Nissan’s 2022 Heisman House campaign thrills fans with fresh storylines and a virtual world

“That’s How You Heisman” campaign highlights how talented athletes make everything into a competition
Scenes from the 2022 Nissan Heisman House Campaign

  • Heisman House continues to connect passionate college football fans of all ages with Nissan"s thrilling lineup
  • For the first time, fans will have a chance to compete and interact with their favorite players and mascots inside a virtual Heisman House world
  • Ads begin airing on Sept. 1 on ESPN and continue across ABC, FOX and CBS and also at www.nissanusa.com/heisman-house.html 

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Nissan's "Heisman House" is back for a 12th season, giving fans a closer look at the competitive and spirited sides of their favorite players, while welcoming a college-level athlete into the fold for the first time.

The latest Heisman Trophy winner, college football's Bryce Young, joins past winners Tim Tebow, Devonta Smith, Kyler Murray, Desmond Howard, Barry Sanders, Baker Mayfield, Carson Palmer, Robert Griffin III, Charlie Ward, Derrick Henry and "The Head Ball Coach," Steve Spurrier, for another season inside the legendary fraternity.

With the addition of Young, this campaign highlights the first NCAA® Student Athlete NIL (name, image, likeness) brand partnership for Nissan.

"We are thrilled to welcome this year's Heisman House class. Having Bryce Young opened a variety of potential new story lines for our creative team," said Allyson Witherspoon, vice president and U.S. chief marketing officer, Nissan U.S. "The writing behind these spots continues to naturally showcase each player's unique comedic talents, providing a glimpse into a side of their personalities that can be well hidden when they are on the playing field."

The all-new, all-electric 2023 Nissan Ariya, the 2023 Nissan Z, the 2022 Nissan Frontier and the 2023 Nissan Pathfinder are highlighted throughout the campaign.

New addition, new competitions

The 2022 campaign includes 10 spots focused on the naturally competitive nature of the athletes. Equally competitive fans are encouraged to join in for a series of "That's How You Heisman" polls, quizzes and challenges on TikTok, Twitter and Instagram.

The initial spot for the campaign is titled "That's How You Heisman" where Tebow shows Young around, as other Heisman veterans engage in competitions: Henry and Palmer pushing sleds through the hall; Sanders and Murray in a college painting duel; Howard and Mayfield playing cards, and much more.

The "That's How You Heisman" spot highlights the 2023 Nissan Ariya, with Young arriving to the house in the all-electric crossover. The all-new Ariya also is featured in the "Generation Gap" spot where Coach Spurrier needs guidance on how to charge the Ariya, and Smith and Young are equally unsure of a ‘connected' phone.

The Heisman House ads will run on TV across ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, FOX, FS1, CBS, CBS Sports Network and during Monday Night Football on ESPN. More content will be available on Nissan and ESPN digital channels, including behind-the-scenes footage and bloopers from the shoot.

An all-new virtual Nissan Heisman House world

At TheHeismanHouse.com fans can take part in a virtual Heisman House world, creating a custom avatar and virtually interacting with favorite athletes and mascots. Users can explore an immersive environment full of Heisman hijinks, campaign Easter eggs, and interactive games that test skills against different players in the house. New interactions and competitions will be added throughout the season.

Additionally for the first time the Nissan Heisman House offers fans the opportunity to access exclusive NFTs (Tokens) featuring distinctive artwork of Heisman greats highlighted in this year's campaign.  Nissan is making these Tokens available to fans at no charge, and a few lucky fans will get to unlock virtual experiences with Heisman winners and receive a custom avatar Token.  Details including Token drop dates will be available at TheHeismanHouse.com and CAMPUS.io in the fall.

Nissan adds a seventh HBCU to its college portfolio

Nissan is expanding its reach with the addition of Jackson State University, a HBCU (Historically Black Colleges and Universities). Other HBCUs in Nissan’s college portfolio are Grambling State University, Hampton University, Howard University, North Carolina A&T State University, Southern University and A&M College, and Tennessee State University (TSU).

Each year the Nissan Heisman House Tour, featuring a simulated Heisman House, travels to different college campuses throughout the U.S. The tour gives fans a chance to enjoy Heisman House living, take photos with the trophy and meet Heisman winners. This year, the tour will include a stop at Jackson State as part of the new relationship with the college. It will visit 11 college campuses in total. 

Airing beginning Sept. 1

 

Airing beginning Sept. 22

 

Airing beginning Oct. 13

 

Airing beginning Nov. 3

 

Airing beginning Nov. 17

For more information about our products, services and commitment to sustainable mobility, visit nissanusa.com. You can also follow us on FacebookInstagramTwitter and LinkedIn and see all our latest videos on YouTube.

About ESPN
ESPN, the world's leading sports entertainment brand, features nine U.S. television networks, direct-to-consumer ESPN+, ESPN Radio, ESPN.com, endeavors on every continent around the world, and more. ESPN is 80 percent owned by ABC, Inc. (an indirect subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company) and 20 percent by Hearst.

About the Heisman Trophy Trust
The Heisman Memorial Trophy annually recognizes the outstanding college football player in the United States. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard work. The Heisman Trophy Trust ensures the continuation and integrity of this award. The Trust, furthermore, has a charitable mission to support amateur athletes and to provide greater opportunities to the youth of our country. Our goal through these charitable endeavors is for The Heisman Trophy to symbolize the fostering of a sense of community responsibility and service to our youth, especially those disadvantaged or with special needs.

About CAMPUS
CAMPUS upgrades fandom by unlocking special access for fans to the universities and athletes they love. CAMPUS provides media, marketing, e-commerce and tech services to universities and athletes to sell Tokens (NFTs) featuring the school and/or athlete which unlock in-person and digital experiences, swag and content exclusive to the fans who buy them. Officially-licensed, limited-edition CAMPUS Tokens featuring individual athletes and groups of athletes will be released at CAMPUS.io throughout the upcoming football season. Each Token comes with exclusive ownership benefits and can even be re-sold on CAMPUS's marketplace. Visit CAMPUS.io for more information.

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Media Contact

Jeannie Whited
Senior Manager, Corporate Communications
Jeannie.Whited@nissan-usa.com

Issued by Nissan