The Final Piece

When thinking of the city where one sees the most Lexus vehicles in Tokyo, Marunouchi comes to mind. Many of them are likely seen gliding serenely as chauffeur-driven cars. However, Mr. Kawabe states, "Lexus needs a message for new customers."

"It has been nine years since Lexus launched in Japan. While it should be a brand that brings surprise and emotion beyond the image of Toyota, we feel it is unfortunately positioned as a step up from the Crown. To break away from the existing Lexus brand image and penetrate new customer segments, we determined that a message not centered on cars—an approach to culture—was necessary."



Mr. Kawabe believes that "future Lexus customers are hidden" within the realms of art, fashion, design, and culture. This is his concept for new branding.

"The meaning of the word 'luxury' is changing with the times. While it once simply implied extravagance, it now encompasses more essential values. Represented by the new luxury demographic, there's a shift towards pursuing 'essential values' that fulfill oneself, such as sensitivity, intellect, timeliness, and comfort. Against this backdrop, we believe it is necessary to make people aware of the Lexus brand by presenting our vision of an enriched lifestyle through 'DESIGN, ART & CULTURE.'"

"For those who can live without a car, art, fashion, and design exist as puzzle pieces in their lifestyle. And Lexus is the final piece, enriching their lifestyle itself. That's the aim: to make them feel that way."

LEXUS DESIGN AMAZING 2014
http://www.lexus-int.com/jp/design-events/2014.html

A Door to the Younger Generation

Lexushas a history of exhibiting at "Milan Design Week" from 2005 to 2009. What is the reason for its return last year?

"Previously, we challenged ourselves to express Lexus's design philosophy, 'L-finesse,' with cars as the theme, and I feel we achieved a certain level of success. Subsequently, Lexus established hybrid technology and evolved further as a globally recognized brand originating from Japan. As the next step to knock on the door of the younger generation, we shifted our branding strategy towards Lexus cultivating new value together with creators by establishing an international award—a gateway for next-generation creators—and building relationships with top creators."



"I had extensive discussions with Mr. Hirata. We spent a long time talking about how we each express 'coolness' and what Lexus wants to do going forward. I conveyed my gratitude for the participation of a top creator, and also my desire for him to 'do something that hasn't been done before.' As a result, he created a work where he himself 'found what needs to be done over the next 10 to 20 years.'"



These relationships with creators continue, and this year, Italian designer Fabio Novembre, Japanese designer Naho Tamura, and the Tangible Media Group led by Professor Hiroshi Ishii from the American design team MIT Media Lab will challenge themselves to create works under the theme "AMAZING IN MOTION."

LEXUS DESIGN AMAZING 2014
http://www.lexus-int.com/jp/design-events/2014.html

* MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). At the MIT Media Lab, nearly 30 research groups comprising professors, research staff, and students are engaged in over 350 projects, energetically advancing cutting-edge technology development in areas such as neurobiology, biomechatronics, computational photography, and electric cars.

Expectations and Anticipation

Furthermore, the winning entries for the second LEXUS DESIGN AWARD were announced. With the theme "Curiocity," 1157 applications were received, and 12 works were selected.

"Two works in the LEXUS DESIGN AWARD can have their prototypes produced. 'Iris,' a glass lighting piece inspired by soap bubbles, and 'Macian,' a craft kit for building a hideaway using branches and other materials, are sure to stimulate adult curiosity."



Mr. Kawabe views these activities as "a perfect opportunity to deliver感動 (kandō - deep emotion/inspiration) that exceeds amazement and anticipation, known as AMAZING IN MOTION." He wishes to continue this work "so that those who see it can experience a new Lexus worldview, and the creators who participated in the project can discover new visions." What, then, is the future vision of Lexus that lies beyond this?

"I believe it should be a lifestyle brand that amazes globally active 'global citizens.' By being recognized as a brand that provides a lifestyle enriching life based on new luxury and values, I hope Lexus cars will shine more attractively. We want to consistently offer more than expected to those who embrace these values."

LEXUS DESIGN AMAZING 2014
http://www.lexus-int.com/jp/design-events/2014.html