Nissan (& ESPN) ReOpen The Heisman House For 2015 Football Season

As the college football season (and the NFL) get underway, Nissan rolls out the latest version of its multi-platform campaign (run in harness with ESPN) called ‘The Nissan Heisman House’.

Now in its fifth year, the automaker (and the broadcaster)’s activation unites an impressive phalanx of 14 Heisman Trophy winners in no less than 20 different TV and online spots.

In addition to five 45-second spots and five 15-second spots (which will roll out throughout the college football season), the 2015 iteration of the campaign is further supported by print, radio and digital work all revolving around a dedicated campaign web hub at NissanHeismanHouse.com (where fans can learn more about the house members / former winner, watch behind-the-scenes footage and they will be able to cast their votes for the next Heisman Trophy winner).

Plus the annual Heisman House Tour will again travels to college campuses up and down the USA throughout the season (and features a simulated, interactive recreation of the Heisman House).

This campaign activates Nissan’s long-standing sponsorship of the Heisman Memorial Trophy Award (for the best college player of the season) and the Heisman Trophy Trust (a charity for the underprivileged and underserved).

In terms of products, the campaign features no less than 10 different Nissan vehicles – including the 2016 Titan XD, the 2015 Murano and the 2015 Maxima.

The Heisman House 2015 features new current and former player ambassadors (such as Marcus Mariota, Steve Spurrier and Jim Plunkett), alongside existing house residents (like Sam Bradford, Tony Dorsett, Eddie George, Robert Griffin III, Johnny Manziel, George Rogers, Troy Smith, Roger Staubach, Vinny Testaverde, Herschel Walker and Charles Woodson).

Plus there is a one off appearance by former Washington superstar Joe Theismann – who was merely a Heisman runner-up to Jim Plunkett in 1971 (a subject featuring in the ‘Tour Bus’ ad.

Other new 2015 spots include ‘Artwork’,

and ‘Hurricane.

This year’s new residents are led by new Titans QB Marcos Mariota who features in several spots – including.

‘Just Go With It’,

‘Marcus vs Eddie’,

and ‘Jay’.

The 2015 Nissan Heisman House campaign is being developed in collaboration with Nissan creative agency TBWA\Chiat\Day and ESPN’s in-house creative team CreativeWorks, with media work handled by OMD.

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In addition the car brand working on the initiative with ESPN, other Heisman partners also include Wendy’s, Aflac and Kellog’s.

‘Nissan is proud of our continuing role in supporting the work of the Heisman Trust’s outstanding charity efforts, and we’ve enjoyed entertaining fans with our Heisman House campaign over the past four years,’ explains SVP Sales and Marketing for Nissan USA.

‘This year we’ve assembled another great cast of roommates and let them loose to showcase their talents, both as the top football players of their eras and as winning performers and media personalities today.’

Nissan’s decision to bring Mariota into its athlete ambassador group makes sense from multiple angles.

Not only is he a telegenic and talented young NFL star wwho many tip for rookie of the year.

But also because he dovetails neatly with one of Nissan’s other major football sponsorship moves in 2015.

Mariota was drafted to be the new quarterback of the Tennessee Titans and earlier in the summer the automaker signed a 20-year deal for naming rights to Nashville-based Nissan Stadium – home to the NFL’s Tennessee Titans, Tennessee State and the college football Music City Bowl.

Links:
Nissan Heisman House Web Hub:

NissanHeismanHouse.com

Nissan USA YouTube:

https://www.youtube.com/user/nissanusa

Nissan USA Website:

https://www.nissanusa.com/

Nissan USA Twitter:

https://twitter.com/NissanUSA

Nissan USA Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/nissanusa/

Nissan USA Instagram:

https://instagram.com/nissanusa/