The Challenge

In September 2022, Edelman Africa was tasked with introducing the all-new, segment defining third generation Nissan Qashqai in South Africa. This meant supporting Nissan SA with PR launch activities to reinforce the brand as a leader in the segment – and build excitement for one of the country’s favourite crossover experiences.

The Strategy

Edelman needed to ensure the Qashqai launch event lived up to the expectation of the target market and not only showcased the quality of the vehicle itself, but brought to life the kind of experience it’s designed to provide for its prospective owner. 

Launching more than a year after the iconic, locally produced Navara, the Qashqai needed to reclaim its space in the market as one of Nissan’s key products, reintroducing itself to reclaim its pioneering status and showcase the overall elevated quality, driving experience and new technologies. This also meant we needed to communicate the strategy behind the premium positioning of the product and how it fits into the greater Nissan Africa business while celebrating its Japanese heritage. 

To honour the vehicle’s prestige, we created a teaser campaign and a series of launch events that spoke to the premium experience of owning and driving the vehicle, as well as the brand’s Japanese identity and its link to South Africa.

The Execution

We partnered with media and various influencers who have reach in Sub-Saharan Africa to showcase the all-new Nissan Qashqai. 

We created a teaser campaign to showcase how the vehicle simplifies urban mobility through safety (Nissan Intelligent Mobility technology) and connectivity (lifestyle integration). 

We partnered with award winning actress Zola Nombona and her husband, actor/director Thomas Gumede, to go on a road trip through the garden route driving the Nissan Qashqai and creating social media content for their platforms as well as Nissan’s owned platforms. 

The launch events were held in Cape Town, with two cycles of media and influencers hosted by Nissan over a two-day period. The events started with media and influencers checking in to the prestigious Twelve Apostles Hotel, and a high-end dining experience to welcome them to Cape Town and meet team Nissan. 

The next morning Nissan leadership explained how the all-new Qashqai supports Nissan’s global and African strategic plan to transform the local automobile sector. This was followed by a driving experience, with a route selected to showcase the vehicle’s technical capabilities and premium driving experience.

The Outcome

The campaign won the Marketing to Consumers (new product) category in 2023 SABRE Africa awards.