Worldly: Lexus Design Awards 2019

The luxury automotive manufacturer Lexus is – for the second consecutive year – the official sponsor of the Venice International Film Festival. Established in Venice in 1932, this is the oldest film festival in the world, and since its inauguration it has grown to become one of the most prestigious.

This collaboration offers something more than the showcasing of a new hybrid car; it is a celebration of creativity. Films from around the world are clamouring to be recognised by the festival and, if chosen, they are validated as unique, original and above all creative. In these terms, Lexus’s brand and invention might be thought of another product of the world of artistry that it aims to celebrate. Their new car might be a simple hybrid, however its self-charging technology and the company’s progressive approach are suggestive of the ways in which car manufacturers are gradually moving away from petrol and diesel towards environmentally-friendly alternatives.

According to T&D World, electric vehicles in the world totalled 3.2 million in 2018, up 55% from the previous year. These figures indicate a continuing and increasing growth of electric cars. The numbers may be small at present and taking into consideration the world’s population of over 7 billion, they are not going to send any environmentalists screaming with joy. However, the figures are an encouraging precursor of good things to come.

While the Venice Film Festival is celebrating creativity, Lexus are hosting their Design Awards of 2019. Designers from around the world can submit designs intended to ‘make the world a better place’. Entries to the awards will be required to incorporate the core principles of the Lexus brand: Anticipate, Innovate, Captivate.

Any design awards competition, not just by Lexus, offers a means of engaging with talent from all around the world and bringing fresh ideas to the table. In many ways, the 21^st century has seen more changes in the world in 18 years alone than in any other century, whether it be cars, fashions, buildings or technology – such as gadgets, artificial intelligence, mobile phones and so forth. Ultimately, Lexus are looking to uncover the hidden talent that might give their cars that competitive edge in a market that is always looking to surpass and reinvent itself.

Even if we run out of petrol as we make the shift towards electric vehicles, we will never run out of creative power. Lexus and The Venice Film Festival certainly make for an interesting combination. Their respective roles and responsibilities in the world might diverge in some ways but they do have one thing in common: a shared love for discovering creativity.

Lexus.co.uk