Nissan bets on Super Bowl Ad for the First Time in 20 years; Teaser

DETROIT, MI – For the first time in nearly two decades, Nissan Motor Co. is returning to the Super Bowl advertising game, with a 90-second spot planned for Super Bowl XLIX.

The Japanese automaker has released a 10-second teaser video of its “With Dad” spot, which features images of a mother, father and baby and of a racecar driver with Harry Chapin’s “Cat’s in the Cradle” as a backdrop.

The ad, which tells the story of a family’s connection to the Nissan brand, was originally slated for 60 seconds of air time.

“We can’t wait to share this emotional story with the Super Bowl audience and we hope seeing the first few seconds will whet America’s appetite to watch the spot during the game,” Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations U.S., Nissan North America, said in a statement. “We think we’ve captured and told a touching story about a family’s struggles with work-life balance in our 90 seconds during the game. But what we really want is to start a conversation about family that lasts well beyond the game.”

At the same time, Nissan has also been leading a “#withdad”-branded social media campaign with YouTube videos. Some are emotional, and some are zany, such as when one guy puts a trampoline in his house and then fills it with plastic balls a-la-Chuck E. Cheese while his wife is away. The videos can be seen on YouTube.

Nissan’s full Super Bowl XLIX ad, however, will be kept under wraps until the big game, which begins at 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 1. The New England Patriots are taking on the Seattle Seahawks, the 2014 defending champs.

NBC is reportedly charging $4.5 million for a 30-second spot during this year’s game. That represents about a 12.5 percent rise over the price of ads charged by Fox for last year’s Super Bowl.

Auto companies plan to buy about half as many advertising slots during the 2015 Super Bowl as compared to last year, according to Michigan State University advertising professor Robert Kolt.

For domestic carmakers, General Motors’ and Ford Motor Co.’s brands are all sitting out this year’s game. It is not yet clear what FCA US has planned, if anything.

David Muller is the automotive and business reporter for MLive Media Group in Detroit. Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter