For the second annual State of Play: Clio Sports Marketing Summit, a series of panels tackled front-of-mind topics like the power of music in sports marketing, reaching viewers via college athletics and the rise of alternative broadcasts.

Below, we look at the highlights from Monday’s event in NYC.

Harnessing the power of music for sports

The event kicked off with execs from Universal Production Music, ESPN and the NBA describing how music amplifies emotions across audio, video and static imagery.

For Claude Mitchell, coordinating director of music at ESPN, soundtracks are “the inspiration, the motivation and the direction that takes you through things.” Growing up a Yankees fan, Mitchell recalled that Frank Sinatra’s version of “New York, New York” was played at the end of a game they won, while Liza Minelli’s take closed out contests lost. In both cases, music heightens the experience.

Every song has a purpose. Lucas Spry, music director and producer at UPM, noted that “we’re not just throwing upbeat hip-hop tracks on an album just because we can. There’s purpose in that and the BPM tempo arrangement” can help define a collection of tracks.

The NBA recognizes how vital music and tempo are, too. Watching a LeBron James video on mute wouldn’t evoke as much energy and drive as watching with the sound turned up high.

“Music is a critical part of how we translate moments to our fans that are not only in attendance, but who are also engaging with us across our platforms,” said Jasmin Marquez, who helms music programming and business operations at the league.

“Tracks must resonate with all of our fans, no matter where you sit—whether it’s in the arena, or watching the broadcast, or catching it on our social media platforms.”

The music must amplify what’s happening on court, and enhance “how our fans, our teams, our players are all interacting with those moments,” he said.

Sometimes, picking local faves and melding them with global hits can prove a sound strategy.

“Everyone can source authentic regional music,” Spry said. “My job is to listen to that and find … how we can meld genres which work for every medium—social media or broadcast. There’s different tempos, there’s different moods, there’s different lyrical terms that really can make or break” a telecast or livestream.

College sports marketing success for Nissan

Nissan’s Director of U.S. brand & retail media, Rob Martin, spoke to Muse executive director Charell Star about going all in on college sports. That strategy’s driven impressive results, without the steep cost of, say, an NFL partnership.

The carmaker is the official partner of the Heisman Trust, an official NCAA corporate partner, and has multimedia rights agreements with universities across the country.

“You couldn’t just have the Heisman Trust. You couldn’t just have NCAA, although people do take that approach,” Martin said. “We needed a three-legged stool: the Heisman Trust, the NCAA, and the colleges and universities that we participate with. “By using all of those pieces of the puzzle, we can build a really cohesive, creative execution. You’re using colleges and IP, so it feels very authentic. It’s contextually relevant, and that’s why we built our strategy the way that we have.”

The Heisman House campaign, around since 2006, continues to evolve and elevate both creative and the Nissan brand.

“More than a into decade of a campaign, you better continue to think of new ideas. So what did we do? We launched the Heisman House on Zillow,” says Martin.

“Everybody’s looked at Zillow, looked at apartments, looked at houses,” he said. “Never did we think that we would put the Heisman House on Zillow. As you can imagine, everybody asks, ‘Is the house real?’ So we continue to fuel the idea. Yes, this is a real thing. An example of just how we continue to expand the platform and how we continue to refresh it with new ideas.”

Heisman House is the brand’s top performing promotional vehicle each year.

“When we talk about building brand awareness and building brand consideration, it’s our single most important property. So for us, that tells us not only is it about the media, but also just how we’re speaking to the audience. And we find year after year that we continue to see that brand awareness continue to happen, which is staggering when you think of how long this campaign has gone on. And frankly, that’s why we keep doing it.”

The rise of alternative broadcasts

Competing with second-screen viewers has become a challenge that alternative broadcasts aim to win. Execs from Bleacher Report, ESPN and the NFL explained exactly what alternative broadcasts are—and how they’re leaning into the practice.

“When we think about ESPN alternative broadcasts, we really think about creating complementary programs that are going to help to magnify or amplify the main broadcast, like our Toy Story animated football game,” said Tim Reed, the network’s VP of programming and acquisition. “The target there was younger audiences, and to drive co-viewing and distribute that across Disney+. It was a success because parents and kids really enjoyed it. I think the expectation is if we did more of that, they’d watch more.”

Tyler Price, VP of content, Bleacher Report, said: “We’re a digital-first entity that has made its mark by concentrating on the audience. That’s how we look at alternative broadcasts: What value can we provide, specifically in in terms of options and interactivity? How do we make our users feel they have power over what their options looks like?”

