Lexus Partners with Marvel's Eternals

This article on PR Newswire caught my eye because my family and I are big Marvel fans. We’re contemplating a group costume for Halloween, so ideas are welcome. I don’t want to paint myself green, or Gamora would be my first pick.

Here’s the lowdown: Lexus has partnered with Marvel Studios in their new ad campaign. The Marvel film Eternals will open on November 5, and fans get an early look at one of the characters, a superhero named Kingo, in the two minute piece titled Parking Spot. Although the commercial features a superhero, he grapples with a very human problem. Kingo, played by Kumail Nanjiani, is searching for a safe place to park his new Lexus, although most of us don’t face this task while the serpentining through a war zone.

In the article, Vinay Shahani, Lexus vice president of marketing, is quoted saying, "There's a natural synergy between Marvel Studios and Lexus. We both go all-in to deliver amazing experiences.” In another article on the Marketing Dive website, Shahani said the automaker is specifically trying to reach Gen Y consumers in their 30s and 40s with the platform. To this demographic, Lexus presents excitement as the first part of their value proposition. The whole campaign is to introduce Lexus’ first-ever V8, the IS 500. The slogan “Exhilaration is Eternal” carries over to their website, and the company says the IS 500 was “put on the earth to thrill.” Millennials can identify with the humdrum task of finding a place to park, but having a powerful vehicle to get you there adds a little excitement.
Lexus also includes fun as part of their value proposition. The commercial is full of the same brand of humor as the Marvel films where quotable quips are sprinkled in with the action. While Kingo drives around desperately seeking a parking spot, at least he’s able to use the on-board communications system to keep his fellow superheroes informed about his circumstances and make light of the situation. He stares at a collection of no-parking signs trying to decipher whether he is allowed to stay there, then opts to leave when he sees some pigeons overhead waiting to muck up his paint job. Humor is a great way to captivate an audience and draw in buyers.

Using celebrities and even tie-ins to movies is not a new idea in car branding. In fact, Hyundai is also partnered with Marvel. Both campaigns try to replicate the look and feel of Marvel films. But, Lexus took the cinematic feel of this commercial very seriously. "Parking Spot" is directed by Anthony and Joe Russo, who directed Avengers: Endgame, and Lexus enlisted the Oscar-winning visual effects company Framestore. It seems like a lot of trouble and money for a 2 minute video that most of us will only see on YouTube. I fall in the demographic Lexus is trying to reach, and this campaign doesn’t convince me to buy one of their vehicles. I might rewatch the ad to find the Easter eggs, but I doubt many Millenials will follow up by going to the Lexus website. While the commercial is clever and interesting, I don’t think it sells cars. Don’t feel bad, Lexus. We’re a hard group to please.

I am, however, excited to see the movie! I think Marvel took the win here.