Following a lengthy pitch that also involved competitors such as BBH, GS&P and Anomaly, Crispin Porter + Bogusky won the global creative account for Infiniti, the luxury car division of the Nissan Motor Company. Media will continue to be handled by Omnicom's OMD. The account will be based out of the agency's office in Boulder, Colorado, with regional offices also to be established around the globe to take care of markets such as China and Europe. The agency search was led by the New York agency Roth Observatory, and revenue for the account has been estimated at $30 million with $450 million spent on media annually. There has also been a noted 20% increase in global sales since the start of 2014, so it would appear Infiniti is very much a brand on the ascent.
The Infiniti account will be based out of the CP&B's office in Boulder, Colorado, with regional offices also to be established around the globe
This marks just the latest major announcement in the brand's planned renaissance, which started back in 2012 when the company's global headquarters were established in Hong Kong and the growth plan for the brand was established. The company launched the Q50 sports sedan last year, the first model in the brand's planned offensive. The next model to be unleashed will be the compact Q30, which is due to be launched in 2015; the latest strike in the brand's goal to expand its product portfolio by 60% over the next five years. Infinity was launched in 1989 and has expanded since then from operating solely in Japan and the United States to become a truly global concern. Production in China and the UK will be starting soon and there are plans to expand manufacturing into Mexico in 2017.
Infiniti Q30 Concept - Interview with Alfonso Albaisa, Infiniti Executive Design Director
Vincent Gillet, the vice president of global marketing at Infiniti, said “Crispin Porter & Bogusky has a demonstrated ability launching and nurturing brands” and believes they are an “Excellent match” for their mission of “Elevating Infiniti to a global premium brand.” He said they were chosen as marketing partners due to their “Strength in leveraging multiple communications channels,” and he looks forward to their “Fresh thinking” as they continue growing Infiniti as a global brand. Steve Erich, CP&B's president, said that “Infiniti has a clearly identified product strategy to take the brand into the next decade” and they “Look forward to being a part of this journey.” He adds that their role as the brand's agency of record will be to build on “ Infiniti’s reputation for advanced technologies, exceptional craftsmanship and emotive designs.”
Vincent Gillet, the vice president of global marketing at Infiniti, said “Crispin Porter & Bogusky has a demonstrated ability launching and nurturing brands”
It would appear CP&B have a certain automotive glint in their collective eye right now, as the agency's London office is also set to be named as the creators of a new campaign for Mini. Reports have suggested the agency is in financial talks with Mini after a competitive pitch against The Via Agency and Mother. The appointment (if it proves to be true) will likely only last for the duration of one campaign, as Mini doesn't retain a global creative agency.
Benjamin Hiorns is a freelance writer and musician from Kidderminster in the UK.