When done right, such alternatives are something the players themselves can get behind—with enviable numbers pointing to success.

“The Toy Story execution, the players and coaches, they were actually all, generally welcoming about this,” said Reed. “It showed an authentic side. We actually had some of the players bring their kids and their families into the actual vignettes or personality pieces and just integrate things they liked about Toy Story, their favorite characters.”

“Parents were likely to share that type of experience. And 90+ percent of kids were willing to watch another execution like that.”

Nissan sure gets high mileage from college sports mascots in its advertising. This capering costumed crew rock the nameplate’s Heisman House campaign every fall. And now, ahead of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, 16 of the furry freaks take a road trip in spots from TBWA/Chiat/Day breaking today.

Former players Candace Parker and Kenny Smith, plus current USC head coach Lindsay Gottlieb, go along for the ride. More madcap than last year’s similar brand-boosting odyssey, fresh ads celebrate goofy Americana and hoop culture with all the silliness you’d expect.

Best bits include riffs on some of the mascots’ malevolent stares, the Stanford Tree using a sun-roof to spark photosynthesis, and Kenny’s flashback to revisit his bad hair days with Ohio State’s Brutus Buckeye.

There’s just something about seeing the mascots out and about that’s both ridiculously satifying. It’s like our sports obsession escaped the arena and knows no bounds. N.C.’s Rameses always looks so pissed, like he wants to head-butt the world. Excellent!

Nissan’s all-electric Ariya, plus the Z1 Rogue, Altima, Frontier and Pathfinder appear in the commercials. There’s TikTok outreach too, inviting fans to share live tournament experiences during through “Now” notifications, prompting them to post videos about the games, with a Final Four sweepstakes tied to Instagram.

“March Madness is a beloved cultural moment with viewers spanning a wide range of demographics, from avid college sports followers to casual cultural bandwagon hoppers, bringing everyone together throughout the entire tournament,” Allyson Witherspoon, VP and CMO, Nissan U.S., tells Muse. “Unexpected moments are the allure of March Madness. With TikTok Now we are using real-time unexpected moments to attract and unite March Madness audiences on social media.”

She continues: “A dual strategy is needed for a cultural moment that starts on TV and ends in social. We understand that the real conversation around March Madness happens on social, so we built a social landscape that enables everyone to join in on the thrill.”

CREDITS

NISSAN USA
Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Nissan U.S.: Allyson Witherspoon
Director, Marketing: Erich Marx
Senior Manager, Brand Marketing Communications: Ty Webb
Senior Planner, Brand Marketing and Communications: Anvita Upadhyaya
Director, Brand and Retail Demand and Data Innovation:  Phil O’Connor
Senior Manager Nissan T1 Media Strategy and Planning: Tony Weeks
Director, Customer Experience and Digital Platforms: Colleen Boldon
Senior Manager, Customer Experience and Digital Platform: Robert Brown
Director, Brand Marketing and Strategy:  Yetunde Faparusiy
Senior Manager, Marketing Strategy, Rachel Booten
 
AGENCY
TBWA/Chiat/Day NY
Nissan United Team / Nissan USA

Creative
Chief Creative Officer: Amy Ferguson
Head of Creative, Nissan: Dave Banta
Group Creative Director: Mike Blanch
Associate Creative Director: Monica Sagowitz
Associate Creative Director: Anthony Pasqualone
Art Director: Elissa DeBruyn
Copywriter: Joey Chiarulli
Associate Art Director: Hunter Swink
Associate Copywriter: Joshua Blanco
Operations Manager, Creative: Laura Czerepak
 
Business Team
Managing Director: Scott Kavanagh
Brand Business Lead: Val Tyll
Business Director: Tony Burman
Senior Business Manager: Raquel Devariel
Business Manager:  Anna Moscovici
Social Business Lead: Katherine Udeze
Social Business Director:  Kim Harris
Manager: Jack Cronin
MC Business Lead:  Darian Forh
Chief Executive Officer: Nancy Reyes

Strategy
Chief Strategy Officer: Leslie Stone
Executive Strategy Director, Strategy and Innovation:  Elliot Bastien
Strategy Director: Matthew Kaye
Strategy Director, Social Branding: Victoria Tabio
Senior Strategist, Social Branding: Avery Sawyer
 
Production
Head of Integrated Production: John Doris
Group Executive Producer: Sumer Friedrichs
Head of Production Operations: Victoria Krueger
Executive Producer: Sarah Farrand
Executive Producer:  Chris Klein
Integrated Producer:  Armando Melendez
Business Affairs Manager: Rachel O’Malley
Business Affairs Manager: Leti Schumacher
 
