1.

Introduction
According to Nissan Global (2011), The Nissan Leaf is the world's first 100-percent electric,
zero-emission car designed for the mass market. With its advanced powertrain, Nissan Leaf
provides a totally new driving experience, with its smooth and responsive acceleration, stable
handling, and quietness. Incorporating the latest IT systems, Nissan Leaf is always connected to
driving support functions for a secure and convenient ownership experience. Nissan Leaf was
launched in December 2010 in Japan and the United States and in 2011 in Europe and other
markets. The Leaf has won numerous international accolades, including the prestigious 2011
European Car of the Year, 2011 World Car of the Year and 2011-12 Cars of the Year Japan
awards. The continuous success of the Nissan Leaf electric car in the Japan and United States
market is considered the developmental platform to expand into the Asian market, especially in
the Vietnam market. As the Global Advertising Director on behalf of Nissan Cars announces that
the Nissan Leaf electric car will be launched in January 2013 and other launched events relevant
to the Nissan Leaf lasting within 3 months. It is expected to create a green trend for the
transportation.
2. Vietnamese market analysis
2.1 Current market analysis
The car market in Vietnam is tending to grow strongly by three impacts. Firstly, the customers
consider car as the main vehicle for the transportation increasingly more. Especially, as reported
on Tienphong (2012), the individual-car segmentation raised up to 15% in 2012. This indicates
that an increase in the customers interest in purchasing cars. Furthermore, DanTri (2011)
reported that the economic crisis has changed in the automobile market leading that the
consumer tastes have changed, and they tend to purchase small cars with the good operation,
facilities, affordable price and ability to save fuel. Finally, Trends (2010) article indicated that:
There is a tendency towards electric cars, supported by the emission legislation. Based on
these current situations, the Nissan Leaf cars design and operation are one of the advantages
likely to gain the attention in the Vietnamese customers mind and the automotive market.

2.2 Target audience
Customers of the Nissan Leaf electric car will be focused on 2 age groups: 25-35 and 36-49
years old with an income monthly of 25 million VND and above. The gender is mostly for
women because they support green activities such as buying an eco-friendly car more than men.
Besides, customers are noticed by 2 main type of personality: Thinker and Innovator. Thinkers
often have an educated orientation and good environmental awareness. Innovators tend to grasp
new technology and set trends.
Additionally, there is a possible prediction for families that parent might purchase electric car for
their children. Therefore, parent will be in 45-55 years old with the modern lifestyle.
3. Advertising Objectives
In the first 3 months of the launch period, there are 3 advertising objectives are identified
obviously:
1. Within 2 months of the launch period, building 70 % awareness of the target audience
about the Nissan Leaf that is not a hybrid car, it's completely electric, it has no gasoline
or diesel powered engine to supplement for power; that is an environmental brand with
the good operations and friendly features as other diesel powered cars
2. Achieve 30% of the remaining target audience to understand the basic information of the
Nissan Leaf
3. Convince two-thirds of the prospective customers to visit a retailer for a test drive
3.1 Target audience evaluation
Green life is becoming the most compelling term to Vietnamese consumers. The benefit of
green activities is socially approved since numerous undertaken researches. Therefore, the
strengths of Nissan Leaf electric car that are utilizing no fossil fuels, there are no emissions; will
be the great attention of the social because of its positive eco-impacts. These evidences will
efficiently support our advertising objectives which use green-conscious lifestyle as a key to
influences their target audiences.

4. The creative strategy
4.1 Creative platform

.4.2 Advertising Appeal
As indicated by V.K.Reddy on Scribd (2012), Advertising appeals aim to influence the way
consumers view themselves and how buying certain products can prove to be beneficial for
them. The message conveyed through advertising appeals influences the purchasing decisions of
consumers. Therefore, by identifying the advertising appeals, the specific wants or needs of
customers will be reached effectively. The advertisement is blended between Rational appeals
accorded to William.F.A, Michael.F.W and Christian Arenss the broad category of appeals
(2011, p.342), and Music appeals is mentioned by V.K.Reddy on Scribd (2012)

An objective statement Advertising will convince the target audience, especially in eco-
friendly customers that the Nissan Leaf electric car is an affordable
car to save customers wallet. In addition, it will persuade them to
believe that the Nissan Leaf is a state of the art vehicle that
everybody will be driving in the future.

