Larson’s Star Power Behind ’21 Rogue Marketing Drive

Nissan’s popular Rogue compact CUV has arrived in showrooms, backed by a marketing campaign featuring Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson.

The “Rogue Gone Rogue” campaign focuses on, but isn’t limited to, adventure-seeking families, says Allyson Witherspoon, vice president and chief marketing officer-Nissan USA. The automaker is highlighting Rogue’s styling as well as its connectivity, technology and safety features, among other capabilities, she says.

“This is about telling (audiences) about the total package of the Rogue,” Witherspoon tells Wards in an interview.

Nissan isn’t offering sales projections for the ’21 Rogue, nor is it disclosing its anticipated conquest rate. But the automaker hopes to gain ground on its competition in Wards Intelligence’s Middle CUV sector, primarily Toyota’s RAV4, Honda’s CR-V and Chevrolet’s Equinox. Middle CUV has been the highest-volume new light-vehicle segment in the U.S. for seven years running.

Larson, who starred in a Nissan Sentra ad that has ranked among iSpot.tv’s most-viewed car commercials this year, has a cameo role in the latest Rogue spot (below): An adventuresome family drives their Rogue across different terrains in several drive modes including snow and off-road before stopping at a drive-in, where Larson pulls up alongside them in her own ’21 Rogue.

Nissan Rogue 21_Brie Larson (2)

As a Nissan brand ambassador, Larson will be featured in other launch campaigns, Witherspoon says. “We’ve had such a positive response to her,” she says. “She’s an incredible actress at the top of her game.”

Larson also will support the Nissan Foundation, founded in the wake of the 1994 police beating of Rodney King to promote diversity and inclusion, Witherspoon says. The foundation has distributed more than $10 million in grants, she says.

“I am thrilled to be expanding my role as Nissan’s brand ambassador and collaborating on their philanthropic endeavors,” Larson says in a statement.

“Finding a brand with mission-aligned values and an authentic connection to its workforce and customers is very important to me. Everything I’ve learned about Nissan supports those relationships at its core. I look forward to continuing our partnership both on- and off-camera.”

Nissan’s multi-tier creative campaign includes TV, online video, print, radio, digital and social placements around family-focused content in the run-up to Thanksgiving and beyond, the automaker says.