Product Strategy
Director, Product Integration: Andy Galvin
Senior Specialist, Product Integration:  Patrick Jones
 
Media
Executive Director Media and Integrated Programs: Sara Wilson
Business Lead, National Planning, Partnerships and Activations:  Steve Walsh
Associate Media Director: Lauren Natale
Media Supervisor Influencers: Simon Fenzi
Media Planner, Partnerships & Activation: Emily Stalcup
Optimum Sports Account Director: Sam Levy
Optimum Sports Account  Director: Mike Polvere

Activation
VP Client Services:  Megan Hanson
Sr. Account Director: Emily Morrison
Account Director: David Schneider
Account Supervisor: Katie Smits
Account Executive: Casey Ausloos
Sr. Strategist Experiential: Alex Davidson
Associate Creative Director: Liz Ha
Creative Technologist: Joe Leitner
Sr. Art Director: Dia Yang       
Sr. Creative Project Manager: Lisa Rasmussen
Sr. Digital Project Manager: Stacy Mallak
Content Production Director: Emmie Cerow
 
NU Web
Business Lead: Laura Thomas
Senior Account Manager: Brittany Brown 
Strategy Director: Kerry Janes
Creative Director: Skylar Pelletier
Copy Director: Peter von Sass
Copywriter: Lucy Findley
Content Director: Tony Charron
Designer: Cole Ottmann
Lead UX Designer: Vagisha Singh
Tech Lead: Adrian Alberto Carmiol
Project Manager: Liz Smith
Search Strategist: Andrew Ly
Marketing Science Analyst: Lady Acheampong
 
Data/Analytics
Senior Group Director, Marketing Science:  Kothand Venkatakrishnan
Group Director, Marketing Science:  John VanderPloeg
Manager, Marketing and Business Intelligence: Jamie Westerman
Senior Analyst, Marketing and Business Intelligence: Sid Deshmukh
Analyst, Marketing and Business Intelligence: Christine Lin
                       
PRODUCTION COMPANY – Reform School
Director: Dax Martinez-Vargas
Partner / Managing Director: Ryan Ennis
Producer: Annika Dawson
 
EDITORIAL – MacKenzie Cutler
Editor: Nick Divers
Assistant Editor: Molly Dolinger
Assistant Editor: Franklin Ponce
Sound Design: Corey Bauman
Executive Producer: Gina Pagano
 
VFX – Framestore
Executive Producer: Heino Henning
Producer: Annabelle Cuthbert
Producer: Catherine May
 
SOUND HOUSE – Duotone Audio Group
Executive Producer: Greg Tiefenbrun
Audio Engineer: Andy Green
 
MUSIC – Music & Strategy
President: James Alvich
Executive Producer, Music Supervisor: Gabe McDonough
Senior Producer/Music Supervisor: Lisa McGuire
Executive Producer: Joey Reyes
Producer/Music Supervisor: Caitlin Russell

MUSIC
Ride Together: Ballroom Blitz by Sweet
Rock The World by B.O.S.E.

Look who’s in da house!

It’s Bryce Young, the 2021 recipient of college football’s highest honor, joining past winners in the 12th iteration of Nissan’s “Heisman House” campaign. Let the self-consciously campy car marketing begin!

Alabama quarterback Young won the Heisman Trophy during his sophomore season, and he’s leading the Crimson Tide’s offense again this year. Owing to the NCAA’s new name, image and likeness rules, he becomes the first active college player to appear in the sublimely sophomoric ad series.

Young arrives at the frat-style venue in a :45 from TBWAChiatDay New York that breaks today. He’s greeted by housemates including campaign stalwart Tim Tebow, who gets uber-competitive and kind of creepy. Meanwhile, OSU’s Pistol Pete nearly steals the show during a card game with his huge fiberglass poker face.

In a :15, we learn that landline phones can get confusing and scary as Young, DeVonta Smith and former Florida head coach Steve Spurrier riff on the generation gap:

“The writing behind these spots continues to naturally showcase each player’s unique comedic talents, providing a glimpse into a side of their personalities that can be well hidden when they are on the playing field,” says Allyson Witherspoon, VP and CMO at Nissan U.S.

Kyler Murray, Desmond Howard, Barry Sanders, Baker Mayfield, Carson Palmer, Robert Griffin III, Charlie Ward and Derrick Henry also appear, along with various school mascots (fresh from the ESPN lecture hall, no doubt).

“The ‘Heisman House’ is important for Nissan as a brand because it engages with consumers from all walks of life around a common passion—college football,” says Witherspoon. “Our fans feel like they are a part of this moment. There is excitement in the air at the start of the college football season, and we are thrilled that Nissan can be a part of it all.”

