In Mid-March 2022 Nissan North America rolled out its integrated, multi-platform, multi-phase ‘Road 2’ campaign activation its sponsorship of the NCAA Men’s and Women’s basketball tournaments which culminates in the Final Fours
Creative based around college sports mascots on a road trip, the campaign was spearheaded by a set of eight spots featuring six of the brand’s latest vehicles – led by the all-electric Ariya and all-new Z.
‘Road 2’ features the college mascots from 27 different teams, including many of the leading hoops schools and historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs) and the spots all highlight the unpredictability of the path to the Final Fours. Inspired by the journey taken by 136 college teams during March Madness, ‘Road 2’ drives home the message that no matter how many times any school has competed in March Madness, the roads to the championship games are never the same.
The creative began rolling out from 14 March and aired across a number of media platforms including television, social and onsite activations at both the women’s and men’s tournaments.
As well as the commercials and the supporting social and digital content in-person experiences and at-event activations, a branded bracket challenge held in partnership with broadcaster CBS Sports offered fans who complete both the men’s and women’s bracket challenge a chance to win an all-new Nissan Frontier
Content aims to channel viewers to visit NCAA March Madness and ‘The 2022 Bracket Challenge Nissan USA’ for a link to enter selections in the men’s and women’s bracket challenges.
Maybe it’s the weather forecast, or reading the stars. Is your #MarchMadness bracket selection system a bit…unconventional?
Quote this tweet and tell us about it.
We’ll retweet some of our faves. #Road2FinalFour pic.twitter.com/qKkRFAp8j8— Nissan (@NissanUSA) March 14, 2022
Nissan’s campaign highlight several of the auto brand’s newest models including the new all-electric Nissan Ariya crossover, the Nissan Z, plus Pathfinder, Frontier, Rogue and Altima models.
“With Road 2, we continue telling Nissan’s story of having one of the most thrilling, newest lineups in the industry,” said Nissan US VP Of Marketing Allyson Witherspoon. “I’m also proud that Nissan is increasing our support of the Women’s tournament so that we can help enhance the experience for both student-athletes and fans of women’s basketball.”
Nissan’s activation also includes a set of onsite initiatives at the Final Four weekends (in New Orleans and Minneapolis) with the ‘Nissan Fan Cave’ and ‘Road 2 Final Four’ activations. Nissan vehicles will be displayed, and some of today’s biggest names in collegiate basketball will share content onsite, from both tournaments.
‘Nissan Fan Cave’ at the NCAA Men’s Final Four Tournament, New Orleans. Running from 1 to 4 April and located right outside the tip-off in New Orleans in Champion Square, fans arriving for games can enjoy an immersive basketball gaming experience that celebrates the journey and the destination of the Men’s Final Four.
While a parallel ‘Road 2 Final Four’ at the NCAA Women’s Final Four Tournament in Minneapolis (running from 1 to 3 April) includes an onsite visual experience characterizing the team mascots’ journeys on the Road 2 Final Four at which fans travel through basketball themed pit stops ending with Nissan’s arrival at the Women’s Final Four.
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This campaign follows on from Nissan’s 2021 March Madness ‘The Chase’ activation.
It was back in September 2019 that the Japanese car manufacturer signed on as an official corporate partner of National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) men’s basketball.
The move was part of an expanded partnership between Nissan North American division of the company and NCAA which saw the car company benefit from an increased presence at major NCAA men’s basketball events – including the season-ending March Madness and Final Four tournament.
“We look forward to our partnership with Nissan, and we are pleased that the company, with its strong brand, has committed its support to NCAA student-athlete achievement, intercollegiate athletics and higher education,” said NCAA Director of Championships and Alliances, Corporate Relations, Marketing and Branding Ellen Lucey when the deal was signed.
The NCAA hoops tie-up expanded Nissan’s existing US college sport presence which already included in the United States partnerships with 33 college athletics departments from eight key regions and its official sponsorship of the Heisman Trophy – the top individual player annual award in NCAA American football.
“Through our Heisman Trophy sponsorship and ‘Heisman House’ campaigns, Nissan has been synonymous with college football for well over a decade, and now, we are leveraging that momentum to expand our commitment with another icon of college sports,” said Nissan VP Marketing North America Allyson Witherspoon when the partnerships was unveiled in 2019.
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