- Martha Stewart stars in a new Architectural Digest video campaign promoting Waymo's next-generation autonomous robotaxi, the Ojai.
- The commercial highlights the custom electric vehicle's spacious interior, sliding doors, accessibility features, and Gemini AI displays.
- This deal marks Stewart's first partnership with Waymo, adding to her extensive 2026 portfolio of major lifestyle and fashion endorsements.
- Waymo uses Stewart's reputation for hospitality to position driverless rides as relaxing, upscale "living rooms on wheels" for everyday commuters.
Lifestyle authority Martha Stewart has partnered with autonomous vehicle company Waymo to introduce its new custom-built robotaxi, the Ojai. In a 52-second video created alongside Architectural Digest, Stewart gives viewers a tour of the driverless vehicle, warmly calling it her new “home away from home”.
The Ojai is an all-electric vehicle built by Zeekr specifically for autonomous ride-hailing. Unlike Waymo’s standard fleet of Jaguar I-PACE SUVs, the Ojai features wide sliding doors, seating for four passengers, wheelchair accessibility, and individual climate controls. The cabin also includes three interactive screens powered by Gemini AI.
In the campaign, Stewart highlights the car’s quiet ride and clean architecture, showing riders how to comfortably answer emails, take calls, or relax without a driver present.
This project marks Stewart’s first official campaign with Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet. The media mogul has maintained a prolific roster of brand collaborations throughout 2026.
Earlier this year, Martha Stewart starred in a cheeky new MOTHER Denim campaign to showcase retro apparel, fronted Lancôme’s La Vie Est Belle Very Cherry campaign, and joined actor Belmont Cameli to front Starbucks’ autumn Pumpkin Spice Latte campaign.
For Waymo, enlisting a trusted household figure is part of a broader push to make autonomous driving feel familiar and safe. The company previously teamed up with pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter for an album release ride activation, TV host Cooper Manning for brand promos, and entrepreneur Ayesha Curry to highlight commuter productivity.
Takeaways
Driverless car companies face a major marketing challenge: easing consumer anxiety around riding in a vehicle without a human driver.
By partnering with Martha Stewart, a cultural benchmark for quality, safety, and domestic comfort, Waymo is reframing the autonomous vehicle conversation. Instead of selling complex sensor hardware and software algorithms, the campaign sells serenity and functional living space.
Stewart’s personal endorsement serves as a bridge for older demographics and tech-skeptical consumers, presenting driverless transit not as an experimental novelty, but as a reliable extension of home.
Can Martha Stewart’s trusted seal of approval help convince older and risk-averse consumers to try driverless vehicles? As custom-built robotaxis like the Ojai arrive, will rider demand shift toward cabin amenities and mobile workspace tools over vehicle performance?