Ten spots directed in the campaign’s familiar sitcom style by Biscuit’s Aaron Stoller and Cameron Harris tout Nissan’s all-electric 2023 Ariya, plus the Pathfinder, Z and Frontier.

Silly scenarios run the gamut, from takes on wacky (and painful!) game-day rituals…

…to mock-soulful stargazing…

…and an encore from Pistol Pete, who might be getting a “big head” from all the exposure:

With the “Heisman House” creative template firmly set, predictability is a campaign strength. Fans know what to expect, and these ads deliver, with some trendy elements tossed in for good measure.

Specifically, users can connect and interact with players and mascots inside “Heisman House World,” an immersive digital playground (completely revamped from past editions, we’re told) that nods to the metaverse. Free NFTs drop soon, emblazoned with players’ faces, and some will unlock exclusive virtual experiences.

In the physical realm, the annual “Heisman House Tour” returns, with a simulated house traveling to 11 campuses.

Campaign elements will continue to roll out in the coming weeks across ESPN, ABC, Fox and CBS, with quizzes and challenges on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram.

You can catch the rest of the ads below. Highlights include Smith catching pancakes, antique vases and other humans—plus a perplexing pep-talk from Tebow.

CREDITS

Nissan USA
Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer, Nissan U.S.: Allyson Witherspoon
Director, Marketing: Erich Marx
Senior Manager, Brand Lead: Scott Traynor
Senior Planner, Marketing Communications: Jennea Lee
Director, Precision Marketing, Activation and Data Innovation: Phil O’Connor
Senior Manager Nissan T1 Media Strategy and Planning: Tony Weeks 
Senior Manager Nissan T2 Media and Activation:  Rob Martin
Director, Customer Experience and Digital Platforms: Colleen Boldon
Senior Manager, Customer Experience and Digital Platform: Robert Brown 
Senior Planner, Customer Experience and Digital Platform: Adrian Fortenberry 
Director, Brand Marketing and Strategy:  Yetunde Faparusi

Heisman Trust
Executive Director: Rob Whalen 
Associate Director: Tim Henning

Agency: TBWA/Chiat/Day NY
Chief Creative Officer: Amy Ferguson
Head of Creative: Dave Banta
Group Creative Director: Mike Blanch 
Associate Creative Director: Cassondra Bazelow
Associate Creative Director: Caroline Monday
Associate Art Director: Hunter Swink
Associate Copywriter: Joshua Blanco
Operations Manager, Creative: Laura Czerepak
Executive Director of Creative Operations::  Erica Bartuccelli

Head of Production: John Doris
Group Executive Producer: Sumer Friedrichs 
Executive Producer: Sarah Farrand
Senior Producer: Jessica Gardner
Integrated Producer: Armando Melendez
Director, Business Affairs: Debra Horvath 
Senior Business Affairs Manager: Rachel O’Malley 
Business Affairs Manager: Leti Schumacher 
Head of Production Operations: Victoria Kreuger

Managing Director: Scott Kavanagh
Business Lead: Val Tyll
Business Director: Tony Burman 
Senior Business Manager: Raquel Devariel
Social Business Lead: Katherine Udeze
Social Business Director: Kim Harris

Chief Strategy Officer: Leslie Stone
Executive Strategy Director, Strategy and Innovation:  Elliott Bastien
Executive Strategy Director, Social and Digital:  Dan Brenikov
Strategy Director: Matthew Kaye
Strategy Director, Social Branding: Victoria Tabio
Strategist, Social Branding:  Averrey Jencka

Executive Director Media and Integrated Programs: Sara Wilson
Business Lead, National Planning, Partnerships and Activations:  Steve Walsh
Managing Director Integrated Investment: Cynthia Hack
Senior Director Digital Media:  Adam Young
Director Digital Activation:  Timothy Bosch
Media Supervisor Influencers: Simon Fenzi
Optimum Sports Account Director: Sam Levy
Optimum Sports Associate Director: Mike Polvere
Director, Partnerships & Experiential: Lauren Natale 
Supervisor, Partnerships & Experiential: Emily Stalcup 

Director NU, Product Integration: Andy Galvin
Senior Specialist, Product Integration: Patrick Jones

Data and Analytics  
Manager, Marketing and Business Intelligence: Jamie Westerman
Senior Analyst, Marketing and Business Intelligence: Sid Deshmukh

