Lexus roars to life in new Black Panther film

Lexus has roared to life in the new partnership with the Marvel Studios’ Black Panther franchise, showcasing its all-electric RZ 450e in the upcoming Black Panther: Wakanda Forever movie. Ahead of the film’s global release beginning, 9 November, the RZ 450e, driven by Dora Milaje warriors, will star in 60-, 30-, and 15-second spots called “An Electric Future”.

While Lexus did not share the specific monetary investment behind the campaign, Samuel Yong, director for strategic marketing and business strategy of Inchcape Singapore, Lexus' local distributor, told MARKETING-INTERACTIVE that both parties invested "a significant amount in the partnership" to see it come to life from conceptualisation to execution. 

Lexus and Marvel Studios also collaborated for the first Black Panther movie in 2018. According to Yong, there is no change in terms of the partnership and the timing of the movie release as well as plot development has been a good parallel for the brand. 

"Like Wakanda, that is entering a new chapter, Lexus’ new chapter enhances on the future of innovations, electrification and sustainability. Furthermore, this partnership has provided Lexus with the opportunity to collaborate with other like-minded and innovative brands, such as adidas, for an exciting activation," he explained.

The partnership allows Lexus to showcase a range of its vehicles, targeting a wide range of audiences from families to young couples, and entrepreneurs among others. Through this, Lexus wants to showcase its authenticity and imagination to engage the fans of Disney and beyond.

"Through this partnership, we hope to spark a future-forward vision among fans, similar to what the Lexus brand stands for. This not only aligns perfectly with the Black Panther franchise but is also a perfect fit in the Dora Milaje’s cutting-edge arsenal," Yong said. Discussions for other collaborations are underway and Lexus will share updates in due time.

Separately, Mindy Hamilton, senior vice president of global partnership marketing at The Walt Disney Company, said the power, elegance, and future-forward vision of the Lexus brand aligns perfectly with the Black Panther franchise. "We couldn’t be happier to team-up with Lexus once again to bring an action-packed story and supporting 360 campaign to life,” she added.

In December 2021, another car brand partnered with a Marvel Studios' movie franchise. Hyundai Tucson made an appearance in Spider-Man: No Way Home. Touted by the brand as a "Multiverse Utility Car" and "The Multiverse-Ready Tucson", the car's moment of spotlight arrived when Peter Parker suited up and transformed into Spider-Man on the Tucson's roof, positioning himself into a fighting stance in light of imminent danger. 

Meanwhile, BMW also featured prominently in Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, especially during an intense chase scene in the movie that showcased the BMW iX3. At the same time, the BMW M8 sports car in Melbourne red also made an appearance when Shang-Chi worked as a parking valet.

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