Nissan challenges fans to “keep up with the thrills” during 2021 NCAA March Madness®
NCAA March Madness is back, and Nissan, an Official Corporate Partner of NCAA Men's Basketball® and the Final Four, will showcase the game-changing features of the new 2021 Nissan Sentra and the all-new 2021 Nissan Rogue against the backdrop of college basketball's most anticipated event.
During the tournament, Nissan will air an action-packed TV spot for the 2021 Sentra and 2021 Rogue. Titled "The Chase," the commercial highlights the popular compact sedan in hot pursuit of a runaway basketball bouncing its way through city streets and scenic byways en route to Indianapolis, site of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball® tournament. The ad includes a special appearance by FaZe Clan, Nissan's eSports partner. Nissan will also run a 30-second Rogue spot during NCAA tournament games including during Nissan's Tip-Off pregame show.
In addition to in-game and ancillary commercials, Nissan will offer fans a range of digital experiences, including an online bracket challenge in partnership with CBS Sports and content from the Nissan Fan Cave, where the all-new 2021 Nissan Rogue will be on full display. Nissan will also be the presenting sponsor of March Madness 360 on CBS Sports Network, which will provide viewers with expert analysis each day during the tournament.
"If 2020 was the year of the pivot, then 2021 is the year of the rebound," said Allyson Witherspoon, vice president and U.S. chief marketing officer, Nissan North America. "We're thrilled the tournament is back and that we have the opportunity to connect with fans in a myriad of ways while showcasing the all-new 2021 Rogue, Nissan's best-selling model in the industry's largest segment and the 2021 Sentra, Nissan's award-winning compact sedan."
Nissan has engaged some of the most popular voices in sports commentary to share content from the Nissan Fan Cave. Starting March 25, fans can visit NissanFanCave.com to take in all the action happening at the onsite pop-up experience featuring the 2021 Nissan Rogue.
"With a limited number of spectators permitted to view the games in person, content from those on the ground will be all the more important," Witherspoon said. "We've enlisted a fantastic group of personalities to share highlights from the games and their unique take on the tournament experience."
Fans can also participate in CBS Sports' 2021 NCAA Bracket Challenge presented by Nissan. Participants in the bracket challenge – accessible at CBSSports.com/Nissan – will compete for a chance to win a new 2021 Rogue and tickets to the 2022 Final Four. They can create their own bracket or take advantage of Nissan's "Auto-Thrill" feature, where their bracket selections are auto-filled based on attributes of specific Nissan models, the all-new 2021 Rogue, the new 2021 Armada, and 2021 GT-R. To add to the thrill, Nissan is providing select fans an opportunity to participate in the Nissan Bracket Engineer – a virtual call with former professional basketball player and sports commentator Kenny "The Jet" Smith to get insights and tips toward making their picks.
In partnership with Bleacher Report, three-time NBA Slam Dunk champ, Nate Robinson, and Harlem Globetrotter Maxwell Pearce will compete in Nissan's Trick Shot Shoot-out. The all-new 2021 Nissan Rogue will be integrated into each trick shot with fans voting for their favorite.
Additional features of Nissan's digital presence during the tournament include an official co-sponsorship of the March Madness Live on Android where fans can catch every NCAA tournament game live. Nissan will also co-sponsor the app's "Fast Break", which provides fans with live, whip-around coverage during the first two rounds of the tournament including highlights, real-time analysis by industry stars, social reaction and commentary. Nissan will also sponsor the app's "Thrill Alerts" feature where users are alerted when games are particularly close or other exciting action is happening.
