Parlez-Vous Desir? Lexus Ad Campaign for Launch of SC 430 Entirely in French

    TORRANCE, Calif., March 8 A national U.S. advertising
campaign entirely in French??  That's how luxury automaker Lexus will be
introducing its first-ever convertible, the SC 430.
    On March 12, Lexus will break two new commercials on national network and
cable television for its brand new retractable hardtop convertible.  The theme
of the launch campaign -- which also includes a specially-designed Web site,
http://www.lexus.com/desire -- is "Parlez-vous desir?" and will feature the spots
exclusively in French.
    "As far as we've been able to determine, it's the first time ever that a
U.S. television campaign intended for the general population has run entirely
in a foreign language," said Mike Wells, vice president, marketing manager at
Lexus.  "The car itself evokes romance and desire.  We wanted to create a
campaign that communicated those qualities by appealing to the romantic in the
SC 430 customer."
    The two TV spots are both set in whimsical French settings, with all the
action revolving around the love affair with and attraction to the beautiful
SC 430.  One spot features a woman holding a dog on a leash in a French city.
The dog, sitting firmly on the sidewalk, is transfixed on the Lexus SC 430 as
the owner struggles and pleads with the dog to move.  The second spot features
a cycling team racing in the French countryside.  The convertible is traveling
on a parallel road.  At an intersection, the Lexus stops -- and so do the
cyclists, who are mesmerized by the convertible.  Chaos ensues. The Lexus has
stopped traffic.
    Though the voiceovers use French words that are easily understood -- such
as magnifique, splendide, and desir -- the point was to elicit a feeling of
sensuousness and romance.  The French comes across almost as a soundtrack.
    "We were impressed with how sexy and romantic this car is and how people
have a very visceral reaction to it.  It's really about the way this car
speaks to people," says Tom Cordner, co-chairman and executive creative
director of Lexus' advertising agency, El Segundo, Calif.-based Team One
Advertising.
    "The voiceover in French is not intended to deliver copy points about the
car, but rather we saw it as music, the way Italian opera touches people --
you may not understand every word in the aria, but the power and the draw of
the music evokes strong emotions," he adds.
    The campaign also includes a Web site dedicated exclusively to the SC 430,
which will break on the same day as the TV spots.  In addition to
comprehensive information on the SC 430, the Web site will feature a "Museum
of Desire," where visitors can click on images of famous artwork to explore
the different ways that artists such as Van Gogh and Klimt have captured
desire.  Of course, an image of the SC 430 is in the museum, as well.
    The site also features a clever animation short of the SC 430 with its
hardtop opening and closing -- all set to music and a humorous, "Ooh La La"
tongue-in-cheek vocal.  A rich email version of the short will be sent to
Lexus owners and prospects, and will contain a link allowing recipients to
forward it on to family and friends.

    About the Lexus SC 430 Convertible
    The Lexus SC 430 hits showrooms March 15, 2001.  Already a hot item with
over 10,000 sold orders, the first-ever Lexus convertible melds sophisticated
exterior styling, luxurious interior innovation, potent engine performance,
and an elegantly designed retractable hardtop that transforms it from a
2+2 coupe into a convertible in less than 25 seconds with the push of a
button.  The SC 430 will be competitively priced with a manufacturer's
suggested retail price (MSRP) of $58,455.  The only factory options are
run-flat tires ($400), spoiler ($440) and the Lexus Navigation System
($2,000).  A fully loaded SC 430 will have an MSRP of $61,295.
    In developing the SC 430, the Lexus design team embarked on an extensive
research trip to the French Riviera to carefully study European styling,
sophistication and designs.  Their goal:  to create the "Jewel of Lexus" --
the automaker's pinnacle expression of elegance, beauty and power.

    About Lexus
    Lexus, the luxury vehicle division of Toyota Motor Sales, U.S.A., Inc.,
markets and sells luxury cars and sport utility vehicles through 187 dealers
in the United States.  Lexus prides itself on providing the best in vehicle
quality, service, and customer satisfaction.  The company's dealers have
achieved the highest honors in customer satisfaction eight out of the last
nine years from the independent research firm J.D. Power and Associates.
Additionally, with record-setting sales in 2000, Lexus is one of the fastest
growing luxury nameplates in the industry.

    About Team One Advertising
    Team One Advertising is a full-service agency, including comprehensive
relationship marketing, event marketing/promotions, interactive services and
public relations.  Headquartered in El Segundo, Calif., and a division of
Saatchi & Saatchi, the agency has regional offices in New York, Chicago, and
Atlanta.