TRUE agency launches next phase of 'Infiniti in Black' ad campaign
 
(October 5, 2006) Today, Infiniti announced the evolution of its “Infiniti in Black” marketing campaign, Infiniti’s first-ever marketing campaign designed to speak directly to African Americans. Originally launched in 2004, this updated campaign challenges three African American artists -- an illustrator, jazz musician and actor/director -- to create artistic pieces inspired by Infiniti vehicles.  
 
“`Infiniti in Black' was created to showcase the significant achievements of African Americans in the cultural arts,” said Mitch Davis, director of Infiniti Marketing. “The Infiniti brand represents bold personality, creative design and individuality which reflect the artistic talents of these three artists.”  

Created by The TRUE Agency, the “Infiniti in Black” campaign was first launched in November 2004 when Infiniti aligned its five vehicles with five different forms of African American cultural art. Earlier this year, Infiniti produced “…In Black,” an original program that aired on BET featuring five African American artists in roundtable discussion on the influence of design on art and culture, moderated by former New York Times film critic Elvis Mitchell.  
 
The artists represented in the campaign are Mike Thompson, an urban illustrator; Orbert Davis, jazz musician; and Shirley Jo Finney, actor and theater director.  
 
This phase of the “Infiniti in Black” campaign includes both print and online components. Microsite www.infiniti.com/black features information on the artists and nine short films about their creations; print advertisements will run in November issues of publications such as Black Enterprise, Essence, Ebony, Homes of Color, NV Magazine, Green, Uptown, TRACE and Vibe.

The marketing campaign also includes in-market events showcasing the three artists and their work. Events are scheduled to be held in Atlanta, Chicago, Los Angeles and Washington DC in early 2007.  
 
Urban illustrator Mike Thompson was challenged by Infiniti to design an original piece of artwork that represents the full line-up of 2007 Infiniti vehicles -- M, G, FX and QX56.  
 
“Infiniti cars stand out because of their design,” said Mike Thompson. “The first thing that struck me when I saw the line-up was that while each vehicle was very unique, they all shared strong, clean lines, an aggressive stance and vibrant and dynamic textures and colors.”  
 
Thompson’s graphic illustration -- titled “Inspiration” -- is a depiction of a man levitating with the light source above him, holding a leash in his hand. In the background of the painting are curvy lines and warm colors swooping across the canvas.  
 
“The vehicles remind me of a beautiful sculpture that blends together life and emotion with uncompromising strength. The man levitating was inspired by the feeling I get when driving the car,” explains Thompson.  
 
Thompson is the first artist to be unveiled in this phase of “Infiniti in Black.” Thompson’s experience is currently available on the microsite, interactive ad units and print.  
 
Orbert Davis, a jazz musician, was challenged to create an original composition inspired by the all-new 2007 Infiniti G. The musical score incorporates traditional jazz rhythms accompanied by melodic flourishes.  
 
“I composed a score that was inspired by emotions I felt when first interacting with the all-new G,” said Davis. “The musical adventure of the piece takes the listener from moments of reflection to moments of exhilaration.”  
 
Davis, a native of Chicago, has recorded over 3,000 television and radio commercials and created arrangements and on-camera performances for several major feature films. Content for Davis’s work will launch on the “Infiniti in Black” microsite, interactive ad units, and print in November.  
 
Shirley Jo Finney, an award-winning actor and theater director, produced a theatrical piece inspired by the Infiniti FX. “Brave by Design” is an avant-garde performance by Finney and her two-person troupe.  
 
“The storyline was inspired by bravery and boldness found in the design of the FX,” said Finney. “The performance is about a man and woman who reveal their dreams to each other and the audience in a lyrical stream of consciousness. This reflects the same attributes I found in the FX -- they both have visual impact, emotional presence and leave their respective audiences wanting to see more.”  
 
Content for Finney’s work will launch on the “Infiniti in Black” microsite, interactive ad units, and print in December.


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