Lexus Designers Imagine Life on the Moon

[krew]

Lexus designers from the ED2 design studio in Europe have contributed to the latest issue of Document Journal, which imagines what life on the moon might look like.
Five designers participated, here are their creations.

Zero Gravity, by Karl Dujardin

The design of the Zero Gravity concept represents the Lexus future through reinterpretation of the signature spindle form. For Zero Gravity, the spindle grille becomes a 3D spindle architecture, and sharp and square edges transform into fluid and curved surfaces, creating a mysterious design language.
The motorcycle-style architecture enables a stronger connection to driver/pilot allowing for more direct control and feedback as human and machine mesh. With this model, the driver maintains total control while gliding...

Continue reading...

 

[Alshamsi]

I wish they could use this free time to improve their Infotainment system... instead of imagining useless stuff.

 

[LordByronUK]

lol, yes I was thinking just the same thing. They've got time and money to spend/waste on this pie in the sky stuff, but still no EVs, garbage infotainment systems and slow hybrid cars that no longer compete at all with the Germans. Something seriously needs to change at Lexus, they're not the company they once were and are losing their way. They risk becoming a very meagre and extinct brand in the next 10 years if they don't correct course very very soon. The next five years are going to be critical to their success.

 

[Deusex]

Which one of these are the next gen LX or GX?

 

[Lexus Cohen]

This is what I do not understand with Lexus, so much time invested in this for what reason? What's next? Imagining life under water? I see Audi taking the number 3 spot in the US very soon!

 

[Lexus Cohen]

Which one of these are the next gen LX or GX?

The Lunar looks like a GX replacement

 

[Ian Schmidt]

I feel like I have to say this every time Krew posts something like this, but this is designers and marketers doing this stuff. They are not the people who make the infotainment software (which, seriously, we have CarPlay and Android Auto now - automakers can stop shipping infotainment entirely as far as I care) and they definitely are not the engineers for the hybrid systems or the TTV8 or whatever your personal bugbear is. Large multinationals *can* walk and chew gum at the same time. You should know this from your own job.

 

[Gecko]

As a marketer myself, I wouldn't say Lexus' marketing is good enough that their employees and Team One should be sitting around dreaming up intergalactic, imaginary nonsense...

When you add up all of these pet projects like the hoverboard, Valerian jet, yacht, MIB spaceship, this thing... it just sends the wrong message when their actual car lineup (you know, their core business and how they make money) is struggling.

Plus, to my knowledge, there are few or no dedicated Lexus marketing positions anymore. Under OneToyota, most employees share responsibilities for both Toyota and Lexus, so... yeah... even less time and bandwidth for obscure Lexus PR projects.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

We all have our problems with Lexus marketing, but my point remains: none of this marketing stuff is stopping engineers from executing on product. Aim your fire elsewhere (oh hi Akio!) if that's your problem.

And it's good to have some aspirational stuff going for when the actual lineup gets where we want. The Germans all milk the hell out of that kind of thing, with Porsche Design probably being the most blatant.

 

[zeusus]

As a marketer myself, I wouldn't say Lexus' marketing is good enough that their employees and Team One should be sitting around dreaming up intergalactic, imaginary nonsense...

When you add up all of these pet projects like the hoverboard, Valerian jet, yacht, MIB spaceship, this thing... it just sends the wrong message when their actual car lineup (you know, their core business and how they make money) is struggling.

Just making sure we're on the same page, you said from another thread, that just because Lexus isn't struggling now doesn't mean they don't need to do better with their lineup otherwise face dwindling sales. I do agree with that sentiment btw.

The issue I have is, in this thread, you are now saying Lexus is struggling, therefore they shouldn't have ambitious marketing campaigns or, the other interpretation would be; since you think the car lineup sucks then the messaging should also suck, you know, for consistency. Not very good reasoning, and honestly, horrible brand messaging. Any ad guy presenting this plan to their superior would likely get an odd look and demoted, probably fired.

As a marketer yourself, you should know very well that the job is to create brand awareness and positive impressions. You should also know that marketing funds are pre-budgeted and don't affect R&D. Advertisers have their own lanes completely separate from car designers, engineers, and craftsmen.

So whats next? Lexus can't do Superbowl commercials? how about Intersect? Black Panther partnership? The movie broke many box office records, must be a coincidence that you left it out of your list of grievances.

I think it really goes over a lot of peoples' heads that Lexus is no longer an automotive brand, its a lifestyle brand and has been for a while now. And as Akio repetitively states, mobility is the future.

I wish they could use this free time to improve their Infotainment system... instead of imagining useless stuff.

Correlation=/=causation, completely different talent stacks.

You do realize if you took car designers and put them on user interface, that would just lead to even more infotainment complaints, right?

 

[ssun30]

The designers are paid to do their job. What else do you expect them to do? Code infotainment systems or calibrate fuel maps that they have no qualification in? I just feel It's very disrespectful to the people doing their job by shouting they are wasting the company's money and resources.

 

[CRSKTN]

I think the resentment is they haven't earned it by walking the walk.

Ultimately, I could make the argument that this is likely the result of a joint project utilizing toyotas connection to campuses and other art-incumbating organizations and the internal designers.

