NISSAN DRIVES MAJOR COMMERCIAL PARTNERSHIP WITH THE O2
New Nissan Brand Centre to promote electric vehicles and automotive innovation
April 19th, 2010 (London, UK) - Nissan Motor GB Ltd, today announced that is has become the Official Automotive Partner for The O2, the world's most popular entertainment venue.
The three year deal sees Nissan become The O2's exclusive automotive partner with extensive branding rights across the whole of the 20 acre site and will include the creation of a Nissan Brand Centre, opening July 2010.
Heralding a new automotive era, the brand centre will be used as the communications hub for the launch of the Nissan Leaf, the world's first affordable, mass produced pure electric family car. Leaf embodies Nissan's vision for an environmentally sustainable future for road transport and goes on sale in the UK during March 2011.
Paul Willcox, Managing Director, Nissan GB comments: "This O2 partnership is a first for Nissan in the UK. The O2 offers us the space, support and exposure to showcase the brand to over 7.5 million people every year and will become a focal point for an innovative and integrated strategy which will span the entire sales & marketing operation.
"Nissan is a brand on the move. We are the biggest vehicle manufacturer in the UK; 80% of all the cars we sell are built in our factory in Sunderland. We have an enviable model range spanning from compact city cars to legendary sports cars such as Z and GT-R. We created and dominate the Crossover segment with the British-built Qashqai and we're an industry leader in zero emission mobility with the launch, early next year, of the first mass-market, family electric vehicle. The O2 will give us the platform to engage with consumers on all of this activity and much more."
Branding and advertising across the interior and exterior of The O2 will initially focus on the new Qashqai and will move to include Nissan's much-anticipated small crossover, Juke, in advance of its September launch. From its July opening, the Nissan Brand Centre will focus on zero emission mobility, the launch of Leaf and will showcase innovation, running interactive programmes and activities designed to attract and engage consumers.
Paul Samuels, Executive Director of Sponsorship at AEG Europe, added: "We're thrilled that Nissan has become a major commercial partner of The O2. Its forward thinking brand values are aligned with ours and our 7.5 million visitors a year will offer them unrivalled exposure across the site."
The three year deal will see Nissan join a host of other major brands who have a founding partnership with The O2.
The O2 finished the decade as the world's number one music venue for the third year running, selling over 2.3 million tickets to events in the arena - a record breaking figure.
The O2 deal was brokered by Manning Gottlieb OMD's branded content division Fuse on behalf of Nissan Motors (GB) Ltd.
Notes to editors:
*Nissan Leaf is the first in a range of forthcoming Nissan electric vehicles (EVs). The Leaf, on sale in the UK from March 2011, will be initially produced in Japan. From 2013, production will begin at Nissan's manufacturing plant in Sunderland, UK.
NISSAN LEAF at a glance:
- World's first affordable, mass produced zero emission car
- Five-seater C-segment hatchback
- Powered by an 80kW electric motor
- Charges to 80% of capacity in under 30 minutes (using rapid charging)
- Standard charging from zero to full capacity approx eight hours
- Real-world range: 160 km (100 miles - US-LA 4 mode)
- Top speed of more than 140 km/h (90 mph)
- Produced on all-new dedicated EV platform
Nissan in the UK:
- 1 in 3 cars built in the UK is a Nissan
- Nissan Sunderland Plant has a workforce of 4,100
- Micra, Note, Qashqai and Qashqai+2 are all produced at Sunderland Plant
- The new small crossover, Juke, will be produced at Sunderland Plant - on sale September 2010
- Leaf electric vehicle will be produced in Sunderland Plant from 2013
- UK is Nissan's biggest market in Europe
- Over 80 per cent of production is exported to 45 markets worldwide
- Nissan's Sunderland Plant has been named as the biggest UK car plant for the past 12 years
- Sunderland Plant won a Queen's Award for Export in 2009, fourth received since plant opened in 1986
- The plant built its 5 millionth car in June 2008
- Sunderland Plant's 2009 calendar year volume totalled 338,150 units
- Over 80 per cent of all cars sold in the UK in 2009 were built in Sunderland Plant
- Nissan's European design centre is located in Paddington, London and employs around 50 people
- Nissan's European Technical Centre is based in Cranfield, Bedfordshire and employs around 750 people
- Nissan's UK Sales & Marketing operation is based in Rickmansworth and employs around 170 people