Nissan United Activation 
Creative Director: Dan Kubasa
Associate Creative Director: Liz Ha
Creative Technologist: Joseph Leitner
Sr. Art Director: Paloma Chavez
Sr. Creative Project Manager: Lisa Rasmussen
Sr. 3D Designer: Ian Baker
Sr. Motion Graphics Designer: Stephen Guma
2D Designer: Amber Klootwyk
Sr. VFX Designer: Robert Walker 
50/Fifty Operations Manager: Nathan Graham
St. Content Producer: Caitlin Miller
Sr. Digital Project Manager: Stacy Mallak
Digital Project Manager:  Mary Hacker
Sr. Digital Art Director: Julie Schlende
Software Engineering Manager: Derek Glascock
Sr. Account Director: Emily Morrison
Account Director: Katie Mendicino
Account Director: Stacey Gamble
Account Supervisor: Katie Smits
Account Executive: Casey Ausloos
Account Executive: Rebecca Fabik

Nissan United Web
Business Lead: Laura Thomas
Senior Account Manager: Brittany Brown
Account Coordinator: Cristina Aguirre 
SVP, Technology: Russell Logozar
Technology Director: Jonathan Barrett 
Creative Director: Chris McCall 
Associate Creative Director: Martine Lavoie 
Content Director: Tony Charron 
Copy Director: Peter Von Sass 
Senior Designer: Cole Ottmann
Associate Director of User Experience: James Ereiser 
Senior Producer: Lidia Muratovik
Marketing Science Lead: Natalia Fisher 
Marketing Science Analyst: Lady Kindy
Search Lead: Claire Leighton
Search Strategist: Lisa Lam
Content Author Lead: Paulo Vargas 
Quality Assurance Lead: Greidy Rubi

Production Company: Biscuit 
Director: Aaron Stoller 
Director: Cameron Harris
Social Director: Patrick Yonally
BTS Director: Ben Steinbauer
Executive Producer: Holly Vega 
Head of Production: Sean Moody
Producer: Mala Vasan 
Producer: Brady Vant Hull 
Producer – Social: Niko Whelan

Edit: Mackcut Editorial 
Editor/Partner: Nick Divers 
Editor: Mike Leuis
Editor: Danielle Minch
Asst Editor: Molly Dollinger
Executive Producer: Gina Pagano 

Post/VFX: Framestore
VFX Supervisor: Christian Nielsen
Lead Flame Artist: Jiri Kilevnik
Senior VFX Producer: Meredith Cherniack
Executive Producer: Pete King  

Color: Company 3 
Head of Commercial Color: Tim Masick
Senior Producer: Kevin Breheny 

Audio Mix: Heard City
Engineer/Partner: Keith Reynaud
Engineer: Evan Anderson
Executive Producer: Sasha Awn
Producer: Nick DuVarney

Consulting: Ernst-Van Praag
VP, Senior Consultant: Nancy Schroeder
Sr. Consultant: Vida Albert 
Sr. Consultant: Donna Nobles

Music Licensing and Stock:
Burns Entertainment
Music Licensing: House of Pain “Jump Around”
MAS Music and Strategy
Partner/Executive Producer: Gabe McDonough
Senior Music Producer: Lisa McGuire
APM
Director/Advertising: Deborah Fisher
So Stereo
Executive Producer: Joey Netter 
Extreme Music
Music Licensing: Lena Adelman
Audio Network
Sr. Manager, Music Licensing: Pia Villaluz

Stock Footage
Getty Images

OK, who ordered forty 2022 Nissan Pathfinders through the automaker’s Nissan@Home service? Was it Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, winner of college football’s Heisman Trophy at Alabama last year?

Watch the spot below to find out, as Tim Tebow, Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson and other recipients of college football’s highest honor welcome Smith to “Heisman House” for the 11th season of Nissan’s beloved bro-centric campaign.

The e-commerce emphasis feels timely, with consumers shopping online for cars more than ever during Covid. Showrooms are so 2019!

Ten ads from TBWAChiatDay New York and Biscuit Filmworks directors Aaron Stoller and Cam Harris begin breaking today across ESPN, ABC, Fox and CBS. As in past iterations of the series, gridiron gags, meddlesome mascots and the nameplate’s latest models share screen time.

Fan tweets informed many of the jokes, including the trophy-polishing in the commercial above, and this take on mascots coughing up giant, multicolored hairballs:

A fan pondered who’d win a Heisman House spike-ball tournament, and this absurdity ensued:

Another user-generated idea makes us wonder if Smith was All-State in high-school…

…because he’s got good hands, people. Slogan humor!

ESPN’s Christine Williamson will interview some of the tweeters on College Football Countdown.

