Lexus New Zealand, together with Saatchi & Saatchi New Zealand, launched the all-new Lexus RZ, the country’s first production car featuring yoke steering with steer‑by‑wire technology – innovation that allows for greater driving precision and sharper responsiveness.
Debuted at this year’s ASB Classic, the launch transformed Lexus’ tennis sponsorship into an interactive display of innovation. At the centre of the campaign is the ‘Lexus Rally of the Day’, which transformed the tournament’s most exciting rallies into interactive test drives.
Each day of the tournament, ball data was taken from the top rally and used to plot a driving course within the Rally of the Day browser-based experience, on a digital interpretation of the tournament’s main court. The number of hits, ball trajectory, and shot speed were combined to generate the day’s Lexus Rally of the Day.
Accessed via a QR code or link, the in‑browser experience then uses the phone camera’s gyroscope with 200‑degree motion to replicate the Lexus yoke steering. On‑screen graphics, inspired by the RZ’s dash interface, show turning angles, speed, and a live score of driving precision.
Fans could then use their phones to steer the course of real tennis rallies, mimicking the feel of Lexus’ yoke steering wheel and giving them a glimpse of its advanced driving technology.
“At last year’s ASB Classic, we put kinetic art on the court surface in replays of match rallies. That was an interesting way to have a Lexus brand presence within tennis. But this year, we had the specific task to introduce a new vehicle that happened to have an evolutionary new feature—yoke steering. The word ‘rally,’ holding meaning in both tennis and car worlds, was the idea trigger for us – we turned Lexus New Zealand’s sponsorship into a unique and interactive product demonstration,” said Steve Cochran, chief creative officer at Saatchi & Saatchi NZ.
“We’re excited to be bringing New Zealand’s first ever production vehicle with this technology and innovation to the country—and equally excited to provide a unique experience for guests. Bringing these together will offer fans an interactive taste of precision and performance – hallmarks of both world-class tennis and Lexus engineering,” added Craig Burton, manager sales and operations, Lexus New Zealand.
Spark Foundry New Zealand led the media strategy, partnering with Sky Sport to promote the campaign across stadium, broadcast, OOH, social and digital channels. Audiences are invited through paid media, social posts, and sponsorship placements to visit lexusrally.co.nz, where they can choose a growing selection of rallies from different tennis matches.
Each drive generated a precision score that fans could then share with friends, while standout performances were highlighted on Lexus’ social platforms throughout the tournament.
Production was headed by PXP Studios, Publicis Groupe’s technology-led innovation unit specialising in intelligent content and digital experiences that blend data and emerging technology.
“To highlight the innovative features of the Lexus RZ, we put the experience into the hands of the audience by taking a mobile-first approach to the production, developing the entire driving experience to run directly in browser. We crafted a user-focused interface that makes every interaction feel intuitive. By combining this with real-time 3D web rendering and motion-based controls, we delivered an interactive driving experience for users to enjoy wherever they are,” concluded Neil Duncan, managing director of Publicis Production ANZ.
