Nissan is letting YouTube stars add their own flavor to the automaker’s Super Bowl storyline.
For example, prankster Roman Atwood turned his house into a giant ball pit. The YouTube video has drawn more than 15 million views since Atwood posted it on his account Sunday.
The YouTube content creators -- each with devoted followings that are strong bets to share the videos on the web -- are filming teasers to put zany spins on Nissan’s #withdad theme. Nissan said the videos don’t tease the actual game day spot, but reinforce the campaign’s message.
Nissan’s pre-game effort is the latest example of marketers building buzz around their Super Bowl spots weeks before the game. Nissan last ran a Super Bowl spot in 1997, long before social media erupted.
Nissan said the #withdad hashtag is a “celebration of the many innovative and exciting ways that dads make life better for their families.”
Nissan’s YouTube channel has a #withdad hub that will aggregate the content creator’s videos once they post them to their accounts.
Both Nissan and Toyota have taken on dad-focused themes in their pre-Super Bowl buildups.
“With so many commercials airing before the big game, I fundamentally believe it takes away much of the magic of showing the commercial on the biggest stage of the year," said Fred Diaz, senior vice president of Nissan sales and marketing, in a statement. “Prior to the Super Bowl, we do however want to build suspense around our story, while provoking a social conversation around the overarching theme.”
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