automotive

Infiniti Challenges Lexus, Lets Fans Decide On Media

Infiniti-Baby-

Infiniti's new "Challenger" campaign, via TBWAChiatDay, which launched last week with a 60-second anthem spot positioning Infiniti as an innovator and iconoclast in the premium segment, is continuing with a more aggressive creative and a social-media component in which consumers help decide the ads' media rotation. The new "Challenger" chapter comprises a pair of 15-second spots that will not even air on TV until social fans of the luxury auto brand decide which of the two ads deserves the heavier media rotation.

The new spots also target Lexus. One of the spots, "Lullaby," shows an infant in a cradle looking up at a mobile of suspended paper cutouts of luxury cars. "There's luxury that lulls," says the voiceover as one of the paper cars bearing the Lexus grill ornament swings past. Cut to a shot of an Infiniti M sedan in full slide. "And there's luxury that thrills." The other spot, "Spa," says luxury can be a sedative (shot of a man and woman in the driver and passenger seat of a car identified as a Lexus, with avocado muck on their faces and cucumber slices over their eyes) or a stimulant.

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Right now, the ads are only on the brand's Facebook page, YouTube Channel and Twitter. Infiniti is asking its Facebook fans which spot they want to see most frequently on air; vote count will determine the media weight of each of the two spots on network, cable and spot market TV starting July 18, and running through August.

An Infiniti spokesperson says the point is "basically to get our fans and customers engaged in what we are doing; we are taking a different direction in the commercials and in doing so we want to involve fans in the process and let them actively be a part of it." He said there is another spot in the pipeline.

Said Ben Poore, VP of Infiniti Americas, in a statement: "We believe in telling compelling stories with an attitude that feels more energetic and optimistic than traditional luxury brands. Our commercials are bold, and serve as our proclamation of confidence in our ability to move our customers emotionally as well as physically.

The automaker is also in the midst of teasing the 2013 Infiniti JX crossover with sneak peeks online, prior to its reveal on Aug. 18 at the Concours d'Elegance at Pebble Beach in Monterey, Calif. The "Power of 7" teaser campaign on social media sites like Twitter includes a sweepstakes offering a trip for two to the lifestyle event and luxury auto show.

1 comment about "Infiniti Challenges Lexus, Lets Fans Decide On Media ".
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  1. Jason w Anderson from Capital Impact Partners, July 18, 2011 at 10:09 a.m.

    Great example of engaging your customers in a conversation rather than a straight pitch. Given the high end brand and what I would imagine is an older demographic, I'll be curious what the response rate is.

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