Dive Brief:
- Lexus this week released an original song and music video inspired by the creative influence of its vehicles, according to a press release. The music is part of a larger, multichannel campaign called "Emotional Sparks."
- The song, titled "No Ceiling," is a collaboration between American producing and songwriting duo Nova Wav, Korean-American R&B artist Audrey Nuna, and Argentinian freestyle rapper Ecko, and is based on their experiences in Lexus vehicles. The track is available on all major streaming platforms and Lexus' campaign website, with the accompanying music video developed with choreographer Zak Ryan Schlegel.
- Additional social, digital, advanced TV, print and out of home (OOH) efforts will soon premiere for "Emotional Sparks," including four 30-second spots that highlight artists from the collaboration and will air during primetime, late night and sporting events. The campaign sees Toyota-owned Lexus using musical marketing to communicate its vehicle experience.
Dive Insight:
Lexus is promoting an original song and music video to push the message that it creates vehicles that inspire creative vision. The artists who wrote and produced the creative were reportedly motivated by firsthand experiences in new Lexus models — including the LS 500h, NX and IS 500 — which could demonstrate that its claim of inspiration is more than empty marketing. Plus, assembling a diverse group of artists spanning countries of origin and genres could help Lexus spread its message to a global audience.
Though the core 30-second spots will air on TV, the availability of "No Ceiling" on streaming platforms could find mobile consumers on some of their favorite apps. Young adults, in particular, consume majority of their music on streaming platforms, an insight that could help Lexus boost brand awareness among this audience of potential car buyers. "No Ceiling" had more than 8,000 plays on Spotify as of press time.
Creating an original song is a way for brands to tap into burgeoning audio media to deepen non-advertising communication with consumers. The activation must be authentic, however, as people can easily tell when a campaign appears phony. While it's too early to know whether Lexus' original track and music video will be well received, similar efforts by car brands may signal the campaign's success. Chevrolet, for example, launched a rebooted version of Breland's "My Truck" earlier this year, garnering nearly 686,000 likes on TikTok.
Other aspects of "Emotional Sparks'' seek to further align Lexus with fresh marketing channels. The brand is partnering with Playbill, The Times Square Alliance and The Broadway League to serve as the auto presenting sponsor of Curtain Up!, a three-day celebration for the return of live theater in New York City. Future media partnerships will launch in the following months as well, per the release.
Lexus has been active this year in experimenting with different channels to reach a wider swath of audiences. Among these efforts include a livestream on Twitch that saw gamers customizing a vehicle, a car-inspired shoe drop surrounding sneakerhead culture and a five-day, experiential road trip to promote wellness.
