Background

Zimmerman, an Omnicom agency, manages the Nissan Tier 2 Regional Account, spanning eight diverse U.S. markets. While corporate strategies favored a standardized, “cookie-cutter” approach—centered on College Football, blockbuster movie tie-ins, and national music series—these efforts largely mirrored successes in the Southeast and overlooked the unique identities and community dynamics of other regions.

Within this structure, the Pacific Northwest and Mid-Atlantic regions, ranked #7 and #8 nationally, consistently struggled. Their communities did not rally behind the same interests as larger-performing markets, resulting in low engagement and underwhelming campaign results.

Challenge

Both the Pacific Northwest and Mid-Atlantic regions faced the same critical barrier:
National campaigns failed to reflect or elevate the local identities that unite and energize their unique communities.

Key issues included:

• Little Customization Allowed: Most assets and sponsorships were determined by the needs and culture of the Southeast region—rarely a fit for distinctly different areas.

• Seasonality: The Northwest’s audience spent sunny months outdoors, not in movie theaters or sports arenas, reducing reach for cinema and television-based promotions.

• Reach and Relevance: National music (iHeart Country) or sports (College Football) packages lacked local emotional pull; regional genres and teams carried greater community weight.

• Local Sports Fandom: While college sports reign in parts of the country, the Mid-Atlantic and Northwest rallied behind hockey and soccer, respectively—sports overlooked in the national plan.

To drive true engagement, each region needed to prove the value of tailored, locally rooted strategies—despite corporate pressure for uniformity.

Solution & Approach

A phased, data-driven and community-centric approach was implemented to help each region carve out and elevate its own identity within the Nissan brand:

Mid-Atlantic: Hockey, Community, and Competitive White Space

• Leveraged data to show a lack of interest in College Football; spotlighted strong local viewership for professional hockey.

• Discovered a gap in automotive advertising during NHL broadcasts (only 2 local dealers, zero national budgets).

• Redirected “cookie-cutter” spend from football to NHL championship game airings, layered with local ticket giveaway promotions.

• Incentivized dealers and energized customers, creating Nissan as a new, relevant supporter of their community’s passion.

Northwest: Seasonality, Outdoor Culture, and Soccer Fandom

• Analyzed theater traffic and historical attendance, proving the inefficacy of Star Wars Rogue One movie sponsorships during outdoor season.

• Reallocated spend to a hyper-local partnership with the Seattle Sounders soccer team, syncing with the region’s unique sports culture.

• Developed a Nissan Rogue on-field vehicle giveaway at a key game, tapping into both the team’s loyal following and the “Rogue” model brand synergy.

• Benefited from unexpected television exposure, amplifying reach in a market historically dominated by Subaru.

Insights & Results

• Elevated Local Identity: By aligning media and promotional efforts with the true passions and behaviors of each region, Nissan became recognized as a community participant versus an outsider brand.

• Dealer and Customer Engagement: Correlation between campaign activity and spikes in Google searches, dealer visits, and direct inquiries was immediate and measurable.

• Internal Buy-In: Successful proof-of-concept motivated regional dealers and fostered better collaboration with corporate—confidently pushing for more local flexibility in future campaigns.

• Quantifiable Turnaround:

• Regional rankings rose from #7/#8 to #2/#4 nationwide in engagement and performance.

• Showroom traffic and sales inquiries saw significant increases, linked directly to locally relevant campaign actions.

Conclusion

The transformation of Nissan’s Tier 2 marketing in the Pacific Northwest and Mid-Atlantic regions demonstrates that “cookie-cutter” tactics miss the mark without accounting for local identity and culture. Through rigorous audience analysis, creative partnerships, and customized community engagement, each region successfully elevated the Nissan brand to a position of local relevance and trust. This case sets a precedent—backed by strong results—that market-specific strategies not only boost metrics, but also forge lasting brand relationships rooted in community identity.

Ready to apply market data and local insight to transform your regional marketing? Discover how tailored strategy can turn national brands into community icons.