The dark ride with Lexus: the marketing of green technology
An opposition group is trying to swipe hybrid technology and the CT200h needs to make it to Los Angeles before dawn, Tony is the crack wheel-man, you’re the navigator who’s tasked with helping Tony, now GO….To your computer!
Lexus headquarters tells the Chicago Lexus ES dealer that they have created, with the help of New York Agency, Skinny, an interactive 12 and a half minute long video for their website, “The Dark Ride,” that allows visitors to play navigator during a wild ride in a CT 200h, with a manic driver named Tony, played by Norman Reedus. Co-Chief creative officer at Skinny, Liron Reznik, said, “The goal is to make viewers feel as if they are sitting shotgun next to Tony in this prototype and trying to get people to experience this vehicle month’s before it exists or before the test drives.”
This video invites drivers to take a “dark ride” and to experience the “darker side of green,” which according to Vice President of Marketing at Lexus, David Nordstrom, they decided to refer to the video with these phrases “because the CT 200h offers great styling and responsive handling along with ecologically friendly operation.” Lexus headquarters tells the Chicago Lexus RX dealer that with this video they are trying to appeal to a ”young, progressive, energetic, and tech-savvy buyer.” Reznik defines this person as members of Generations X and Y. Reznik says these people are “progressive” in wanting green cars, but still seek cars that are “fun to drive.”
The Lexus CT200h is the only full hybrid in the premium compact segment and Lexus headquarters tells the Chicago Lexus ES dealer that this new model, “will offer new levels of refinement, sophistication, and attention to detail, without compromising style or driving pleasure.” It is a gasoline/electric hybrid that is equipped with a 1.8 liter engine with an electric motor that has a total of 134 hp.
You can view “The Dark Ride” online at the Lexus website and the CT 200h is said to be available to purchase at the Chicago Lexus RX dealer in 2011.