“We thought, ‘What could be more thrilling than seeing your idea on national TV?’ ” says Allyson Witherspoon, Nissan VP and U.S. chief marketing officer, of the crowdsourcing play. “It didn’t hurt that these passionate college football fans also had some pretty funny ideas to use as thought-starters.”

Heisman winners Eddie George, Kyler Murray, Desmond Howard, Baker Mayfield, Archie Griffin and Derek Henry also appear, as do the Nisan’s 2021 Rogue and 2022 Frontier.

You can savor more silly scenarios plus a blooper reel below:

This year’s Heisman House Tour featuring interactive games and Clinton Yates of the Undefeated will visit Hampton and Tennessee State as part of Nissan’s support of historically Black colleges and universities. The carmaker sponsored an ESPN First Take segment on HBCU matchups, and the network will air an interview with George, who just started coaching at TSU.

CREDITS

Nissan USA
Vice President and US Chief Marketing Officer: Allyson Witherspoon
Director, Brand, Marketing Strategy & Content: Erich Marx
Senior Manager, Brand Lead: Ty Webb
Senior Planner, Marketing Communications: Jeff Simmons
Senior Planner Strategy,Social Media Marketing: Arielle Lattes

Agency: TBWAChiatDay New York
Chief Creative Officer: Chris Beresford-Hill
Executive Creative Director: Dave Banta
Executive Creative Director: Alex Taylor
Associate Creative Director: Phil Fattore
Senior Art Director: Alyssa Fishman
Associate Art Director Creative: Lauren Byers
Associate Copywriter: Wesley Rhodes
Head of Production: John Doris
Head of Production Operations: Victoria Kreger
Executive Producer: Jessica Gardner
Producer: Regan Wallace
Social Producer: Amanda Kresge
Business Lead: Val Tyll
Business Director: Tony Burman
Senior Business Manager: Michelle Darnell
Business Manager: Raquel Devariel
Head of Strategy: Elliot Bastien
Strategy Director: Melissa Panasci
Social Business Lead: Katherine Udeze
Social Business Director: Kim Harris
Social Executive Strategy Director: Tom Hyde
Senior Social Strategist, Branding: Camille Lieurance
Senior Social Strategist, Branding: Victoria Tabio
Social Strategist: Claire Miller
Senior Integrated Business Affairs Manager: Felicia Simmons
Business Affairs Manager: Rachel O’Malley
Production Integration Director: Andy Galvin
Associate Director, Product Integration: Chris Ellis
Associate Director, Partnerships and Activations: Lauren Natale
Media Planner, Partnership and Activations: Emily Stalcup
Managing Director: Scott Kavanagh
Chief Strategy Officer: James Sowden
Chief Executive Officer: Nancy Reyes

Production Company: Biscuit
Director: Aaron Stoller
Director: Cam Harris
Executive Producer: Holly Vega
Head of Production: Sean Moody
Line Producer: Cindy Becker

Edit: Mackcut Editorial
Editor: Nick Divers
Editor: Brendan Hogan
Jr Editor: Megan Heard
Asst Editor: Arden Phillips
Producer: Gina Pagano

Post/VFX: MPC T
Executive Producer: Camila De Biaggi
Producer: Elissa Norman

Sound House: Heard City
Senior Sound Engineer: Keith Reynaud
Executive Producer: Jackie James

Music:
Playing with the Boys – Kenny Loggins

During a pickup game in San Francisco, a basketball bounces off court … and just keeps going. One of the payers hops in his Nissan Sentra and follows that bouncing ball.

The merry chase winds through city streets, multi-lane highways and scenic country lanes—for 2,268 miles, in fact—all the way to Indiananapolus, site of this year’s NCAA men’s basketball tournament:

Why bother buying a new ball locally? Then he’d miss out on that melodious mix of in-camera action and CGI, driven by King Coleman’s boppin’ “Boo Boo Song.” Seems like branded orbs are always bounding down Telegraph Hill for one reason or another. Extra props for the llama! 

Though such a road trip would last about 33 hours nonstop, the ad from TBWAChiat Day New York and Skunk director Chris Palmer took a full year to arrive, as it was filmed in February 2020 and benched when pandemic concerns led to last year’s tournament’s cancellation.

“We believe people are excited and ready, especially this year, for the distraction of March Madness,” a Nissan rep tells Muse. “We wanted to play off the excitement of a pickup game with the ball having a mind of its own.”

All in all, a diverting entry in the epic-trek-to-retrieve-a-ball sub-genre. Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw made a somewhat similar play last year for Hankook Tire, while Ken Griffey set the hall-of-fame standard in this Nike spot from the ’90s.

