The Marvellous Marketing Vehicle For The New Lexus
The auto industry is one of the most traditional sectors when it comes to marketing. Campaigns to promote motor marques are usually fuelled by racing, television commercials or print advertisements. Toyota’s high-end Lexus brand is one of the exceptions.
Earlier this month the Japanese auto maker raced into theaters across the United States in Black Panther, the latest super hero flick from Walt Disney’s Marvel Studios division. Chadwick Boseman, Michael B. Jordan and Oscar winner Forest Whitaker headline the movie from director Ryan Coogler but Lexus has much more than a bit part.
Black Panther charts the struggles of an African king who dons a high-tech suit to protect his tribe and become the film’s eponymous hero. It challenges the conventions of typical action movies by dealing with weighty issues like oppression and the ethics of giving aid.
In a novel twist, rather than being poor and persecuted, the isolated tribe has an abundance of a rare metal called vibranium which fuels the construction of a technologically advanced city nestled in the jungle. It triggers a civil war when some of the residents leave their home and want to use their resources to help minority groups whilst others fear that this would make them dependent and disturb their way of life.
It offers up some stunning scenery of sweeping plains, craggy mountains and vertiginous waterfalls. The rustic villages and colourful African robes worn by the tribes-folk make a stark contrast with the sleek spaceships and levitating trains that serve the soaring skyscrapers in the jungle. If you think that a film about native African tribes doesn’t sound like an ideal showcase for a luxury auto brand you would be very wrong.
The movie is packed with high-octane set pieces but the flagship is a car chase through the neon-lit streets of the South Korean city of Busan. It sees the Black Panther chasing thieves who have stolen a piece of his nation’s treasured vibranium and, according to industry title,
The Hollywood Reporter, the scene involved more than 700 people and 150 cars. One of them was the star.
For most of the chase the Black Panther surfs on the roof of a deep blue Lexus LC 500 which is being driven remotely from his hideout in Africa. The scene showcases the capabilities of the car in a breathtaking way and at one point it screeches round such a tight corner that the hero atop it has to stabilize it to prevent it from toppling over. It doesn’t stop there.
A Lexus GS F is driven by the Black Panther’s female warrior companions whilst the villains are at the wheel of a Toyota 4Runner. So the only racing certainty is that the Japanese auto maker will be the real winner in the chase.
It showcases the cars in a real-world environment which is free from the corporate brand clutter that is common with sports sponsorships. The end result is promotional gold-dust and Marvel made the most of it for Lexus.
The LC 500 was first glimpsed in the movie’s June 2017 début trailer on ABC during the first quarter of Game four of the NBA Finals. It received 89 million views in its first 24 hours making it Disney’s third most-watched trailer in that period after Thor: Ragnarok with 136 million views and Captain America: Civil War at 94 million. It even accelerated past the teaser trailer for Star Wars: The Force Awakens which was watched 55 million times during the day after it premièred on 28 November 2014.
Footage from the Black Panther car chase then took center stage in a clip from the movie which Marvel released last month. Highlights were also stitched together with footage of Boseman driving the new LS 500 to promote the car in an ad which was broadcast during this year’s Super Bowl.
The ad was shot using original costumes and gear from the film, including the distinctive Black Panther outfit. Even the film’s fight choreographer, Jonathan Eusebio, was engaged to stage the spot’s fight scene. It features visual effects by Luma, the studio which worked on Black Panther’s suit for the film. The ad blurs the lines between fantasy and reality and it doesn’t stop there.
To boost the connection, Lexus also took the unusual step of commissioning an 8-part comic called ‘Black Panther: Soul of a Machine’ which follows on from the events in the film and features the LC 500 on the cover and in the story. As with the movie, Lexus doesn’t just play a bit part and its designers, known as ‘Takumi’, have even been integrated into the comic.
Ultimately, this would all be in vain if it didn’t drive sales and Lexus has a clear way of tracking that. Unlike some cars used in movies, the LC 500 isn’t a bespoke model but was released last year at a cost of $92,000. The deep blue paint scheme was custom-created for the movie but even that is making it to customers on Lexus’ limited edition LC Inspiration which will be released in spring. It has a a price tag of $108,180 and comes with a wine decanter, bottle opener and tray set designed by Barney’s of New York.
As Britain’s Daily Telegraph recently
reported, the Marvel partnership was built into Lexus’ promotional strategy for the LC 500 from the ground up as the initial discussions about it took place the year before it went on sale.