A support statement

Support is found that: Nissan Leaf is a completely electric car, will
save money for fuel and there is a degree of status involved with
owning new technology that will capture the target audiences
important psychographics as the reaction to Tablet Computers and 3D
Televisions
A tone character
statement

The tone of Nissan Leaf advertising should convey beauty, liveliness
and sophistication. The ads should present that Nissan Leaf is the
value typical of a green life so that customers could understand the
Nissan Leafs social purposes

Rational Appeals Music Appeals
Rational appeals are directed at customers
practical, functional need for the product or
service. (William.F.A, Michael.F.W and
Christian Arens, 2012, p.432). It means that the
rational appeals emphasize the features and
characteristics of the product or service to
highlight the benefits of using the specific
brand.
When applying Rational appeals into the
Nissan Leaf advertising, there is an increase in
customers product understanding and
credibility because they have a clear view and
proper information as the ads might show the
products operations and outstanding facilities
to have a lively product-picture for customers.
Besides, it offers an explanation of how it runs
or other information such as the contact
number, websites so that customers can
evaluate quickly the product benefits
According to V.K.Reddy on Scribd (2012),
music has a certain intrinsic value and can help
to increase the persuasiveness of the
advertisement. It also helps to capture the
attention and retention of customers.



When Music appeals are used in the ads,
customers can base on the melody as the
product identification to recall the product.
Music appeals in the ads should be gentle and
emotional.

4.3 Advertising Executional Styles
The advertising styles identification is an important work because it has a great influence on the
customers perception. How do you convince customers to believe in the product during a few
seconds of the advertisement? Therefore, the advertising styles are the impacted key to your
success.
In the Nissan Leaf advertisement, there are 2 advertising styles applied in to express the
products features:

Lifestyle Demonstration
As presented about Advertising and Execution
Styles by Brandon Schuster on Slideshare
(2011), Lifestyle shows how well the product
will fit in the customers lifestyle. Based on
the features of Lifestyle style, the Nissan Leaf
ads create 2 conflicting worlds to makes
customers imagine how the product is useful
for them in their normal life, how it can impact
on their driving habits. Thereby, customers can
filter the product benefits leading to the
decision
Demonstration style is interactive way to
advertise the product because customers will
have opportunities to find out additional
information after seeing the advertisement,
thereby, the expected benefits are shown to
customers. Applied in the Nissan Leaf, the
demonstration style helps to show how the
operating system runs, how to use the facilities
and to charge safety the battery.


4.4 TV Commercial Storyboard
The story starts with the scene of the up-down world space: The Down-Worlds life is dark, has
many dust and smoke, the citizens have to wear masks whereas; the Up-world is bright, peaceful
and has lots of trees. The Down citizens always ask themselves: Why can the Up create the
beautiful world like that? shown by the scene that the down citizens often look their face up.
The music in this section is gentle and sophisticated. One day, a Down citizen find out a pipe to
climb to the Up, he decides to find the answer. This scene is presented by his eye motions
showing the seconds he was making decision with the faster beat music. After climbing, he is
surprised by the wonderful Up world, especially, when he sees a car. He sits into the car and
drives it. In these scenes, the character will perform how to use the cars operating systems and
other functions. The driving car speed is performed by the scene: when the car crosses a tree, it
creates a gust of wind blew a leaf following to the car. At the end, he stops and charges the
battery. The leaf falls in the Nissan symbol and the logo/ slogan of Nissan occurs.
4.5 Overview of Media
There are varied media vehicles to advertise the product; however, each product needs to identify
the specific media vehicles to maximize their advantages for the product features. The Nissan
Leaf Advertisement uses 3 main media vehicles including print, electric media and social media.
Firstly, magazines are used as the first consideration in terms of print media because it is the best
medium to narrow down to selected markets and allows an advertiser to reach a particular target
audience with a high-quality presentation. It is strategically placed to appeal the different
interests. Secondly, TV as electric media has a mass power to cover and reach huge audiences
quickly and frequently. Especially, Nissan Leaf is a new product for the Vietnam market, the TV
impacts is the key to reach the customers attention. Therefore, it brings more opportunities to
express the brand with personality and image. Finally, social media is a highly interactive vehicle
to evaluate easily the customer response.
5. Media plan
The media plan of the campaign will spread over 3 months: February-March-April in 2013. In
the first month of the launch period, the core media vehicles are used frequently to build the
Nissan Leaf awareness and the customers retention. The third month will focus more on direct
marketing activities to recall the Nissan Leaf.
Time Media subclass Description Cost (VND)
February Television
commercial




