member participation opportunities that are appropriate for local interests and geography. To serve the technical interests of members, your club focuses on becoming the undisputed authority on Mercedes-Benz vehicles past, present and future.
StarFest® this September presents an excellent opportunity for your inclusion in a representative MBCA event. Registration is now open, and if you bring your interest and enthusiasm, you will share the inclusive MBCA experience.
In future messages, we’ll review other recommended core elements of the study and their application to the MBCA.
Meanwhile . . . Let’s drive ‘em!
Steve