Lexus IS Goes For Street Cred With New Ad - Will It Attract the Hipsters They So Desperately Need?

Lexus is pulling hard for street cred among the artistic set.

The 24-year-old Toyota subsidiary has tapped Devo founder Mark Mothersbaugh and Grammy-winner Jonas Åkerlund (he won for Madonna’s “Ray of Light” music video) to help make commercials for the new IS sport sedan. Mothersbaugh composed original music for the television commercial, which featured the $61,750 IS F Sport. Åkerlund directed the film; B Åkerlund, who is married to Jonas, styled the shoot.

Primed to compete against German rivals like the Audi A4 and BMW 3-Series, the IS comes at a transitional time as Lexus faces a large-scale brake recall and a unique-if-risky take on addressing market potential in China.

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thetruth01 - 6/17/2013 1:55:56 PM

+9 Boost

I don't think they are targeting fixie riding hipsters. But maybe hip dot commers (yes they're back) who are even worse than hipsters.

cidflekken - 6/17/2013 2:39:31 PM

-2 Boost

I'm just not understanding Lexus' approach. Yes, they want to attract a younger/hipper buyer, but why? They were killing the competition for 11 years straight and their products were esteemed in the industry. Sure, they weren't viewed as fun to drive or dynamic, but now that they've adjusted their approach and their target demographic, they continue to fall further behind BMW and MB. I just don't understand why they tried to fix what wasn't broken. Their current approach just doesn't seem to be resonating with buyers. By a very healthy margin, their two highest sellers are their two most conservative cars: ES and RX.

AlleVier - 6/17/2013 3:26:27 PM

+1 Boost

It's simple, not just for Lexus, but for all manufacturers; if your customer base is old, your customers will start dying and they won't be replaced by new middle-aged buyers unless you were an "aspirational brand" to them when they were young.

enthusiastx11 - 6/19/2013 12:20:17 PM

-3 Boost

the ES and RX sells like mad....and their average buyers are baby boomers in their 60s. where's the growth going to come from down the road?

ParadoX - 6/17/2013 6:53:55 PM

+4 Boost

They don't put young people in the ad because they are targeting them. They put young people in too try and show that they are a hip young brand. This draws in the middle aged drivers who don't want to be in their grandfathers Cadillac Deville.

cidflekken - 6/17/2013 7:30:21 PM

-6 Boost

Um, they sure didn't put old people in their previous ads and it sure as hell worked perfectly then.

cidflekken - 6/17/2013 7:34:11 PM

-6 Boost

The point is, Lexus' new approach isn't working.

amgs65 - 6/18/2013 9:08:29 AM

+5 Boost

...and yet Lexus sales are up 11% from last year, and 18% from the year before.

scenicbyway12 - 6/17/2013 9:32:56 PM

0 Boost

After watching the ad I only have one question, who the hell is a aimed at?

LexSucks - 6/18/2013 11:46:51 AM

-14 Boost

The first Lexus IS that reached our shores was hip. But it wasn't even a Lexus. It was a Toyota Alteeza. The Current Lexus IS will never appeal to hipsters because the current Lexus IS just like an incoherant mess. There's nothing "Hip" about that.

cidflekken - 6/18/2013 1:10:03 PM

-9 Boost

LOL. This sh*t makes me laugh. Yesterday my first comment was at +6. Now today it's at 0 and my subsequent comments are at -6. Some Lexus fanb*tch must have created 6 different profiles. Seriously, if critical comments get your panties in a wad, you need to finance some therapy.

Oh, and yes, Lexus sales are up vs. last year, but on the strength of what? Yes, their ES sedan, which is still their most conservative car in the lineup. It's up 92% and accounts for about 28% of total sales of the brand.

LexSucks - 6/18/2013 1:27:35 PM

-10 Boost

The Lexus ES is 100% pure awesomeness.

KyleAZ - 6/24/2013 4:01:38 PM

+10 Boost

...or maybe 6 posters simply disagreed with you, get over yourself. You have a hissy fit and then end that with "...if critical comments get your panties in a wad, you need to finance some therapy."

I'll leave you to unknot your thong.