Media vehicle: VTV3
Media unit: TV commercial will be 60
seconds in length, showed 10 times/ day, and
identified 3 time periods: 6.30 am- 8.30 am, 3
pm-5 pm, and 8.30 pm- 10.30 pm.
5,4 billion
Print Media vehicle: Magazines in Sunday
editions: Tp ch xe hi (Cars magazine),
Tp ch Xe v Th Thao (Cars and Sport
magazine)
Media unit: Writing 60% of the page articles
in the middle and surrounded with editorial
matter about Nissan Leaf electric car to
reaching specific targeted consumers
35 million
Internet/ Social
Media
Many consumers will actively discover
Nissan Leaf through mediums such as
Facebook, YouTube etc. Targeting consumers
with banner ads on websites:
Vietnamcar.com, Tapchixehoi.com.vn.
Nissan Leaf articles on the online websites:
Dantri.com, VNexpress.net. The Nissan leaf
website is also included here.
396 million
Direct
Advertising
Activities
Direct mail to communicate straight to the
customer

5 million
March

Television
Programme
Media vehicle: Advertising on category: Xe
v i sng (Cars and Life) on VTV2 in
8.30pm -9.30pm Sunday
600 million
Television spots Media vehicle: O2 TV, Real TV
Media unit: TV spots will be 30 seconds in
length identified 3 time periods: 9.30 am-
10.30 am Saturday and Sunday, 3.30 pm-5.50
pm, and 8.30pm -10.30 pm
4,8 billion
Print Media vehicle:Advertising on car magazines:
The gioi gia inh (Family World), Doanh
nhn thnh t (Successful businessmen) ,
Doanh nhn Vit Nam (Vietnamese
businessmen)
Media unit: Full page
45 million
Internet/Social
Media
Continuing to post information of the Nissan
Leaf on Facebook, YouTube. Targeting
consumers with banner ads on website
320 million
April Physically active
outdoors in
Hanoi city
Cycling on some shopping mall streets,
especially in shopping at organic food/
products stores on Saturday and Sunday of the
80 million
5. Evaluation
Advertising is one of the largest costs in a companys marketing budget. No wonder its
effectiveness is a major concern! (William.F.A, Michael.F.W and Christian Arens, 2011,
p.234). In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the plan, testing is the important tool used to
measure the advertising dollars is sent worthily. The evaluation is divided into 2 testing:
pretesting and post-testing.
Pretesting Post-testing
Purpose: Estimate the reaction level of the
target customers in the marketplace
Time: January-2012
Time: May-2013
Method:
For electric media:
first week. It is the key to remind the target
audience
Billboards Placing the billboard advertisements in 3
major cities: Hanoi, Danang, Ho Chi Minh
that already have the charging stations.
Additionally, they will be strategically placed
where people are most often waiting in stop
and going traffic wasting their gas.
220 million
Internet/Social
Media
Continuing to post information of the Nissan
Leaf on Facebook, YouTube. Targeting
consumers with banner ads on website
320 million
Television spots Media vehicle: VNEWS, INVEST TV
Media unit: TV spots will be 30 seconds in
length identified 3 time periods: 9.30 am-
10.30 am Saturday and Sunday, 3.30 pm-5.50
pm, and 8.30pm -10.30 pm
4,8 billion
Approximatel
y 17 billion
VND (US $
820,000)
Method: Use a process called Benefit
testing. As explained by William.F.A,
Michael.F.W and Christian Arens (2011,
p.235), The process is presenting the core
product benefits to a group of customers in a
focus group. Thereby, the most persuasive or
compelling benefits the group considers will be
identified.
Use Advertising Tracking
measurement
Collect Feedback from Feedback
devices: toll-free numbers and Web
addresses provided in ads so that the
responses or redemptions can be made
to estimate the impact of advertising
media.
Examine the rating of programmes
For prints: base on Tear-sheets- Copy of the
ads for verification purposes as indicated on
Admedia (2007)

