Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Edition surely did … and Lexus was up to the “curvey” challenge.
Los Angeles-based Recommended Media director Vic Huber teamed up with TeamOne to pay homage to the launch of the 2012 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition in the new web film Lexus & Sports Illustrated Present the Tori 500.
The “making of” web film features a seductive swimwear shot of Praver augmented and placed onto a racetrack. The skills of professional racecar driver Scott Pruett and stunt driver Greg Tracy are put to the test as they compete to see if they can literally drive around the curves of this Sports Illustrated swimsuit model in the all-new 2013 Lexus GS. The co-branded campaign also includes a four-page centerfold in the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Edition, two new iPhone and iPad apps, available for download at http://www.lexus.com/Tori500/, that allow users to super-impose themselves into a photo with Praver.
1 to 100 Scale
To execute the 1” to 100’ scale, Huber and his production team scoured Southern California to find an ample location to house Praver’s amplified curves. The team planned carefully to achieve the most accurate lighting for the placement of the swimsuit photo on the aerial track shot.
Huber leveraged his extensive auto experience to capture the expert drivers tearing through the track with utmost speed and precision. Says director Vic Huber, “It was very exciting to see how many platforms were going to be covered in this campaign: print, web, iPhone. In one day, we were able to provide assets that will connect to a wide ranging audience that may never have otherwise been reached.”
The web film opens on a photo shoot with Praver and fashion photographer Bjorn Iooss, who carefully tweaks the body movements of the supermodel to allow for the maximum possible body angles to be created into the Lexus racetrack. We jump to the site of the track, where the production team is prepping the scaled track with meticulous measurements and white street paint. The competing drivers arrive at the track, both hoping to most precisely navigate the twists and turns of Praver’s scaled body in order to win a victory lap with the SI model herself. Pro racecar driver Pruett edges out stunt driver Tracy by .36 seconds with a time of 0:35.40. Honoring the win, Praver hops in the passenger seat with Pruett, squealing in excitement as she goes along for the ride around her own body. The film closes with the super, “Now it’s your turn. Download the Tori 500 app for iPhone and iPad,” alongside images of the apps.
Omnichannel or Bust
The thing that truly stands out in this campaign is the use of mixed media – Print, Video, iPad, iPhone, Events:
Behind-The-Scenes Video–Two of the world’s best professional drivers, race car driver Scott Pruett and stunt driver Greg Tracy, compete on the TORI 500 track.
iOS app–Available at Lexus.com/tori500 and iTunes, SUPERMODELED is a camera app allowing people to place the swimsuit model into their own photos with the click of a button.
Print and Online Components–Executions include a four-page spread in the Feb. 14 Sports Illustrated Swimsuit issue and custom tablet integrations featured on iPad, Samsung Galaxy, Xoom and Nook.
Launch Week Events–Lexus will participate in the marquee New York launch event and SI’s two Las Vegas events, SI Swimsuit On Location and Club SI Swimsuit. Additionally, the automaker is the exclusive presenting sponsor of the first-ever, two-day Beauties & Beats Music Festival, happening at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas, Feb. 15-16.
Relevant Engagement
All-in-all an excellent example of really going for the omnichannel push. If you want to be successful and you want to reach an wide ranging audience, then these are the tactics you MUST employ…
