Filed under: Time Warp, Sports/GTs, Marketing/Advertising, Nissan
Super Bowl XXIV: Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo commercial by Ridley Scott
We all know that watching the Super Bowl commercials can be more entertaining than the game sometimes. After the jump, you'll find the Nissan 300ZX Twin Turbo TV spot directed by Ridley Scott (Blade Runner, Alien, Gladiator) that aired in 1990 during Super Bowl XXIV. The voiceover is of a man telling us about a dream he has where he's being chased by motorcycles, a racing car, and a plane, but nothing can catch him in the Z.
Pretty cool, and given that Super Bowl XXIV was a lopsided blowout (49ers 55, Broncos 10 -- Montana w/ 5 TDs), the commercial was probably more interesting than the action on the field (especially if it aired late). According to the person who uploaded the video to YouTube, Nissan pulled the spot after its airing just that one time. Apparently, the brass thought it encouraged street racing.
Because you know, without that commercial, no one would have ever thought to drive fast in the 300-horsepower sports coupe...
Watch it after the jump.
[Source: YouTube]
_opt_thumbnail.jpg)
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Derrick 6:54PM (2/04/2007)
Much like the 1984 Apple computer commercial from 1984, this Nissan 300 ZX commercial has no rival. It's the best car commercial ever made...
Reply
Alex Nunez 7:02PM (2/04/2007)
And Derrick, as you likely know, Scott directed the Apple spot, too.
Reply
why not the LS2LS7? 7:09PM (2/04/2007)
I think it's more likely it was only run once because they were copying Apple. Apple ran a Ridley Scott-directed commercial spot in the 1984 Superbowl and never ran it again. Nissan used the same director as Apple, the same announcer as Apple and ran their spot in the 1990 Superbowl, and only once.
Honestly, this commerical doesn't impress me. The Apple one isn't really all that either, for that matter.
Reply
rwag 8:06PM (2/04/2007)
That must be the worst car commercial ever. It was like a 14 year old teenagers day dream, lacked imagination.
Reply
John 11:14PM (2/04/2007)
Dude, that commercial rules in that it excites the emotion of their target audience (basically any guy who likes to go fast). I was just talking about this advertisement with a collegue last week. We remember this stuff and how cool it is to have such a beautifully awesome sports car available at that time, and how it still looks sweet even by today's standards.
I actually remember all the Z ads being extremely awesome. Their ads that just took an old typerwriter and blasted a big black serif font Z on a piece of paper were mind altering. Then there was the ever popular Barbie-Z ad to the tune of Van Halen. Brilliant stuff.
Too bad marketing campaigns don't go for ads like that today. Now we just have weird robots punching trucks and computer generated cars driving around.
Reply
slooptom 9:25AM (2/28/2009)
Damn right! those were tops! And how about that one where Leland goes to town to get a new car and returns doing donuts in the barnyard! "Leland,whet's gotten into you""I don;t know,but I LIKE IT!"
Daffy Duck 11:36PM (2/04/2007)
I still think the best ad is the 300ZX with the G.I. Joe picking up Barbie in a T top radio controlled Z. It is set to Van Halen and is from the "Life is a Journey: Enjoy the Ride" and "Dogs looove Trucks!" Probably one of my favorite ads of all time.
Here's the link on youtube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_h3Vohifupw
Reply
John 11:46PM (2/04/2007)
#6: Thanks for digging that one up :)
Here's a link to the 300zx "typewriter" commercial.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wdfEznkmtIU
I found it odd that the Supra, 3000GT (US market Mitsu) and 3rd gen RX7 never really had much play in the mass market, but Nissan made the Zed their halo car and went all out to use that to define their brand from the Maxima down to Sentra SE-R.
Anyway, if anyone can find that old commercial of an Audi Quattro driving around in the snow with no tires (just the rims), you gotta hook me up. I've been looking for that ad for quite some time. And no, this isn't the same Quattro ads as those two different ones of a Quattro-equipped Audi driving up a ski-lift.
Reply
mac 3:00AM (2/05/2007)
#5 & #6: Here's the problem with the Barbie-type commercial: they had stopped production of the Z by the time it hit the air.
My personal fave is one that never aired in America:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=plxNfU-PA2c
Reply
slooptom 9:28AM (2/28/2009)
Anyone know where that "Leland going to town" commercial may be found? TIA
Tom
Reply