6. PR Tactics
PR Tactics Description Supported aspect
Press Releases The tool of publicity for the launch
period. It is important to write
effective news releases and submit
them to editors so that they may
publish in their publication.
Serve to build the product
awareness in the first days,
increase the visibility of the
brand, and may be an
excellent way to find new
potential customers for the
Nissan Leaf
Trade show Be organized before the media plan
and interacts with it by inviting
journalists to interview about the
Nissan Leaf and write articles. By
using press relationships, it can often
lead to press coverage that money
cannot buy.
It is a highly visible action for
participants and observers and
helpful when needing to speak
louder than words and to
attract news media audiences
Invite international FFI (Fauna and Flora International) Based on the reputation and
organizations IUCN (International Union for
Conversation of Nature) to support
the Nissan Leaf image and cooperate
during the launch period.
credibility of these
organizations, it helps to
improve consumer perception
of EVs as a whole could be
the most effective strategy
given the perception
positioning goals
Sponsorship Be a sponsor of Go Green Club.
Members of Go Green, will cycle in
the third moth of the launch period
This will attract other eco-
friendly supporters. All of
which fit into a good
consumer niche for the Nissan
Leaf.

7. Advertisings role in Marketing Mix
Advertising is one of the most important factors affecting directly for the success, therefore, the
advertising plan plays a mass role in the marketing mix elements for the Nissan Leaf.
4Ps element Advertising Role in
Product Product is the core element in the marketing mix because the market demand
bases on the products utility and popularity. According to William.F.A,
Michael.F.W and Christian Arens (2011, p.66), An ad may not address a
products quality directly, the positive image conveyed by advertising implies
quality. It means that advertising creates the added value for the Nissan Leaf.
Especially, Nissan Leaf is a new product in the Vietnam car-market, advertising
and PR activities as Trade Show are used to introduce and educate customers
about it. Thereby, Advertising ensures the survival and success of the Nissan
Leaf.
Besides, Advertising and PR create demand for the Nissan Leaf because they
spread information about the product and increases customers positive
awareness through technological advances of the media and the power of press
release.
Price Buyers are always sensitive about the market price, therefore, advertising has
the effect of keeping prices down. That again serves the consumers self-
interest. (William.F.A, Michael.F.W and Christian Arens, 2011, p.66) Besides,
according to William.F.A, Michael.F.W and Christian Arens, advertising and
PR may attract many manufacturers to engage in mass production. Thereby, the
unit cost for unit product may decrease leading the lower price.
Place There are various channels of distribution including direct and indirect channels
to deliver the Nissan Leaf to more markets. Especially in the large-scale
distribution, advertising plays an important part in distributing process. It will
maximize the areas where distribution is not to reach, ensure that smooth
distribution of goods and keep customers well-informed.
Promotion When implementing the marketing mix, the Nissan Leaf will introduce sales
promotion campaign to capture the target audience and potential customers. PR
and advertising are instruments of Sales promotions so that customers may
update, be informed on the sales promotions.
8. Conclusion
Nissan Leaf provides electric cars which are targeted to the Vietnamese women market with
purpose of building the Nissan Leaf awareness for Vietnamese customers and convincing them
to change their driving habits by purchasing them. The goal of advertising plan in 3 months is
promoting the Vietnamese car market for Nissan Leaf and aiming to persuade women consumers
by an advertising image for Nissan Leaf as a zero-emission product that can bring many
significant health benefits as well as fine state.

Word count: 1426 words


References:
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[Accessed: November, 17
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Translation:
Tienphong (2012). The automotive market is increasing uphill. [Online] October, 9
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Translation:
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