Nissan Launches Shift_musica

NASHVILLE, Tenn.--Today, Nissan North America, Inc. (NNA) announced the launch of Shift_música, a lifestyle platform designed to bring bold and original music experiences to its Hispanic consumer. Through music, Nissan will develop a series of branded consumer events tied to its new model launches as a way to engage and build an emotional connection with today’s savvy Hispanic customer.

Tonight, the much-anticipated Latin music awards show in New York City show sets the stage for the first Shift_música event supporting the all-new 2007 Nissan Sentra. In addition to being a telecast sponsor for tonight’s show, Nissan along with the Mexico Tourism board will co-host a one-of-a-kind event following the hottest music awards show in the industry.

“Shift_música is an innovative approach to how we want to reach the various segments within the Hispanic market,” said Jan Thompson, vice president of marketing, NNA. “Whether it’s DJ music mixes or Latin jazz, our Hispanic consumer will be invited to experience original music in a way that’s challenging conventions. It’s an exciting way to market our product and will allow us to speak to our Hispanic consumer in a non-traditional way.”

Each Shift_música event will be defined by the specific type of artists, music, and venues identified to connect with specific consumer targets. To kick off the platform, tonight’s co-hosted event will feature original music tied to the theme, Day of the Dead (El Día de los Muertos). The Day of the Dead is a traditional and ancient ritual from Mexico that honors those gone but not forgotten. Named Voces del más Allá, the after-party features key cultural elements traditionally used like altars (ofrendas), candles (velas), and marigolds (cempasuchil) along with a traditional ritual dance to capture the essence of this celebration.

The festive holiday will be the centerpiece of the evening and pay tribute to past Legends who helped pave the way for other Latino musicians. DJ Alex Sensation and the DJ Kings will debut three original Nissan remixes using select tracks from legendary Latinos artists – Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and Selena – as a way to honor their careers and influence in the music industry. Prior to the launch of this Shift_música event, Nissan held various nightclub and dealership consumer promotions in the New York Tri-State Area showcasing the all-new 2007 Nissan Sentra.

Nissan will continue the Shift_música initiative as the brand behind “Concierto Clandestino,” an upcoming reality concept set to air on Telemundo and cable network mun2, which follows four aspiring promoters who have to promote a live concert featuring A-list talent through non-traditional channels. “Concierto Clandestino” will be featured as a special segment on Telemundo’s music and lifestyle program "Nitido" beginning Sunday, November 5th through March 2007. In addition, an English version can be seen on mun2’s popular countdown show "18 & Over," beginning on Friday, November 10th. The project will culminate in two primetime concert specials from Los Angeles, Houston, Miami, and New York, airing on Telemundo and mun2 in January and March 2007.

Subsequent Shift_música events will support the upcoming launch of the all-new 2007 Nissan Altima and several other new model launches throughout the model year.

Finally, in addition to the Shift_música platform, the all-new Nissan Sentra will be introduced to U.S. Hispanic consumers with a :30 second spot entitled “Time Juggler” and an extensive multimedia campaign.

About Nissan North America

In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive design, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissannews.com.