• by Karl Greenberg , March 4, 2011

Lexus, which launched a campaign for its CT 200h car last week, is hoping to continue its outreach to hip, early adopters and influencers via a campaign with MMN, the Mog Music Network, via events and branded digital content about local independent artists and emerging music.

The program, called the Emerging Music Discovery Experience, aligns Lexus with the indie music scene, via MOG-curated music content from its network of sites. The music then gets put on a variety of Lexus-branded digital platforms for Lexus.

Among these are an online hub that profiles bands with photos, bios, videos, tour schedules and MP3s. The effort also has a Lexus branded widget syndicated across MMN sites, and a WAP page available through a QR code that will be in Lexus print advertisements in books like Rolling Stone magazine.

MOG says it comprises over 1,500 music sites, reaching nearly 40 million people each month.

Dave Nordstrom, Lexus VP of marketing, says the effort also puts Lexus at the SXSW festival. "MOG is hosting a music showcase in Austin during SXSW," he says. "Lexus is the premiere sponsor of the MOG showcase, not a sponsor of SXSW."

He says Lexus is looking for "Authentic and unique media partnerships" to support the launch. "Through the MOG platform we are able to provide rich content and engage potential customers through music and music discovery."

He adds that experiential executions at the MOG showcase include onsite banners, gobos and VIP guest experiences. "This is the first partnership for Lexus with MOG," he says.

Alex Brough, SVP of sales & strategic partnerships at Berkley, Calif.-based MOG, says Lexus is also co-sponsoring the four-day "Baeble Takes Texas" event (Baeble is a video content channel and an affiliate within the MOG Music Network with a focus on live music content.) "They will be capturing video from their event as part of the MOG/Lexus partnership. We'll also be syndicating this content across next generation platforms like Baeble's Roku application," he says.

He says Lexus approached MOG about introducing a new, younger affluent buyer to the brand's new hybrid vehicle, and that MOG has offered tickets to the Austin event to Lexus to distribute to local Lexus dealerships and that content from select MOG and Baeble event performers will be featured on a custom Lexus branded hub. "We will also be leveraging editorial and social extensions to generate massive awareness for this campaign," he says.