Japanese car brand INFINITI showcases brand's connection to Kyoto city in video series

Japanese automaker Nissan's luxury vehicle division INFINITI has launched a series to tell its marketing strategy, offering craftsmen an opportunity to tell the essence of traditional craft with new practices and techniques. 

“The Makers” series was created and developed with an initial test pilot video, which focused on the connection between people and products by studying the relationship between the community of Kyoto's traditional artisans and their art – a new marketing territory connecting INFINITI to its roots in Japanese craftsmanship. The brand said Kyoto is a special place to its global design team, adding:

More than its nature, timeless structures and monuments, it's the people in Kyoto toiling to maintain Japan's unique approach to art. Their innovative approaches deliver their own concept of modern Japanese luxury and serve as a guidepost for INFINITI's designers. 

"The Makers started as a test filmed in Kyoto before growing to a full six-episode season. The first season of the series, consisting of six three-minute videos, has so far reached more than two million users globally on social and digital channels, and has also been adapted and localised by all key INFINITI markets, including the US, Canada, Mexico, Russia, the Middle East, China and Taiwan," said Antoine Malin, global marketing manager of INFINITI. 

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The series has both online and offline touchpoints, including social media and a dedicated experiential booth at the 2022 New York Auto Show. Moreover, in the pipeline are eCommerce extensions with “The Makers” products soon to be available for purchase via Instagram shopping.

Taisuke Nakamura, INFINITI's senior design director, said, "I hope that the products that are made with such care and attention to detail are shared with the world we can go beyond any religion or ideology. It's not just about connecting people and countries but connecting people through our craft. We have that kind of potential."

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INFINITI also rolled out a video showcasing Nakamura's discussion with six Kyoto-based artisans to explore their mutual appreciation for nature, innovation, and to hear their thoughts on modern Japanese luxury, serving as a continuation of the series. The artists specialise in various types of art, including tea caddies and traditional Japanese paper washi. By showcasing the stories behind these artists, INFINITI tells the audience that the finished products, manufacturing and aging process, as well as tools, are beautiful. 

The brand added, "They all lead to a higher calling for Kyoto and its artisans and echo in INFINITI's vehicles whose design team often draws inspiration from the city of Kyoto."

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