Nissan, Microsoft Sign Ad Agreement For Forza, Live

Representatives from automotive company Nissan North America and Microsoft have announced a new initiative to bring an expanded line of Nissan advertising to Microsoft properties, including Xbox Live. The new Nissan campaign will see Nissan expanding its online ads across a number of Microsoft properties including MSN, Windows Live, Live Search, Windows Mobile, and the Xbox through ads on Xbox Live. Central to the new alliance is a sponsorship by Nissan of the forthcoming Microsoft Game Studios racing game Forza Motorsport 2. Nissan will also be sponsoring a global Forza Motorsport tournament on Xbox Live. Forza Motorsport 2, developed jointly by Microsoft Game Studios and Turn 10 Studios, is expected to be released in the first quarter of 2007. "Nissan's target audience is adopting an increasingly mobile lifestyle, and the amount of time consumers spend online is rising significantly," said Jan Thompson, vice president of marketing at NNA. "Broadening our relationship with Microsoft will enable us to deliver targeted messages to consumers across a diverse online network."