DeVonta Smith Joins Nissan's 'Heisman House' for 11th Season

OK, who ordered forty 2022 Nissan Pathfinders through the automaker’s Nissan@Home service? Was it Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith, winner of college football’s Heisman Trophy at Alabama last year?

Watch the spot below to find out, as Tim Tebow, Barry Sanders, Bo Jackson and other recipients of college football’s highest honor welcome Smith to “Heisman House” for the 11th season of Nissan’s beloved bro-centric campaign.

The e-commerce emphasis feels timely, with consumers shopping online for cars more than ever during Covid. Showrooms are so 2019!

Ten ads from TBWAChiatDay New York and Biscuit Filmworks directors Aaron Stoller and Cam Harris begin breaking today across ESPN, ABC, Fox and CBS. As in past iterations of the series, gridiron gags, meddlesome mascots and the nameplate’s latest models share screen time.

Fan tweets informed many of the jokes, including the trophy-polishing in the commercial above, and this take on mascots coughing up giant, multicolored hairballs:

A fan pondered who’d win a Heisman House spike-ball tournament, and this absurdity ensued:

Another user-generated idea makes us wonder if Smith was All-State in high-school…

…because he’s got good hands, people. Slogan humor!

ESPN’s Christine Williamson will interview some of the tweeters on College Football Countdown.

“We thought, ‘What could be more thrilling than seeing your idea on national TV?’ ” says Allyson Witherspoon, Nissan VP and U.S. chief marketing officer, of the crowdsourcing play. “It didn’t hurt that these passionate college football fans also had some pretty funny ideas to use as thought-starters.”

Heisman winners Eddie George, Kyler Murray, Desmond Howard, Baker Mayfield, Archie Griffin and Derek Henry also appear, as do the Nisan’s 2021 Rogue and 2022 Frontier.

You can savor more silly scenarios plus a blooper reel below:

This year’s Heisman House Tour featuring interactive games and Clinton Yates of the Undefeated will visit Hampton and Tennessee State as part of Nissan’s support of historically Black colleges and universities. The carmaker sponsored an ESPN First Take segment on HBCU matchups, and the network will air an interview with George, who just started coaching at TSU.

CREDITS

Nissan USA
Vice President and US Chief Marketing Officer: Allyson Witherspoon
Director, Brand, Marketing Strategy & Content: Erich Marx
Senior Manager, Brand Lead: Ty Webb
Senior Planner, Marketing Communications: Jeff Simmons
Senior Planner Strategy,Social Media Marketing: Arielle Lattes

Agency: TBWAChiatDay New York
Chief Creative Officer: Chris Beresford-Hill
Executive Creative Director: Dave Banta
Executive Creative Director: Alex Taylor
Associate Creative Director: Phil Fattore
Senior Art Director: Alyssa Fishman
Associate Art Director Creative: Lauren Byers
Associate Copywriter: Wesley Rhodes
Head of Production: John Doris
Head of Production Operations: Victoria Kreger
Executive Producer: Jessica Gardner
Producer: Regan Wallace
Social Producer: Amanda Kresge
Business Lead: Val Tyll
Business Director: Tony Burman
Senior Business Manager: Michelle Darnell
Business Manager: Raquel Devariel
Head of Strategy: Elliot Bastien
Strategy Director: Melissa Panasci
Social Business Lead: Katherine Udeze
Social Business Director: Kim Harris
Social Executive Strategy Director: Tom Hyde
Senior Social Strategist, Branding: Camille Lieurance
Senior Social Strategist, Branding: Victoria Tabio
Social Strategist: Claire Miller
Senior Integrated Business Affairs Manager: Felicia Simmons
Business Affairs Manager: Rachel O’Malley
Production Integration Director: Andy Galvin
Associate Director, Product Integration: Chris Ellis
Associate Director, Partnerships and Activations: Lauren Natale
Media Planner, Partnership and Activations: Emily Stalcup
Managing Director: Scott Kavanagh
Chief Strategy Officer: James Sowden
Chief Executive Officer: Nancy Reyes

Production Company: Biscuit
Director: Aaron Stoller
Director: Cam Harris
Executive Producer: Holly Vega
Head of Production: Sean Moody
Line Producer: Cindy Becker

Edit: Mackcut Editorial
Editor: Nick Divers
Editor: Brendan Hogan
Jr Editor: Megan Heard
Asst Editor: Arden Phillips
Producer: Gina Pagano

Post/VFX: MPC T
Executive Producer: Camila De Biaggi
Producer: Elissa Norman

Sound House: Heard City
Senior Sound Engineer: Keith Reynaud
Executive Producer: Jackie James

Music:
Playing with the Boys – Kenny Loggins