Nissan uses multi-platform magazine campaign to drive desire for new sports cars
The Challenge
To coincide with the launch of their new sports cars, the 37OZ Coupé and GT-R Roadster, Nissan required a campaign to underpin the tone and voice of its ‘Traitors’ TV ad. A key project was to align Nissan with the Top Gear brand by creating content in the style of Top Gear and repurposing key TV assets.
The 370Z model was positioned as a sports car which provides value for money, style and performance.
The Idea
The Top Gear magazine team created a dedicated ‘Traitors’ microsite, including a game, video and competition.
Readers were directed to the microsite via multiple advertorials in Top Gear magazine, ads on topgear.com and social media.
On offer was the chance to experience the new cars via a track day, or test a 370Z at home for two weeks. Readers could also watch the video, or play the Traitors game online.
Eight advertorials in Top Gear magazine were supplemented by a social media strategy which involved regular updates on the Nissan Traitors campaign. Social media centred on the Top Gear Facebook page (7 million fans), and its Twitter page, which has a further 140k followers.
Blogs by the competition winners who test-drove the Nissan 370Z for a two-week period gave a unique insight into how the 370Z could fit into a potential owner’s life.
The microsite also provided key facts about the heritage and prestige of the brand.
The Results
- Using magazine media helped the microsite achieve just under 600k unique users, 580k game plays and 23k competition entrants
- Pre, mid, and post surveys of 7k Top Gear respondents showed an uplift in every attribute associated with the Nissan 370Z Coupé and Roadster
- Nissan certainly reached their target audience of 30 to 44 year-old males, who made up 43% of responses
- Call to action was high, with half the respondents who recalled the magazine campaign going on to visit the Traitors microsite
- 60% of those recalling the campaign said they’d consider buying a Nissan
- Nine research respondents said they had in fact purchased a Nissan as a result of the campaign
