• by Karl Greenberg , April 14, 2010

Luxury carmaker Infiniti is supporting the launch of its M sedan and QX SUV via a multifarious deal with American Express Publishing and Time Inc. that gives the Franklin, Tenn.-based automaker top billing in a Food & Wine magazine series, “Supercharge Your Senses.� The epicurean series, which has sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell elements launches in May print issues and this week on the web. There are also mobile elements and events. Central to the program are food and culture recommendations around the country, cooking secrets from assorted chefs and wine tasting lessons.

Said Ben Poore, VP, Infiniti Business Unit, in a statement, “The series will be used to launch the Infiniti M and QX models and blends perfectly with the inspired performance philosophy of our brand.�

Print comprises three gatefold features in the May, August, and December issues of Food & Wine and in select copies of other American Express Publishing Corporation and Time Inc. titles, including Essence, InStyle, Golf, Real Simple and Travel + Leisure. Infiniti will be the sole advertiser within these editorial, which delve into travel, food, and wine. The first part of the three in-magazine sections, will be devoted to travel and will reveal 25 food and culture experiences to see, hear, and taste in Oakland, Chicago, Washington DC, Dallas, Miami and New York. The August section will look at chef innovation and the last will focus on wine. A microsite at FoodandWine.com, also sponsored only by Infiniti will include a weekly video series featuring F&W wine editor Ray Isle, among other things. An iPhone application, “F&W’s Best of� locates coffee bars, desserts shops and cocktail bars in each region of the United States. The first event, “F&W Best New Chefs� was April 6th in New York. Infiniti VIP customers were invited to attend. A “Sensory Dinner Series� in local markets around key Infiniti model launches will be at “F&W Best New Chef� restaurants in Los Angeles, Houston, Miami in June; Chicago and Atlanta in July.