Lexus Sports Illustrated Ad Blends Style with Technology
Leading automaker Lexus just added a new layer to its 2013 ES marketing campaign with an advertisement that merges technologies with stunning visuals.
The result is a convergence of print and digital advertising. Starting today, Oct. 10, readers can bring an ES print ad (found in the Oct. 15 issue of Sports Illustrated magazine) to life by simply placing the ad over the screen of an iPad while running the Lexus-created video found in this week’s iPad edition of Sports Illustrated.
With a single touch, users will see a static Lexus ad take off for a stunning test drive.
Similarly, Digimarc Discover platform enables smartphones and other sensor-equipped devices to “see and hear” media content using built-in cameras and microphones.
Consumers simply direct their phone at content they are interested in and are presented with a range of associated network services such as purchase a product, view a video, save for later, download a coupon, or share with a friend, for example. (Read: New Watermark Technology for Print-Digital Cookbook)
Earlier, as the official automotive marketing partner of the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit property, Lexus created a multi-faceted campaign called TORI 500, showcasing an actual racetrack the automaker created in the shape of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit model Tori Praver’s body. (Read: Swimsuit Supermodel Curves in Lexus Campaign)
“The new ES proves what’s possible when advanced technology is elevated by style,” said Brian Smith, Lexus vice president of marketing. “This ad not only communicates that message, but literally replicates the paradigm itself, allowing us to bring an interactive layer to a traditionally static medium.”
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The 2013 ES ad looks like a standard print advertisement featuring the vehicle and a headline: “Introducing a Stunning Feat.” But, after placing the iPad underneath the ad, the static image comes to life.
The sky flashes and pulsates with a brilliant color before exploding to the beat of the music. Suddenly, the engine revs, the ground propels forward, the wheels spin and the car begins driving through the night.
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Along the way, the tempo changes for a brief tour of the dashboard’s Lexus Enform connectivity features, then picks back up, highlighting the vehicle’s design and, finally, technology.
Lexus says it spent months developing CinePrint Technology to animate the 2013 ES’s next generation design and technological advances. Most traditional mashups feature print ads that redirect to a digital experience away from the printed page.
CinePrint Technology flips that on its head, creating a tactile and visceral connection that brings one closer to the printed page with a multi-sensory experience that combines sight, sound, and touch, says the company.
