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Bad day in Tahoe a good thing for Lexus

by Greg Risling

A storm was brewing in the Tahoe Keys Thursday. Trekking through the harsh conditions was a new sport utility vehicle produced by Lexus. The human-made blizzard was generated for an upcoming commercial.

Film crews used Beach Drive in the affluent South Lake Tahoe neighborhood. Scouts selected the area because of its scenic backdrop, Mount Tallac, and tree-lined streets.

“We wanted a spot that looks like a lot of places in America,” said Jeff Spiegel, one of the writers who created the storyline for the commercial. “The idea of the spot is that this vehicle is the only one that can make it through terrible weather.”



The automobile manufacturer will release the model in November. It is the first sport utility vehicle Lexus has built.

Approximately 20 to 30 truckloads of snow were hauled to the site. A biodegradable foam was used to make the homes look like they were socked in by snow. Much like Tahoe residents, two actors are shoveling snow as the vehicle drives by.



Denise Collins, who manages a location company in Tahoe, said she contacted homeowners about the filming and everyone agreed.

“Actually most of the homes that were affected are vacation spots, so it was fairly easy,” Collins said. “We have had a couple of prep days and then filmed. Everything has gone smoothly.”

A spokesperson for the advertising company hired by Lexus said the commercial will run through next winter in “snow” markets like Colorado and Vermont.

The Lexus scene is one of several commercials shot in Lake Tahoe during the last year. Currently, a Best Western motel television ad is shown regularly on stations across California. The commercial shows a king-size bed being moved to a pier at Vikingsholm on Emerald Bay.

Tahoe Daily Tribune E-mail: tribune@tahoe.com

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