For one of its most critical product launches in years, Infiniti is emphasizing star power, not horsepower.
Nissan Motor Co.’s luxury brand has enlisted entertainment and sports celebrities to create buzz around its second-generation QX60 midsize crossover for an influencer-themed launch campaign when it arrives this fall.
The three-row crossover is Infiniti’s sales powerhouse, driving nearly 29 percent of its U.S. sales last year. The launch of the redesigned 2022 model is make-or-break for Infiniti, which is struggling to keep customers’ attention thanks to a bare-bones product lineup.
Its U.S. sales have been in decline since 2017, slumping 32 percent last year — the largest annual drop in the brand’s history. Infiniti reported 79,502 sales in 2020, its lowest total in two decades.
The planned marketing campaign for the QX60 eschews an emphasis on product specs, such as horsepower and torque. And the reason for that is the busy professional target customer, Infiniti U.S. marketing chief Phil O’Connor told Automotive News last week.
“Certainly, the car plays an important role in their life, but they’re not auto enthusiasts, and they don’t spend a lot of their free time researching cars,” O’Connor said.
“They have an active personal life with a family, they have a professional life, and are trying to balance all of this,” he said. “An interesting way to grab their attention but also deliver compelling product information was through the use of influencers.”
To appeal to the QX60’s female demographic, Infiniti teamed with Golden Globe-winning actress Kate Hudson on a launch video.
Hudson, a parent and entrepreneur, is the “embodiment of our target customer,” O’Connor said. “We were specifically using her to try to connect with consumers as they would see themselves.”
But Infiniti’s marketing plan isn’t just about entertainment. It’s also an education campaign.
To drive awareness of the QX60’s features and technology, Infiniti will turn to a panel of sports, fashion and TV personalities who will answer product questions from potential customers via personalized videos.
“We thought it would be interesting if the influencers actually got deep into the product with the consumer so that you had the best of both worlds,” O’Connor said, referring to customer engagement and product information.
The QX60 influencers are Olympic gymnast Gabby Douglas, Emmy Award nominee Dule Hill, sportscaster Erin Andrews, actor Misha Collins and TV personality Clinton Kelly.
“They’ve got a broad social following, and their brands are consistent with Infiniti’s brand,” O’Connor said.
Infiniti will furnish the celebrities with product information, but the videos will not be scripted.
“We want to make sure they’re accurate, but we don’t want a video where our celebrity is just reading product features,” O’Connor said. “It’ll be much more natural and organic.”
Infiniti hopes the videos will have a viral component as they get shared on social media. They also will be aggregated into a searchable online library.
Whether the celebrity-themed marketing approach works — it’s a first for Infiniti — remains to be seen.
“This is a bit greenfield here,” O’Connor said. “We’re trying to use influencers in a new way.”
The 2022 QX60 receives an updated powertrain, a more luxurious interior and technology upgrades. It’s loaded with more standard features than the outgoing model and has a starting price that’s $2,500 higher.
The crossover starts at $47,875 and tops out at $65,175, including a $1,025 shipping fee. The redesigned model is available in four grades, each of which is available with all-wheel drive.
Production will begin in early August, but volumes will be low initially — about 2,500 vehicles in each of the first two months, dealers were told at a presentation last week. Output should pick up to about 4,000 vehicles in October.
Long term, Infiniti intends to keep the QX60 days’ supply to less than 75 days, according to a source briefed on the matter.
Infiniti Americas chief Jeff Pope is hopeful the crossover’s updated technology and design will lure new customers to the struggling brand.
“This vehicle sits in the heart of the premium segment,” Pope said, and “targets customers who seek utility and premium luxury.”
“This does both very, very well.”
While the QX60 shares a platform with the redesigned Nissan Pathfinder, Infiniti execs say the two vehicles have different audiences.
With the Pathfinder, Nissan has “moved completely down the direction of a rugged vehicle; we are focused on the premium customer,” Pope said. “We put a strong focus on the things in the vehicle that matter the most to the luxury customers — from the seats to the screen size to the attention to detail on the interior of the vehicle with every material that’s put in the car.”