In another foray into the arts, the brand created an anime series in 2022 to attract young buyers for the return of its Integra model. It also tapped rapper Vince Staples for a campaign that debuted during the NBA Finals that same year. The exec shared that since then, it has captured the youngest buyers in its segment “with 38% under 35, and 58% of Integra buyers conquested from other brands.”
“The opportunity for [us] to work with big visionaries and innovative and unique people can help us tell great stories for the Acura brand,” said Liu. “We want to continue to infuse that into the brand so that when people see Acura, they see us as a brand embracing this type of passion and challenging spirit.”
From murals to March Madness
The exec said that debuting the spot during March Madness aligns with this spirit of disruption, furthering its “mission in amplifying challengers and giving a voice to the visionary and risk-taker within us all.”
She also noted that the brand’s target audience varies depending on what vehicle they are promoting. For example, Integra and ADX are geared toward young millennials and multicultural buyers, including Black, Asian, and Hispanic Americans, who are making their first luxury purchase. Elsewhere, its electric ZDX model targets existing luxury buyers.
“In general, we want to connect with super passionate [people], not just about cars but somebody who is always thinking about new ways of doing things [and] challenging themselves to try new experiences, whatever it is,” said Liu.
The ADX campaign will air during the college basketball tournament on national broadcast TV, cable, local TV, local CTV, and streaming as well as social and digital channels. It will also run on Yahoo Sports and across other sports programming like Premier League Football, NBA, and IMSA Racing. Out-of-home elements in high-traffic areas of Los Angeles, New York, and Miami can also be spotted.
While Honda doesn’t separate earnings for Acura, the parent company reported an 8.9% increase in sales revenue year-over-year in the nine months ending Dec. 31. Last month, Acura reported a 2.1% decrease in total vehicle sales, or 18,014, year-over-year.
