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Surprises

by Mike Masnick

Mon, Oct 13th 2008 9:42am




Filed Under:
advertising, advertising is content, hosting, videos

Companies:
lexus, toyota


Lexus Gets Into The Video Hosting Business...?

from the apparently dept

So, we were a little confused recently when Toyota sued a nude model for using the name Alexus, as it seemed difficult to believe there would be any "confusion" between the two. However, who knew that Lexus was getting into the entertainment business? We've talked in the past about BMW's famous BMW Films effort, as an example of how the future of advertising needs to recognize the blurring lines between content and advertising. In BMW's case, each film was directed by a famous filmmaker, starred actor Clive Owen, and included a BMW that tended to act as something of a co-star. The films were entertaining as pure content, rather than as traditional advertising.

Since then, we've seen plenty of other companies try similar things, with varying degrees of success. For example, the recent set of Microsoft ads involving Jerry Seinfeld and Bill Gates received a very mixed reaction -- in part because people expected them to be like traditional ads, pitching a specific product, rather than creating a story line that was entertaining in its own right.

Now, one of our readers, William Jackson, points us to an experiment apparently by the car company, Lexus (a part of Toyota). It's called L Studio, and appears to be something of a web video platform, showing a bunch of professionally produced videos. As Jackson notes, some of them do involve a Lexus, such as this documentary about an artist creating a piece of artwork out of a Lexus:

However, others seem to have absolutely nothing to do with Lexus automobiles at all, and often star recognizable actors, such as this video starring Famke Janssen trying to juggle her dating life with her dog:
I'm sure some will complain that these sorts of videos don't make any sense, as they do nothing to promote the vehicles -- but it may be worth seeing where this campaign goes from here. Some of the videos are entertaining and help put Lexus' brand around "lifestyle" content, and that could get people to start associating the Lexus brand with a certain type of lifestyle. Sure, it might not be as "in your face" as sponsoring a TV show or doing product placement, but if the content is good and gets people to seek it out rather than intrude on what they're doing, this could be a very effective branding campaign.

7 Comments | Leave a Comment..


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  1.  
    identicon
    Charming Charlie, Oct 13th, 2008 @ 10:09am

    So, we were a little confused recently when Toyota sued a nude model for using the name Alexus, as it seemed difficult to believe there would be any "confusion" between the two. However, who knew that Lexus was getting into the entertainment business?

    I still don't see what difference it makes. Alexus makes pornography. Lexus makes cars. Even if Lexus also is a video site, she's still just making pornography.

    Where Lexus to be the name of a girl who makes pornography, then I could see the grounds for suing Alexus.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  2.  

    Alexus

    identicon
    Clive, Oct 13th, 2008 @ 10:38am

    Alexus should have used product placement, shooting porn in the backseat...of a Lexus, of course. Problem solved, and new market penetration for Lexus.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  3.  
    identicon
    marka2k, Oct 13th, 2008 @ 11:02am

    New market penetration????................ hmmmmmmmmm

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  4.  

    Re:

    icon
    Mike (profile), Oct 13th, 2008 @ 11:27am

    I still don't see what difference it makes.

    It doesn't. It was just a weak attempt at a joke... Apparently, too weak. :)

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  5.  

    Im curious

    identicon
    Anonymous Coward, Oct 13th, 2008 @ 12:17pm

    Doesnt Toyota only use the Lexus name in the Unites States, like Honda with Acura?

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  6.  

    trademark law

    identicon
    Micahel Kassing, Oct 13th, 2008 @ 12:37pm

    In trademark law a famous trademark casts a "long shadow" and juniors should stay clear of those rights. However, I really doubt porn is in the shadow of an automaker. Further, a search of Google gives 2,420,000 for Alexus; lots of third parties.

    Thoughts,

    Michael Kassing
    MarkTend.com

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]

  7.  

    Re: Im curious

    identicon
    Ben, Oct 13th, 2008 @ 3:33pm

    Actually, Toyota uses the Lexus name in Australia too.

    [ reply to this | link to this | view in thread ]


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