Scion Launches Broadband Site, Joins Second Life

Toyota's edgy Scion brand is launching two online ventures that extend its strategy of marketing through entertainment.

Scion has formed its own online network, Scion Broadband, with five "channels" of content. And, separately, Scion has cut a deal to place its cars in the virtual world of Second Life, an online society.

Scion is well known for using online, event and entertainment marketing in lieu of traditional media advertising. The four-year-old brand has a reputation for sponsoring emerging artists, especially in music, fine arts and animation.

Scion Broadband carries short films, music videos, a Japanese anime cartoon series and stand-up comedy. A "Spotlight" feature will profile a new artist each week. A new film will premiere each Friday. And the site's "Music" channel will carry live shows, videos of emerging artists and documentaries.

The portal will carry footage from Scion's test-drive events. The site also hosts a sneak peek at new Scion commercials, but the presence of two 30-second spots is decidedly a soft sell. The first spot, follows Scion's tC model cruising through a city. The car's body is transformed by the things it drives past: traffic cones turn to ribbons of red paint; white stripes leap up from the road onto the car; and a shark escapes from a storefront tank to bite a fin-shaped spoiler on the back of the car.

"Our customer is very plugged into the arts, but they are also plugged in online," said Adrian Si, Scion interactive manager in a statement. "Most of them are finding links to entertainment on the Internet, and a growing amount are just staying online to be entertained. We feel that we can provide our audience with relevant content."

Meanwhile, Toyota has built a Scion showroom in Second Life, a virtual world with 1.8 million participants who set up homes and businesses and use "Linden dollars" for currency.

Scion's new domain, called Scion City, sells three virtual car models for $300 Linden dollars each. Owners can customize their cars; a Showcase Gallery lets players show off their designs. (Scion City also showcases the brand's real-life car models.)

A launch party on the site was so well attended that Scion will host six more events, one every two weeks, to let players' avatars dance, hear concerts, and test-drive Scions.

Scion sales have been strong. The brand sold 10,769 cars in the U.S. in November, following Toyota's record-breaking October with 12,344 Scions sold that month.

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