The Black Panther production team was shown the only prototype in the United States at the time and MaryJane Kroll, media manager at Lexus marketing, says that Coogler climbed onto its roof to mimic the iconic pose that the hero takes during the car chase. It convinced Lexus that the car would be a crucial sidekick and Kroll explained to Forbes that it is all part of a plan to drive interest with a relevant audience.
Why is your brand a good fit with the movie?
The fit was clear from the start. At the outset, Marvel’s audience aligns with Lexus – they are affluent, influential and early adopters of new technology. Going deeper, the Black Panther character, who is also the king of his technologically advanced nation known as Wakanda, is perfectly aligned with Lexus as a premium innovative brand, known for leading the industry in technological advancements. Furthermore, the LC 500, our premium flagship coupe, which doubles as Black Panther’s partner in pursuit of his enemy, represents the pinnacle of the Lexus brand in terms of design and performance. Add to that, the all-new LS 500, our premium flagship sedan, with both the power and luxury make it fit for a king.
How and when did the deal come about – did you approach the movie producers or vice versa?
The integration and co-promotional partnership deal came together between late 2015 to early 2016. The opportunity was brought to us by one of our agency partners, Walton Isaacson, who had a relationship with the partnerships team at Marvel. We were also fortunate to be able to have direct access to the film makers at key points during the development process. Later in 2017, we decided to create a custom launch spot featuring the Black Panther, King T’Challa, for the all new LS 500 premium flagship sedan to début during the Super Bowl.
Why did you choose an association with a movie rather than another type of sponsorship?
Lexus is committed to providing amazing experiences for our customers and in that pursuit, we engage in a wide variety of premium alignments. Some examples include films such as Marvel’s Black Panther, plus partnerships in the worlds of culinary, sports, luxury hotels etc.
What moment of the movie features your products most prominently?
It’s a pivotal chase scene early in the movie where Black Panther pursues an enemy who has stolen and weaponized vibranium, the precious and powerful substance that powers Wakanda’s advanced tech.
What products did you provide for the movie?
We provided six LC 500 vehicles and six GS F models for filming. We also worked with our counterparts at Toyota to help source a fleet of four runners for the villain and his entourage.
Did you customize them and, if so, how?
The LCs were painted a custom blue color, which later became the inspiration for our limited edition 2018 Lexus LC Inspiration Series which features a deeply saturated, iridescent ‘Structural Blue’ color. The GS Fs were supplied in Atomic Silver with a striking red interior – a combination that is available on the model.
Is the car from the movie on sale and, if so, what how much does it cost and what is its specification?
We will sell 100 limited edition LC Inspiration Series with a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $108,180.
The Lexus LC Inspiration Series features a first-of-its-kind paint technique called Structural Blue. Inspired by the morpho butterfly, the paint is developed through an eight-month process. The Inspiration Series LC will be available in spring 2018. The spec highlights are as follows: Unique carbon fiber scuff plate, bespoke white interior, 21" forged alloy wheels, signature Barneys sommelier set and a limited-edition collection of barware inspired by the vehicle’s elegant design
The starting price for the LC 500 is $92,000 and the LC 500h starts at $96,510
What are the key target markets for the partnership?
Nationwide! No limitation on markets!
How are you promoting the partnership and what is your most notable initiative?
We are promoting the partnership throughout our media, PR and engagement efforts. Notable initiatives include the announcement of our partnership at Comic Con in San Diego last July, our pre-SEMA event in Los Angeles last October, the sponsorship of the world-premiere event in Los Angeles in January and launching the all-new LS with the help of Black Panther in the Super Bowl.
Did Lexus have any input into the comic, who is it aimed at and what objectives have you got for it?
We worked with Marvel Custom Solutions to create an original graphic novel,
Soul of a Machine. The story is centered around the balance between human and machine and it features the Lexus LC 500 with a new Wakandan spin on its role in helping the Black Panther defeat a legendary villain. Once again the alignment between and Lexus and the high tech world of Wakanda proved to create a great platform for the story with the famed Lexus Takumi master craftsmen also being featured prominently as heroes. This effort helped us to engage Marvel and Black Panther fans early in the partnership, leading up to the film opening.
Are you planning any promotional events specifically tied to the premières in different countries? Are there any countries which the partnership is focused on specifically?
Many Lexus global entities have also forged partnerships with Marvel in their local markets. The US does not have specific details.
What has been your proudest moment so far during the partnership?
Seeing the integration scene at the première of the film was an incredibly thrilling moment for our team. After working toward this moment for over two years, I was blown away by the sheer awesomeness of seeing the LC 500 and GS F racing through the streets of Busan, Korea with Black Panther and his amazingly fierce female warriors in tow!
