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NISSAN EXTENDS REACH INTO COLLEGE FOOTBALL AS EXCLUSIVE AUTOMOTIVE SPONSOR OF THE SOUTHEASTERN CONFERENCE
Nissan Partners With Sports Illustrated To Help Celebrate The SEC’s 75th Anniversary
NASHVILLE, TENN. (August 21, 2007) – Nissan has extended its dedication to college football by becoming an official sponsor of the Southeastern Conference. As part of the sponsorship, Nissan will celebrate the 75th Anniversary of the SEC by partnering with Sports Illustrated on a multimedia commemorative platform highlighting the greatest moments in 75 years of SEC football. Nissan is proud to once again be the presenting sponsor of the Heisman Trophy and invites fans to vote at www.theheismanvote.com. Last year, a staggering 16,183,682 fan votes were cast to contribute to Nissan’s one vote for the Heisman.
As part of the extended relationship with SI, Nissan will be the exclusive sponsor of a special Sports Illustrated collector’s edition celebrating the rich history of SEC football as well as interactive content and features on SI.com. The commemorative magazine will feature the SEC’s most memorable moments, players, rivalries and coaches and will introduce the first ever Sports Illustrated All-Time SEC Football Team, highlighting the greatest players at each position from all eras and schools. This custom publication will be distributed at select stadiums, displayed at Nissan regional dealerships and promoted at pre-game and tailgating experiences. On SI.com, fans can vote for their all-time SEC team, find their favorite SEC Sports Illustrated covers, view dozens of legendary photos, and register to win a trip to the 2008 SEC Championship game.
Nissan and Sports Illustrated will co-brand a six-SEC market mobile tour in conjunction with the 75th Anniversary celebration created by Creative Presence Partners, Inc. The experience on site at SEC football games provides a strong linkage between Nissan and college football, highlights the Heisman Trophy, celebrates the history of the Southeastern Conference and allows Nissan to extend and promote its ongoing relationship with Sports Illustrated. The SI SEC Tour Driven by Nissan will make the following game stops:
- Florida at LSU on October 6, 2007
- Tennessee at Alabama on October 20, 2007
- Georgia at Florida on October 27, 2007
- Arkansas at Tennessee on November 10, 2007
- Alabama at Auburn on November 24, 2007
- SEC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME on December 1, 2007
“College football is the centerpiece of our football strategy because of the level of passion from the fans which mirrors Nissan’s passion for building vehicles,” says Steve Kerho, director, Media & Interactive Marketing for Nissan. “As the exclusive automotive presence of the SEC, this sponsorship allows us to create an ownable segment within college football. We are able to develop cross-promotional extensions that enhance the consumer experience and Nissan integration. This opportunity generates Nissan brand association within key properties like the Heisman Trophy program and acts as a platform to increase Nissan brand opinion and trust.”
“The SEC has always been an important and popular part of Sports Illustrated and SI.com’s trusted coverage of college football,” said Andrew Judelson, Chief Marketing Officer for the Sports Illustrated Group. “We’re thrilled to partner with Nissan and the SEC to bring college football fans this dynamic, multimedia platform celebrating 75 years of gridiron history in the Southeastern Conference.”
"The Southeastern Conference is grateful for Nissan's support of the 75th Anniversary," Commissioner Mike Slive said. "Their commitment will make it possible for SEC fans to celebrate the rich history of SEC Football through this unique commemorative edition of Sports Illustrated."
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan’s operations include automotive styling, 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.
About Sports Illustrated
SI is a multimedia sports brand that takes the consumer into the heart and soul of sports. The SI franchise is anchored by SPORTS ILLUSTRATED, the most respected voice in sports journalism which reaches a weekly audience of nearly 21 million adults, and www.SI.COM, the magazine’s 24/7 sports news website that delivers more than 150 original stories to its users each week. The SI franchise also includes SPORTS ILLUSTRATED KIDS (www.sikids.com), a monthly magazine targeted to kids age 8 and up; GOLF MAGAZINE and www.GOLF.COM; www.FANNATION.COM, a social networking and sports news aggregation platform; www.SIONCAMPUS.COM, a website dedicated to college sports and the college sports lifestyle; SI PRESENTS the magazine’s specialty publishing division; as well as SI BOOKS, SI PICTURES, SI PRODUCTIONS, SI DIGITAL and SI EVENTS. Founded in 1954, SI is a division of Time Inc., the world's leading magazine publishing company and a subsidiary of Time Warner.
About the Southeastern Conference
The Southeastern Conference consists of 12 member institutions: Alabama, Arkansas, Auburn, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, LSU, Ole Miss, Mississippi State, South Carolina, Tennessee and Vanderbilt. The league currently sanctions championship play in nine men's sports and 11 women’s sports. During the 2006-07 academic year conference teams captured eight national titles and five national runner-up finishes. The SEC also became the first conference ever to win national championships in football and men’s and women’s basketball in the same school year. Student-athletes around the league continue to excel in the classroom, as well, with over 2,000 earning recognition on the SEC Academic Honor Roll. Its headquarters has been located in Birmingham, Ala., since 1948. For more on the conference, visit www.secsports.com.
About Creative Presence Partners
Creative Presence Partners, Inc. (CPP) is an Atlanta-based integrated marketing firm.
CPP's services include brand strategy, concepting, visual identifications, national retail promotions, advertising and the creation and execution of large-scale sampling, experiential and event productions. CPP has received numerous industry awards including Adweek's Buzz Marketer of the Year, the Horizon Sports Marketer of the Year and AMA Amy Awards and can be found on the web at www.cppatl.com. |
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