Car maker Lexus has today taken the unusual step of placing an advert to promote a TV commercial to maximise the impact of the launch of its latest model.
Taking no chances, it has taken full-page adverts in today's papers to alert readers to a new TV slot, which will show off its latest sports utility vehicle when it airs on Channel 4 tonight.
Its teaser adverts for the Lexus RX 400h - which has two electric engines plus one petrol engine and retails for about £38,000 - appeared in several newspapers, including the Times and the Guardian. The car manufacturer is keeping details of the 90-second advert under wraps until tonight.
"When we are looking at something like Lexus... our media money is nowhere near the amount of our competitors," said Clive Baker, a regional account director with the advertising agency Saatchi & Saatchi.
"We really want to make a noise. It's such a change for the motor industry, it's very different to what's out there."
But Lexus has chosen a comparatively low rating programme for its launch. The Channel 4 News regularly pulls in about 900,000 viewers, where its competition tonight on ITV, Emmerdale, can expect to attract 9 million viewers in comparison.
"It's been specially targeted as Lexus is not going to be everyone else's cup of tea. As with all advertising you want to get people who are going to be more open to your brand," Mr Baker said.
In an intensely competitive advertising market, car makers face the problem of people becoming "immune" to advertising, he said.
The advert, which will screen in Germany, Spain and the UK, is not the only unusual approach to car advertising.
Its rival Nissan bypassed terrestrial TV early this year when it launched a 24-minute advert in instalments during each episode of the cult drama 24 on Sky One - hoping that the new approach would help to transform its image among younger viewers as a manufacturer of uncool cars.
Lexus is attempting to relaunch its brand as it releases four new cars over two years.
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