Taste of Lexus to become Performance, Luxury, All-Wheel-Drive tours for '08
#1
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http://publications.mediapost.com/in...&art_aid=78378
Lexus Bags The Swag In Upcoming Vehicle Events
by Karl Greenberg, Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 5:00 AM ET
LEXUS HAS FOR YEARS NOW held annual test drives that were more à la carte than car ... now it's bagging the swag.
Starting this year, Lexus will replace its "Taste of Lexus" lifestyle events with a series of more defined events built around performance, luxury, and all-wheel-drive vehicles. "We felt it was becoming more about the destination than the cars," says Brian Bolain, national interactive and automotive events manager for the Torrance, Calif.-based company.
"People were coming because we were giving three to four hours of entertainment value." As a result, he says, the percentage of lead generation that Lexus was getting from the program wasn't as strong as it had been. "We were getting lots of owners," he says.
Instead of one tour in the summer, surrounding Lexus vehicles with epicurean and prestige brands, Lexus will now do three separate tours during the course of the year, each focusing squarely on the cars. The tours will also use an "intercept" approach: instead of Lexus creating its own event and doing mass mailings to generate its own traffic, the company will do "pop ups" that bring its vehicles to venues owned by complementary brands.
Lexus has experimented with the approach. The company last year promoted its Prius vehicles by putting them at Whole Foods Market stores, an effort to capture the nexus of environmental consciousness and upscale, educated consumers. And Toyota's Scion brand launched with a sub rosa campaign, in which the division showed up at hip music and clothing stores and restaurants with vehicles.
Bolain says the first tour, featuring the new performance-tuned IS-F and GS 460 sedans, will comprise four racetrack components. The test-drive will visit eight markets.
Bolain says the performance-vehicle tour will focus on such venues as high-end fitness centers. "There's a big difference in hand-raiser rates when you are surprising people in an environment in which they are comfortable," he says.
"Essentially, we will spend less reaching the same number of people but more than double the number of markets we get to in the course of the year," says Bolain, who says that at some "Taste of Lexus" events, owners made up 75% of the crowd.
He says the company is also beefing up its owner rewards program with new travel and epicurean offerings.
by Karl Greenberg, Thursday, Mar 13, 2008 5:00 AM ET
LEXUS HAS FOR YEARS NOW held annual test drives that were more à la carte than car ... now it's bagging the swag.
Starting this year, Lexus will replace its "Taste of Lexus" lifestyle events with a series of more defined events built around performance, luxury, and all-wheel-drive vehicles. "We felt it was becoming more about the destination than the cars," says Brian Bolain, national interactive and automotive events manager for the Torrance, Calif.-based company.
"People were coming because we were giving three to four hours of entertainment value." As a result, he says, the percentage of lead generation that Lexus was getting from the program wasn't as strong as it had been. "We were getting lots of owners," he says.
Instead of one tour in the summer, surrounding Lexus vehicles with epicurean and prestige brands, Lexus will now do three separate tours during the course of the year, each focusing squarely on the cars. The tours will also use an "intercept" approach: instead of Lexus creating its own event and doing mass mailings to generate its own traffic, the company will do "pop ups" that bring its vehicles to venues owned by complementary brands.
Lexus has experimented with the approach. The company last year promoted its Prius vehicles by putting them at Whole Foods Market stores, an effort to capture the nexus of environmental consciousness and upscale, educated consumers. And Toyota's Scion brand launched with a sub rosa campaign, in which the division showed up at hip music and clothing stores and restaurants with vehicles.
Bolain says the first tour, featuring the new performance-tuned IS-F and GS 460 sedans, will comprise four racetrack components. The test-drive will visit eight markets.
Bolain says the performance-vehicle tour will focus on such venues as high-end fitness centers. "There's a big difference in hand-raiser rates when you are surprising people in an environment in which they are comfortable," he says.
"Essentially, we will spend less reaching the same number of people but more than double the number of markets we get to in the course of the year," says Bolain, who says that at some "Taste of Lexus" events, owners made up 75% of the crowd.
He says the company is also beefing up its owner rewards program with new travel and epicurean offerings.
