DALLAS — Want a look at the daring new Lexus? Go to the movies.
Lexus has certainly been able to capitalize on its timely tie-in with Black Panther, the Marvel superhero film that has emerged as a cultural phenomenon, not to mention a critical and commercial hit.
But going into the project, a two-year collaboration, was a bit of a risk, given the conservative tendencies of the Lexus brand and the ever-present danger of a heavily hyped movie falling flat.
To start, timing wasn't on Lexus' side. When the movie was being filmed, the LC coupe that is featured in a breathless chase scene on the streets of Busan, South Korea, wasn't yet in production, said MaryJane Kroll, media manager for Lexus marketing. The automaker's marketing team had to persuade its top engineers to hand over some early LC prototypes, which are hand built.