Nissan's Latest 'Heisman House' Campaign Lampoons Reality TV

Now in its 13th year, Nissan’s beloved “Heisman House” campaign returns from TBWAChiatDay, casting college football’s biggest stars as regular folks in a spoofy reality-show format. As usual, viewers peek into the lives of these elite athletes as they goof around their frat-style digs and hang with NCAA mascots.

USC sophomore quarterback Caleb Williams, who took home the 2022 Heisman Award, joins five decades of winners, including Eddie George, Barry Sanders, Tim Tebow and Charles Woodson. The campaign hypes Nissan vehicles such as the Rogue and all-electric Ariya SUV.

In the hero :45 below, Williams tells viewers he used to watch “Heisman House” ads every year and wondered if they reflected real life. The next shot shows George teaching Williams to trim hedges in the shape of the Heisman Trophy. That’s … real? Kind of?

“Fans are always looking for deeper and closer connections to their favorite teams and players,” says Marisstella Marinkovic, VP and CMO, Nissan U.S. “This reflects how fans feel about Heisman athletes, too. There’s a deep personal pride when the winner comes from your team or your state. This mentality connects fans to the on-the-field happenings as if they’re part of the team. We wanted to bring that vibe to this year’s campaign in a super-fun way.”

All told, eight commercials will air throughout the season. 

Next, campaign stalwart Tebow gets a tad “Too Helpful,” offering George a head shave, carrying groceries for Billy Sims, and guiding Sanders as he backs out of the driveway:

And this extremely silly segment, “Bath Day,” finds mascots hogging in the guys’ washing machine:

“Fans believe that the ‘Heisman House’ is real,” adds Marinkovic. “Well, this year, we are actually making it real, giving them a chance to view the house on Zillow.”

Indeed, Nissan is launching a collaboration with the real estate site, treating users to a tour hosted by vlogger and apartment aficionado Caleb Simpson (along with Heisman winners and mascots, natch). 

Also new this year is the Heisman House Pass, with an all-access NFT that unlocks exclusive content and experiences. Free passes will be available at TheHeismanHouse.com or IRL at activations visiting campuses in the fall.