#6
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i drive mine like a baby
i've had my share of wild driving with the old car already.. just taking it easy
i can then go all out on the track, gotta love small power sliding when i went to TOL last year
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i can then go all out on the track, gotta love small power sliding when i went to TOL last year
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speaking of which
here are some promo items that i made for a publication course project at school
![](http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5310/samplepromo1bydavidhsiehi5.jpg)
![](http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/199/samplepromo2bydavidhsievj0.jpg)
![](http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8959/samplepromo3bydavidhsiebi7.jpg)
![](http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8389/samplepromo4bydavidhsiejm2.jpg)
perhaps it will give lexus some idea for their new performance oriented tour?
Disclaimer:
This project is for educational purpose only and has no commercial value
Lexus Gala is a fictional event that i created and does not represent Lexus
Lexus logo is a trademark of Toyota Motors Corporation
here are some promo items that i made for a publication course project at school
![](http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/5310/samplepromo1bydavidhsiehi5.jpg)
![](http://img510.imageshack.us/img510/199/samplepromo2bydavidhsievj0.jpg)
![](http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8959/samplepromo3bydavidhsiebi7.jpg)
![](http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/8389/samplepromo4bydavidhsiejm2.jpg)
perhaps it will give lexus some idea for their new performance oriented tour?
Disclaimer:
This project is for educational purpose only and has no commercial value
Lexus Gala is a fictional event that i created and does not represent Lexus
Lexus logo is a trademark of Toyota Motors Corporation
#9
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Looks cool, UberNoob!..."Luxury Driving & Dining" -- I like it!!!
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I think this is a very interesting development, naturally I wonder how the Performance setups will look like, how hardcore etc. There will be much better track setups I expect, but to accommodate interested but less skilled drivers, I think they could still offer courses like they did at ToL but hopefully the large size ones.
If they had combined the SUV+Luxe ones, I guess that would be too much like a regular ToL, however I'm interested in knowing how different the SUV and Luxe crowds are.
![Thumb Up](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
![Thumb Up](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
I think this is a very interesting development, naturally I wonder how the Performance setups will look like, how hardcore etc. There will be much better track setups I expect, but to accommodate interested but less skilled drivers, I think they could still offer courses like they did at ToL but hopefully the large size ones.
If they had combined the SUV+Luxe ones, I guess that would be too much like a regular ToL, however I'm interested in knowing how different the SUV and Luxe crowds are.
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Looks cool, UberNoob!..."Luxury Driving & Dining" -- I like it!!!
![Thumb Up](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
I think this is a very interesting development, naturally I wonder how the Performance setups will look like, how hardcore etc. There will be much better track setups I expect, but to accommodate interested but less skilled drivers, I think they could still offer courses like they did at ToL but hopefully the large size ones.
If they had combined the SUV+Luxe ones, I guess that would be too much like a regular ToL, however I'm interested in knowing how different the SUV and Luxe crowds are.
![Thumb Up](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
![Thumb Up](https://www.clublexus.com/forums/images/smilies/thumbsup.gif)
I think this is a very interesting development, naturally I wonder how the Performance setups will look like, how hardcore etc. There will be much better track setups I expect, but to accommodate interested but less skilled drivers, I think they could still offer courses like they did at ToL but hopefully the large size ones.
If they had combined the SUV+Luxe ones, I guess that would be too much like a regular ToL, however I'm interested in knowing how different the SUV and Luxe crowds are.
im actually looking for a job right now as I am completing my international business administration degree so if you know anyone at lexus would be interested in my marketing and creative talents, it would be great if you could connect me.
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#14
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I'll have my RSVP VIP guest list. muhahah.
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That was an outstanding job on the promotional materials, ubernoob. Unless you have a burning desire to limit yourself to Lexus, I think someone of your talents would be much better off at a marketing/advertising firm where you can support many clients and really keep your creativity flowing. Companies like Toyota/Lexus do of course have in-house marketing departments, but generally just to oversee the creative work done by contracted-out firms. You obviously have both talent and skills, and I fear you'd be bored in such a situation.