Nissan launches "Tough Love" commercial vehicle marketing campaign highlighting rigorous testing process

• Rock icon Bret Michaels stars in new music video and six product demonstrations set at Nissan's Arizona Testing Center
• Music video offers a new take on ‘80s classic "Endless Love," song available for free download at NissanToughLove.com
• "Tough Love" campaign brings awareness to the more than 6,600 harsh durability tests endured by NV Cargo, NV Passenger and NV200 Compact vans
• Digital and print marketing effort carries the theme line: "The tougher we test them, the more you love them"

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan has launched a new marketing campaign this week, starring iconic American rock and reality star Bret Michaels, for its line of rugged commercial vans. The comprehensive "Tough Love" digital and print effort breaks July 31 across a variety of social media and digital platforms, including AOL, Google, Fortune, Entrepreneur, Inc., Bizo, KBB, Edmunds, Cars Direct and Auto Trader.

Carrying the theme line "The tougher we test them, the more you love them," the campaign is directed at small business owners looking for durable, efficient cargo and passenger vans. Nissan commercial vehicles endure more than 6,600 tests during the development process, including being put through a 140-degree heat chamber, salt spray tunnel, frame twister, shaker machine, pothole-ridden roads and grueling brake tests. The various testing procedures, which compress 13 years of real-world use into about three months, are shown in a series of individual product videos.

"As one of the newest nameplates in the commercial vehicle segment, we want to bring attention to the operational efficiency of our innovative, durable Nissan NV Cargo, NV Passenger and NV200 Cargo vans – but do it in a way that gets business owners' attention," said Fred Diaz, senior vice president, Nissan Sales & Marketing and Operations, Nissan North America, Inc. "Bret Michaels, with his reputation as an enduring icon of rock, was not only a perfect fit for the vehicles, he was also a valued collaborator in developing the Tough Love campaign. With his entrepreneurial spirit, he understands the needs of small business owners for trucks you can depend on."

The centerpiece full-length music video shows Michaels serenading various Nissan vans as he joins Nissan technicians during vehicle durability testing at Nissan's Arizona Testing Center, a 3,050-acre facility in Stanfield, Arizona. Filmed on location in 110° weather, the video gives a tough new spin to the classic ‘80s power ballad "Endless Love" – complete with fire, smoke and an instrument panel-mounted Bret Michaels bobble head doll. The video is posted on YouTube and the song is available for download at http://nissantoughlove.com/.

"Bret Michaels is a true hardcore car and motorcycle enthusiast and really took an interest in the entire development and testing process. He had a very organic understanding of the level of testing that takes place behind the secure walls of the test facility," said Diaz. "He also amazed us during filming by relating experiences from his life to the messages we're sharing about the durability testing of our lineup of Nissan commercial vehicles."

The product spots also underscore how Nissan stands behind its commercial vehicles. In June, Nissan began offering the best commercial van warranty in America*, increasing basic limited warranty coverage from 3 years/36,000 miles to 5 years/100,000 miles, whichever comes first. The powertrain limited warranty has also been extended from 5 years/60,000 miles to 5 years/100,000 miles, whichever comes first. The specific models covered by this new bumper-to-bumper warranty include the 2014 NV Cargo Van, NV Passenger Van and the NV200 Compact Cargo.**

"With this new campaign we really want to show buyers that Nissan builds a van that can keep up and never let the owners down, because when their vans are down, so are their businesses," added Diaz. "With Bret Michaels' help, we're showing that Nissan commercial vehicles are tested to perform. These are vehicles owners can depend on year in and year out, through all sorts of conditions."

The "Tough Love" marketing campaign was developed in conjunction with TBWA\Chiat\Day.

Year-to-date, Nissan has sold more than 14,000 commercial vehicles in the U.S., more than double the same time period in 2013. All Nissan Commercial Vehicles sold in the U.S. are assembled in North America, with the NV Cargo and NV Passenger assembled in Canton, Miss., and the NV200 assembled in Cuernavaca, Mexico.

For more information on Nissan Commercial Vehicles, please visit NissanCommercialVehicles.com.

About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. Nissan is dedicated to improving the environment under the Nissan Green Program and has been recognized as an ENERGY STAR® Partner of the Year in 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 by the U.S Environmental Protection Agency. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.NissanUSA.com and www.InfinitiUSA.com, or visit the Americas media sites NissanNews.com and InfinitiNews.com.

About Nissan Motor Co.
Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Japan's second-largest automotive company, is headquartered in Yokohama, Japan, and is part of the Renault-Nissan Alliance. Operating with more than 244,500 employees globally, Nissan sold almost 5.2 million vehicles and generated revenue of 10.5 trillion yen (USD 105 billion) in fiscal 2013. Nissan delivers a comprehensive range of more than 60 models under the Nissan, Infiniti and Datsun brands. In 2010, Nissan introduced the Nissan LEAF, and continues to lead in zero-emission mobility. The LEAF, the first mass-market, pure-electric vehicle launched globally, is now the best-selling EV in history with almost 50% share of the zero-emission vehicle segment.

For more information on our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit our website at http://www.nissan-global.com/EN/.

About TBWA\Chiat\Day
TBWA\Chiat\Day (www.tbwachiatday.com) is a TBWA Worldwide company. TBWA Worldwide (www.tbwa.com) creates Disruptive Ideas expressed through Media Arts for global clients, including ABSOLUT, Accenture, adidas, Apple, Energizer, Four Seasons, GSK, Henkel, Infiniti, McDonald's, Michelin, Nissan, Pernod Ricard, Pfizer, Roche, Standard Chartered Bank and Singapore Airlines.
TBWA is ranked as a Top 10 worldwide advertising agency and was recognized by Advertising Age in 2010 as the "Best International Network of the Decade." TBWA has 274 offices in 100 countries and over 11,000 employees worldwide.

About Omnicom Group Inc.
TBWA is part of Omnicom Group Inc. (NYSE: OMC) (www.omnicomgroup.com), a leading global marketing and corporate communications company. Omnicom's branded networks and numerous specialty firms provide advertising, strategic media planning and buying, digital and interactive marketing, direct and promotional marketing, public relations and other specialty communications services to over 5,000 clients in more than 100 countries.

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Contact

Phil Lienert
Nissan North America
615-725-5236
phil.lienert@nissan-usa.com
www.NissanNews.com

Marianne Stefanowicz
TBWA Worldwide
212-804-1167
marianne.stefanowicz@tbwaworld.com

*Claim based on years/mileage covered under the 2014 New Vehicle Limited Warranty basic coverage.  NV200 Taxi is covered under a separate limited warranty with a different level of coverage. Comparison based on Wards Light Vehicle Segmentation: 2014 Nissan Cargo, Passenger v. 2014 Large Van Class; 2014 Nissan NV200 v. 2014 Small Van Class. Comparison based on publicly available information on manufacturers' website. Nissan's New Vehicle Limited Warranty basic coverage excludes tires, powertrain coverage, corrosion coverage and federal and California emission performance and defect coverage (applicable coverage is provided under other separate warranties). Other general exclusions and terms and conditions also apply. For complete information concerning coverage, conditions and exclusions, see your Nissan dealer and read the actual New Vehicle Limited Warranty booklet.

** NV200 Taxi has a 3 year / 36,000-mile limited basic warranty and 5 year / 150,000-mile limited powertrain warranty. For complete information concerning coverage, conditions and exclusions, see your Nissan dealer and read the actual New Vehicle Limited Warranty booklet.