Nissan’s March Madness sponsorship also includes sports celebs Kenny Smith, Nate Robinson and Maxwell Pearce sharing insights on social channels, and CBS’s NCAA Bracket Game challenge, giving fans the chance to win a 2021 Rogue.

CREDITS

Agency: TBWA/Chiat/Day NY
Chief Creative Officer: Chris Beresford-Hill
Executive Creative Director: Dave Banta
Creative Director: Aste Gutierrez
Creative Director: Mike Blanch
Senior Art Director: Aldis Rasums
Senior Copywriter: Mike Breighner
Copywriter: Alli Walker
Art Director: Louis Prenaud
Head of Production: John Doris
Senior Producer: Kyla Bridge
Managing Director: Scott Kavanagh
Business Lead: Val Tyll
Business Director: Barney Baxter & Tony Burman
Senior Business Manager: Michelle Darnell
Head of Strategy: Elliot Bastien
Senior Strategic Planner: Jared Rosen
Senior Integrated Business Affairs Manager: Felicia Simmons
Production Integration Director: Andy Galvin
Product Integration Manager: Christian Uka
President: Nancy Reyes
CEO: Rob Schwartz

Nissan USA
Vice President and US Chief Marketing Officer: Allyson Witherspoon
Director, Brand, Marketing Strategy & Content: Erich Marx
Senior Manager, Brand Lead: Ty Webb
Senior Planner, Marketing Communications: Jeff Simmons

Production Company: Skunk
Director: Chris Palmer
Director of Photography: Hoyte Van Hoytema
Managing Partner/Executive Producer: Matt Factor

Edit: Cut & Run
Editor: Jonnie Scarlett
Assistant Editor: Chrissy Doughty
Producer: Hope DuHaime

Post/VFX: The Mill
Executive Producer: Health Raymond
Producer:  Brett Grisham

Sound House: Squeak E Clean Studios
Senior Sound Engineer: Stuart St. Vincent Welch

Music:
King Coleman, “The Boo Boo Song”

Nice topiary, dudes!

Next, Tebow and Ingram engage in some birdwatching, but there’s a twist:

Instead of actual birds, they spot the mascots of the Louisville Cardinals and Oregon Ducks. (Nice beaks!)

Below are two more spots. There are no bird costumes, though mindreading and bullhorns come into play:

At various points in the campaign, Nissan’s 2021 Rogue and Sentra appear, along with the Titan and Kicks.

Here’s some behind-the-scenes footage, in which we learn that Tebow and Murray, though they appear to be in a car together, were filmed separately, addressing their lines to tennis balls:

Maybe Tim should take up tennis. Baseball hasn’t exactly panned out for him, after all.

The initiative also includes a virtual 3-D Heisman House and sweepstakes.

With fewer college football games this year owing to Covid concerns, and six of the eight campaign stars currently playing pro ball, Nissan’s “Heisman House” media buy for the first time includes NFL telecasts, including next Monday’s Steelers-Giants and Titans-Broncos contests on ESPN.

“Over the past six months, Nissan has pivoted multiple times to adjust to new realities, and that agility has enabled us to come up with new and entertaining ways to reach our audiences,” says Allyson Witherspoon, vp of marketing communications and media at Nissan North America.

She believes the latest iteration of “Heisman House” displays that spirit, delivering the goods without sacrificing the silliness that’s made the campaign a seasonal staple.
 
“While there’s no doubt the 2020 college football season will look different, the humor, camaraderie and excitement of the Nissan Heisman House remain relevant, perhaps even more so during this time when audiences are craving some semblance of normalcy,” Witherspoon says.

Also among this year’s housemates: Derrick Henry, Marcus Mariota, Charles Woodson and Baker Mayfield (though the Heisman House represents somewhat smaller digs than the latter’s grown accustomed to.)

The ad continues the vehicle-as-oasis trend Nissan explored in a spot that positioned its Rogue SUV as a safe haven in a world where literally everyone is on their phones, and revisited for the Versa subcompact, albeit with a different vibe. Similar themes surfaced in this offbeat distracted driving PSA from New Zealand.

As for our seemingly indispensable exec, a word of advice: Delegate!