Realistically the cost of something like this is more in time spent than dollars, and if they're utilizing talent and giving a platform to new artists that's great.

I wish they would manifest this supposed culture in a bit more of a tangible way.

The best marketing for them is good looking, desirable, "what is that" machines out on roads and parked along avenues next to packed restaurant.

Honestly, Lexus needs to be viewed as a marketing department, as ridiculous as that sounds.

If you don't know what the future is going to bring, and so you say "we are a mobility business", and you're imagining all of these various potential avenues for entirely new ways of getting around, you can justify having a central, capital intensive, execution and vision focused organization dedicated to making everything you offer more desirable.

You want to convince me that Toyota is gonna bring me unmanned drone taxis? You want to tell me you'll make moon surface yachts? Rockets?

Make me cars that make me think "that thing is a space yacht on wheels", or "that thing could get into orbit if it had wings", with amazing execution.

Charge for it. I know people may dislike this, but you can't be luxury flagship "oh baby jesus" level while still approaching things with an 80 cents on the dollar attitude about yourself.

That doesn't mean you don't focus on giving amazing relative value, but put some crazy **** on the menu and let me see what you can do.

You want to sell me an NX? Cool, give me an options list that could double the price of the car, but give me a CUV with a respectable engine with some PHEV optionality and an LS+++ interior.

Let me turn whatever you make into something crazy.

Plus, think of the benefits to people who buy the standard versions? You're driving around in a car that could be 45k or 90k. For people who don't like to be too conspicuous, here's The most baller RX you've ever seen.

But at soccer practice, it's just another RX, unless you know what to look for. Obviously, revamping the fundamental vehicles to catch up to the competition and create a strong foundation is a critical step. Toyota seems convinced on long life cycles for platforms. We will likely see more refreshes. Expanding their limited editions as yearly special options could be interesting.

Obviously this won't happen, but I hope they do something interesting. I'm excited about the PHEV performance hybrid future. Let's see what comes of it.

That said, I'm going to choose a positive tone to end on and say I'm glad that Toyota is providing artists a platform to have some fun, develop their skills, and hopefully grow in the process.

Who doesn't want a floating moon yacht.

 

[Sulu]

When I followed the link in Krew's post to Document Journal, this is what I found:

Lexus, Nike, OMA, DJ Honey Dijon, and more share their visions for what our future among the stars might hold in this portfolio for Document's Fall/Winter 2019 issue.
...
For Document’s Fall/Winter 2019 Issue, we invited a selection of the culture’s most compelling architects, designers, artists, thinkers, and even a DJ, to find their inner Major Toms and imagine human life on the Moon. What do we need to consider? How shall we live? What will it look like? What will we wear? How will we move? We asked them to show us, through their own inimitable style, what our future among the stars might hold.

Lexus, along with Nike, OMA, DJ Honey Dijon and others, were invited to give Document Journal their imaginations of future life on the Moon. If I worked for Lexus (especially if in a senior management position), I would see it as a real honour to be invited.

 

[spwolf]

As a marketer myself, I wouldn't say Lexus' marketing is good enough that their employees and Team One should be sitting around dreaming up intergalactic, imaginary nonsense...

When you add up all of these pet projects like the hoverboard, Valerian jet, yacht, MIB spaceship, this thing... it just sends the wrong message when their actual car lineup (you know, their core business and how they make money) is struggling.

Plus, to my knowledge, there are few or no dedicated Lexus marketing positions anymore. Under OneToyota, most employees share responsibilities for both Toyota and Lexus, so... yeah... even less time and bandwidth for obscure Lexus PR projects.

As a marketer, do you build products that you market? Maybe R&D them? Test them? Interesting.

Anyway, here is why:

The Story Behind the Lexus Yacht: Why Lexus is Now Designing and Selling the LY 650 - Core77

Also, a surprise meeting with Akio Toyoda, the President of Toyota

www.core77.com

 

[internalaudit]

Living in Canada during winter feels like living on the moon sometimes.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

I've lived in Minnesota, which is basically Canada Lite in terms of weather. I saw Star Trek VI in a theatre in Minneapolis, and when the camera panned across the ice planet they'd been sent to (filmed in Canada, I believe) someone yelled out "It's Minnesota!" and everyone laughed.

 

[Sulu]

Living in Canada during winter feels like living on the moon sometimes.

Are you familiar with the conspiracy theory that all Moon landings were faked and actually filmed in the Sudbury, Ontario area? I once had a colleague who grew up in Sudbury and liked to bring that up all the time.

 

[internalaudit]

Are you familiar with the conspiracy theory that all Moon landings were faked and actually filmed in the Sudbury, Ontario area? I once had a colleague who grew up in Sudbury and liked to bring that up all the time.

I wasn't but that's good to know.

 

[Gecko]

Just making sure we're on the same page, you said from another thread, that just because Lexus isn't struggling now doesn't mean they don't need to do better with their lineup otherwise face dwindling sales. I do agree with that sentiment btw.

