Positioning Super Bowl ads as fake movies has been a popular tactic of late—see BMW’s Arnold Schwarzenegger “Zeus” tease. Nissan is kicking the ad-as-film approach into a higher gear with today’s release of its spot.
The spot, from TBWA/Chiat/Day New York, shows Eugene Levy transforming into an action film star after hopping behind the wheel of a Nissan Z sports car at the urging of actress Brie Larson. Levy’s “Schitt’s Creek” co-star and frequent collaborator Catherine O’Hara makes an appearance driving a Nissan Ariya electric vehicle. And from there, the spot evolves into an action-packed car chase portrayed as a movie called “Thrill Driver.”
Levy takes on more of a bad-ass look (his hair grows to his shoulders and he dons a leather jacket) and is joined by actors Danai Gurira and Dave Bautista as they flee bad guys in scenes that include helicopters and fiery flames. The spot ends with the actors emerging from what is portrayed as the red-carpet premiere of the “movie.”
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