Speak of the devil, TBWA\Chiat\Day liken driving the Nissan Qashqai to ziplining from your office into a crowded city street in their latest work for Nissan. While this will translate as “thrilling” and “exhilarating” to most people, to someone with a fear of heights it comes across more as “terrifying.”
The 60 second spot is directed by Joseph Kosinski, who you might remember from his work on TRON:Legacy and last year’s Oblivion. Kosinski and company really did a lot to give the spot an urban feel, from the crowded nighttime city location to the Fatboy Slim song “Right Here, Right Now” used as the soundtrack. The spot ends with voiceover stating “This is how driving should feel,” tying together the ziplining metaphor, followed by the tagline “The Ultimate Urban Experience.” Being in the North American market (where the Nissan Rogue is offered instead), I wasn’t familiar with the Qashqai before watching this. While I’m still not sure why the Nissan Qashqai is “the ultimate urban experience,” the well-shot ad certainly does a good job of making it look appealing. I’ll give ziplining from tall buildings a pass, though.