Lexus To Pump Passion Into The Brand - But Is This The Way To Do It?

The luxury carmaker recently decided to ask a group of leading-edge designers what they could come up with using old parts from the automaker’s CT 200h -- a compact hybrid.

Fashion-forward Moss Lipow transformed a transmission starter and exhaust manifold into the “Environmental Crown of Virtue,” while Alejandro Ingelmo’s Luna Shoes were stitched together from the car’s armrest leather and plastic tubing.

You likely won’t find these fashion spin-offs in your local mall, but Lexus does plan to feature the results of the fashion project in a new ad series set to appear in Vogue magazine. It’s all part of the automaker’s critical campaign to pump some passion into the normally staid Lexus brand.

 

Joe_Limon - 11/30/2011 3:35:31 PM

-1 Boost

It's perfect for targetting their existing demographic. Not so much to pull anything but tabloid reading moms however.

Agent009 - 11/30/2011 4:01:44 PM

-2 Boost

I guess you can call it "Fashion Passion"? Nothing wrong with that, but it seems like they are focusing on changing the approach but not the product. The product has always been the issue sterile and effective but lacking true passion.

Alec - 11/30/2011 4:40:15 PM

0 Boost

Lady Gaga approves.

enthusiastx11 - 11/30/2011 6:16:00 PM

-1 Boost

ah yes, more marketing gimmicks desperately trying to mask tired old products.

Willis - 11/30/2011 8:39:41 PM

-5 Boost

I might be in the minority here but to me the passion of a brand is established through their brand history and Lexus simply isn't even comparable in that regard to their rivals. Good cars, no passion.

The IS-F was produced by dissecting an M3 (Lexus openly admitted this), not through racing experience.

Perhaps only the LF-A underwent the "passion treatment" at Lexus, but it is still one of the most bland-looking supercars around.

85bmw745i - 12/1/2011 2:26:41 AM

0 Boost

ummmmm...okay

skytop - 12/1/2011 9:09:11 AM

0 Boost

Is Lexless making a seat vibrator standard now?

kpaxx - 12/1/2011 10:25:40 AM

0 Boost

Cheap style versus substance typical Toyota!

skytop - 12/3/2011 3:58:24 PM

+1 Boost

Maybe Lexles can just rebadge some BMW cars as Lesles models. That would give them a car with soul.