CREDITS

Nissan “Mondays”

Agency: TBWA/Chiat/Day NY
Chief Creative Officer: Chris Beresford-Hill
Executive Creative Director: Al Merry
Creative Director: Aste Gutierrez
Creative Director: Mike Blanch
ACD / Copywriter: Holden Rasche
ACD / Art Director: Ashley Veltre
Head of Production: John Doris
Executive Producer: Christian Busch
Managing Director: Scott Kavanagh
Business Lead: Parker Collins
Business Manager: Natalie Otsuka
Associate Business Manager: Sarah Hoffmann
Senior Strategic Planner: Melissa Panasci
Senior Integrated Business Affairs Manager: Felicia Simmons
Production Integration Director: Andy Galvin
Product Integration Manager: Christian Uka
Project Manager: Greg Dzurita

Nissan USA
Vice President, Nissan Marketing Communications & Media: Allyson Witherspoon
Director, Marketing: Erich Marx
Senior Manager, Brand Marketing: Scott Traynor
MarCom Senior Planner: Ken Davis
MarCom Senior Planner: Jennea Lee

Production Company: Hungry Man
Director: Wayne McClammy 
Director of Photography: Christian Sprenger 
Managing Partner/Executive Producer: Kevin Byrne 
Managing Partner/Executive Producer: Mino Jarjoura 
Executive Producer/Director of Sales: Dan Duffy 
Executive Producer: Caleb Dewart 
Head of Production: Marian Harkness 
Producer: Rick Jarjoura  
Production Supervisor: Yuki Wakano 

Edit: NO6
Editor: Jason McDonald 
Assistant Editor: Aaron Castro and Max Redinger 
Managing Director: Corina Dennison 
Producer: Laura Molinaro 

Post/VFX: The Mill LA 
Chief Creative Officer: Phil Crowe 
Executive Producer: Anastasia von Rahl 
Producer: Melanie Roy 
Production Coordinator: Will Tyler
Color: The Mill NYC
Colorist: Mikey Rossiter

Music
Composer: Spoon “I Turn My Camera On”

As usual, it’s all about hanging out at a sumptuous mansion (the Heisman House), with lots of antics and cars, in the series of spots running across ESPN as part of Nissan’s 14-year Heisman Memorial Trophy Award sponsorship.

Along with Murray ($35 million over four years and that’s how he dresses?), 1956 Heisman honoree Paul Hornung joins the team this year, which also includes returning House members Baker Mayfield, Derrick Henry, Marcus Mariota, Tim Tebow, Eddie George, Bo Jackson and Tim Brown.

“The Nissan cars and technology play their biggest role ever,” says Stephen Lum, creative director at Nissan agency TBWAChiatDay Los Angeles. “We’ve also leaned in to situations and comedy that rely more heavily on the ensemble cast.” 

Directors Anthony and Joseph Russo—best known for sitcom Arrested Development (on which they won an Emmy) and Marvel blockbusters including Avengers: Endgame (the highest grossing film ever!)—conjure up a fast-moving comic vibe, whether the guys are trying to start up a Nissan, or park one of the vehicles: 

“We tried to flesh out and define each of the guys’ personalities, so that in every situation we put them in, their motivation or reaction made sense in relation to the rest of the cast,” says Lum.

One scene proved smashingly memorable. “We only needed one take for Bo’s stunt double to run through the [glass] door,” Lum says. “We didn’t prepare the guys for what was going to happen, so their reaction in the spot is genuine.”

Does Bo know home improvement?

As in past House campaigns, Nissan lets fans vote for their favorite Heisman Trophy candidates via Twitter or at nissanheismanhouse.com. Plus, a simulated Heisman House hits the road for a campus tour starting on Saturday in Austin, Texas, for the LSU vs. Texas game. 

CREDITS

Client – Nissan

Agency – TBWAChiatDay Los Angeles
CCO – Renato Fernandez
ECD – Al Merry
CD – Liz Cartwright
CD – Stephen Lum
Sr. Copywriter – Adam Aceino
Sr. Art Director – Josh McCrary
Copywriter – Ryan Siepert
Art Director – Dan Hales
Copywriter – Stew Tribe
Art Director – Alex Holm
Copywriter – Avi Steinbach
Managing Director – Scott Kavanaugh
Business Lead – Val Tyll
Business Director – Tony Burman
Business Supervisor – Sharon Hsu
Assistant Business Manager- Raquel Devariel
Associate Strategy Director – Corianda Dimes
Supervising Sr. Planner – Jared Rosen
Sr. Producer – Chris Spencer
Producer – Garrison Askew
Associate Producer – Michael Schroepfer
Director of Business Affairs – Robin Rossi
Steve Walsh – Media Business Lead
Lauren Natale – Media Business Manager

ESPN Creative Works
Brett Becks – Director of CW Integration
Joe Knaus – Director of CW Strategy
Heisman Trust
Rob Whalen