While modern day technology can be polarizing, Nissan wants to show that the tech in its vehicles can bring people together in its new integrated campaign for the 2020 Qashqai.
Alannah David-Clark, senior manager of marketing communications at Nissan Canada, says tech has always been “a real focus” of Nissan’s vehicles and that they’ve always “shared the benefit of technology” within their cars.
“There’s a positive and negative effect to technology, for the most part,” says David-Clark “It can bring a lot of information to the table very quickly. It can add safety. But the negative impact of technology is definitely a feeling of isolation – people being focused on screens versus actually communicating with one another.”
According to a 2019 survey of 3,040 Canadians by Simplii Financial, 36% of Canadians agreed that technology can leave them feeling empty, and 37% said they felt anxious when separated from their mobile devices.
David-Clark says part of what Nissan wanted to drive home with this campaign is that Qashqai’s technology “can bring people together, versus separating them.” She highlights features such as Bluetooth connectivity and platforms like Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, among others. Those are features it is focusing on across Nissan’s lineup, and the safety features in its Intelligent Mobility platform have been a pillar of the automaker’s brand. However, the way it has talked about that tech has changed.
“Over time, it has been very feature-driven, versus really trying to show the emotional connection between tech and our drivers,” she says. “More than ever, the automotive customer is bombarded with information about technology to enhance levels of safety and convenience. It’s not always easy to discern one brand from the other – particularly through the eyes of the everyday consumer. We are not only highlighting technology, but attaching meaning to it through the human element.”
In the Qashqai spot, a woman’s co-workers are glued to their phones to punctuate the lack of human interaction in favour of technology. But that changes when she gets into a car, where a man uses the touchscreen entertainment system to play music, which leads to sharing a moment together.
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“Connectivity was a big angle that we took from a campaign standpoint,” David-Clark says. “But it’s only one piece of a bigger puzzle to Intelligent Mobility.” Other components are safety features, such as Intelligent Cruise Control, Steer Assist and forward collision warning, among others, which the automaker contextualizes in terms of the peace of mind it offers drivers.
The campaign includes a TV spot, online videos and social assets developed by Juniper Park/TBWA.
