Success Stories

The brief

Premier Japanese luxury brand Lexus aimed to promote its SUVs in China with an event that would also give media representatives a personal experience of its SUV models and the new RX. Themed ‘A Light in Life’, the 10-day exploration tour of Hainan aimed to give a boost to Lexus sales in the country.

Insight

The team had already worked closely with Lexus for many years, planning several test-drive events for the brand. This time, they sought a breakthrough; a different experience that would spark intensive media interest. A range of channels were used to communicate these impressions to the widest possible target audience.

Solution

Test-drive sessions and other personal experiences were at the core of the event, enabling media representatives to convey a vivid impression of Lexus luxury and various SUV capabilities. To help determine their approach, the team conducted an analysis of Lexus’ competition and formulated a differentiated brand positioning.

A standout in the event programme was an ‘experience session’ for BladeScan™, Lexus’s new adaptive high-beam headlamp technology. The system senses pedestrians or vehicles on the road ahead and automatically dips the high beams to prevent dazzle. Appropriately, the team staged a lightshow to showcase this important new advance.

Test-drive experiences, such as a maze and sandy terrain, were designed to match the characteristics of different Lexus vehicles. Drivers were left with a deep impression of the flexibility of the UX, the sportiness of the NX, the off-road capability of the LX, and the high-tech luxury of the RX. In addition to test driving, the event encompassed a variety of upscale lifestyle activities such as surfing and snorkelling.

The UX timed challenge was particularly spectacular, taking place in a maze with extreme twists that gave drivers a feel for the model’s excellent handling as they raced each other to the finish. Before entering, each participant was provided with a drone to get a bird’s eye view of the convoluted course.

Meanwhile, media teams were given GoPro cameras to allow them to live broadcast the action, enabling viewers to share the thrilling experience.