See Lexus' ‘Black Panther’ ad

Lexus, one of the most prominent brand backers of the first Black Panther movie, is back for the sequel—this time using the movie to plug an electric vehicle. The campaign, called “An Electric Future,” features the 2023 Lexus RZ 450e, the Toyota-owned luxury brand’s first battery electric vehicle. A 90-second ad features members of Wakanda’s all-female Royal Guard, the Dora Milaje, led by General Okoye (played by Danai Gurira). Lexus’ deal with Marvel Studios also includes product placement in the movie, “Black Panther: Wakanda Forever,” which hits theaters Nov. 11. The Lexus LC 500 Convertible and the Lexus GX can be seen in the film. Lexus is the second Black Panther sponsor to release a movie-themed ad, following Sprite, which announced its campaign earlier today. The Lexus campaign comes from Walton Isaacson, Lexus’ agency of record for Black, Hispanic and LGBTQ+ audiences. The shop also handled the collaboration with the 2018 original “Black Panther” movie, including a Super Bowl spot. Ad Age Next: CMO Get your tickets for the Dec. 7 event in New York Register here In a behind-the-scenes video, agency, brand and Disney executives talk about how Lexus and Marvel brought it to life. “Representation is huge and this TV spot having such a powerful female cast, all-Black, I can’t wait to see my daughter's face when she watches this,” said Diori Thomas, creative director of Walton Issacson. The commercial was directed by Anthony Leonardi III, whose credits include an illustrator role on Marvel’s “Avengers: Endgame” movie. “I hope people watch the ad and feel like they are in a great movie. For each Lexus spot, I treat the vehicle like a character, so like a Marvel character, the RZ 450e is the hero. It is the star,” Leonardi said in a statement. Lexus’ decision to use a pricey marketing asset to spotlight an EV follows a recent trend of automakers spending big money to raise consumer interest in electric vehicles as brands plow billions of dollars into EV development. The RZ 450e compact electric crossover is due out next year and begins Lexus’ planned transition to all-electric vehicle lineup by the next decade. “The technology, creativity, and imagination we encounter in the futuristic nation of Wakanda is a natural fit for the sustainable, global society Lexus envisions with the introduction of our most advanced vehicle ever, the fully-electric RZ 450e, further extending our electrified vehicle portfolio,” Vinay Shahani, Lexus VP of marketing, said in a statement. Sign up for Ad Age newsletters From influencer marketing to agencies, get the latest news and analysis delivered to your inbox Click here

See Lexus' ‘Black Panther’ ad

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