The issue I have is, in this thread, you are now saying Lexus is struggling, therefore they shouldn't have ambitious marketing campaigns or, the other interpretation would be; since you think the car lineup sucks then the messaging should also suck, you know, for consistency. Not very good reasoning, and honestly, horrible brand messaging. Any ad guy presenting this plan to their superior would likely get an odd look and demoted, probably fired.

As a marketer yourself, you should know very well that the job is to create brand awareness and positive impressions. You should also know that marketing funds are pre-budgeted and don't affect R&D. Advertisers have their own lanes completely separate from car designers, engineers, and craftsmen.

So whats next? Lexus can't do Superbowl commercials? how about Intersect? Black Panther partnership? The movie broke many box office records, must be a coincidence that you left it out of your list of grievances.

I think it really goes over a lot of peoples' heads that Lexus is no longer an automotive brand, its a lifestyle brand and has been for a while now. And as Akio repetitively states, mobility is the future.

I guess I should ask you this question: How do you define success?

Sales volume? Profit? Aspirational value? Product leadership? Global expansion? Marketshare or any other number of ways? Lexus is able to show "healthy" volume sales because the brand continues to grow into markets where it didn't exist before. That's obviously positive and can be considered a success.

However, the product they're doing it with is sub-par, so I would say that's an area where Lexus has not been successful. That's open to interpretation but I won't rehash the same things we've discussed here in every other thread.

I'm all for ambitious marketing campaigns - it's one of the things Lexus has been known for, and I think it's played a significant part in their success over the years. Would you consider this an ambitious marketing campaign? To me, it looks like a strange pet project. Lexus has had plenty of great campaigns over the years... I certainly hope you aren't insinuating this is one of them.

What I know about budgets - especially as it relates to Toyota, Lexus and many other automotive companies - is that while projections for marketing, R&D, sales, and every other function begin life as separate line items, marketing is usually the first to be impacted and allocated elsewhere when objectives aren't being met. We've heard rumors that Lexus hasn't been profitable in over two years - we'll never know if that's actually true, as such information is held tightly internally at ToMoCo - and if that's true, my opinion is that money spent on projects/campaigns like this one shouldn't be wasted.

You recently stated that you don't think Lexus needs any new engines, despite the fact that almost every one in their lineup dates back to 2006. Based on that and some of your other recent sentiments, I'll assume that you qualify Lexus' success in sales numbers and don't have much regard for the actual Lexus product.

My idea of success is more of a combination of all the things I listed above, and overall, I'd say Lexus is barely keeping their head above water lately. So until we start to see stronger product, projects like moon landers seem tacky and tone deaf, no matter how many people or budgets are involved.

And one last thing: Any marketer worth their salt will tell you "lifestyle brand" is a term people used five years ago to describe experiential and influencer marketing. It's a fad that's come and gone - and I'm hoping Lexus gets off the train sometime soon.

 

[Gecko]

I think the resentment is they haven't earned it by walking the walk.

Ultimately, I could make the argument that this is likely the result of a joint project utilizing toyotas connection to campuses and other art-incumbating organizations and the internal designers.

Realistically the cost of something like this is more in time spent than dollars, and if they're utilizing talent and giving a platform to new artists that's great.

I wish they would manifest this supposed culture in a bit more of a tangible way.

The best marketing for them is good looking, desirable, "what is that" machines out on roads and parked along avenues next to packed restaurant.

Honestly, Lexus needs to be viewed as a marketing department, as ridiculous as that sounds.

If you don't know what the future is going to bring, and so you say "we are a mobility business", and you're imagining all of these various potential avenues for entirely new ways of getting around, you can justify having a central, capital intensive, execution and vision focused organization dedicated to making everything you offer more desirable.

You want to convince me that Toyota is gonna bring me unmanned drone taxis? You want to tell me you'll make moon surface yachts? Rockets?

Make me cars that make me think "that thing is a space yacht on wheels", or "that thing could get into orbit if it had wings", with amazing execution.

Charge for it. I know people may dislike this, but you can't be luxury flagship "oh baby jesus" level while still approaching things with an 80 cents on the dollar attitude about yourself.

That doesn't mean you don't focus on giving amazing relative value, but put some crazy **** on the menu and let me see what you can do.

You want to sell me an NX? Cool, give me an options list that could double the price of the car, but give me a CUV with a respectable engine with some PHEV optionality and an LS+++ interior.

Let me turn whatever you make into something crazy.

Plus, think of the benefits to people who buy the standard versions? You're driving around in a car that could be 45k or 90k. For people who don't like to be too conspicuous, here's The most baller RX you've ever seen.

But at soccer practice, it's just another RX, unless you know what to look for. Obviously, revamping the fundamental vehicles to catch up to the competition and create a strong foundation is a critical step. Toyota seems convinced on long life cycles for platforms. We will likely see more refreshes. Expanding their limited editions as yearly special options could be interesting.

Obviously this won't happen, but I hope they do something interesting. I'm excited about the PHEV performance hybrid future. Let's see what comes of it.

That said, I'm going to choose a positive tone to end on and say I'm glad that Toyota is providing artists a platform to have some fun, develop their skills, and hopefully grow in the process.

Who doesn't want a floating moon yacht.

This was a really great post 👍