Nissan North America is Official Automotive Partner of Westgate City Center
National Auto Brand Secures Exclusive Rights to Spectacular Signage, Events, Vehicle Displays and Promotions at Mixed Use Real Estate Development Nissan Concert Series Kicks Off This Month with Various Performances
NEW YORK--(BUSINESS WIRE)--
Clear Channel Branded Cities, a division of Clear Channel Outdoor, today announced a two-year contract with Nissan North America (NNA), designating it as the "Official Automobile of Westgate City Center." Nissan is the most recent company to secure exclusive rights to the extraordinary branding, signage and promotional opportunities available at this unique entertainment, shopping, dining and residential destination in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix.
Specifically, the wide-ranging advertising program offers Nissan signage on three spectacular billboards, on-site display space for two Nissan vehicles and sponsorship of the valet parking area. Additionally, the partnership includes a live events package that gives Nissan the rights to host test drive events and sponsorships which include the Nissan Concert Series, starting this month. This multiplatform marketing deal was negotiated through Nissan's media agency, OMD.
"Nissan is proud to be an innovator in the identification and implementation of creative advertising approaches," said Melissa Adams, Senior Manager Nissan Media. "Phoenix is one of Nissan's top 3 markets in the U.S. with six Nissan dealerships within a fifteen mile radius, so strengthening our presence in a community where we already feel right at home represents a fantastic opportunity for us. This one-of-a-kind destination provides a unique and comprehensive way for the Nissan brand to connect with our consumers in a new way and engage them where they live, work and play."
The first instalment of the Nissan Concert Series will feature a performance by rock act Great White with special guest Jani Lane, lead singer of Warrant. Both national recording artists and local music acts will be coming to Westgate's WaterDance Plaza, transforming it into one of Arizona's premier concert venues. The series will run from August until mid-November and the complete event schedule will be released in the coming weeks.
Clear Channel Branded Cities is developing large-scale branding opportunities for Westgate. Phase One of the project includes over 30 media signs as large as 100' in height. When completed, the Westgate spectacular signage will represent the largest collective grouping of media structures outside of Times Square in New York City. WaterDance Plaza, where the Nissan Concert Series will be held, is an open-air plaza featuring a $6 million Bellagio-inspired dancing water feature. Anchors Jobing.com Arena and the University of Phoenix Stadium, which will host the 2008 Super Bowl, are helping establish Westgate as the premiere live, work, and play environment in the United States.
"Our partnership with Nissan reinforces Westgate's position as the nation's leading destination for high-impact integrated marketing programs," said Chris McCarver, General Manager of Clear Channel Branded Cities. "Programs like these will continue to be the hallmark of Branded Cities and the dynamic live, work, play environments with whom we are privileged to work."
Successful live events held at Westgate since its opening in November of 2006 have included highly-attended tailgate parties prior to the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl and BCS National Championship Game, the AVP professional beach volley ball tour and viewing parties to support Glendale-native Jordin Sparks in her successful pursuit of this year's "American Idol" title. Fox Broadcasting selected Westgate as the venue for Sparks' celebration party, drawing thousands of people as well as national media attention to the city center and its advertisers. In addition, Jobing.com Arena, in the heart of Westgate, hosts over 160 events each year. Home of the NHL's Phoenix Coyotes and professional lacrosse team Arizona Sting, the arena also brings some of the brightest stars in music including Prince, U2, The Rolling Stones and Faith Hill & Tim McGraw to the area.
"This partnership represents a major milestone in corporate America realizing the marketing and advertising value in Westgate," said Dave Groff, President of Westgate Sports and Entertainment, the programming and sponsorship arm of Westgate. "There are very few places in the world where a unique, private mixed use development can serve as a marketing platform of the highest calibre and provide the types of corporate branding programs and opportunities that Westgate can deliver. We look forward to exceeding all of Nissan's expectations in this partnership."
Branded Cities continues to construct major integrated marketing partnerships at Westgate. For example, Telecom brand Qwest recently signed on as "Preferred Voice Data and Video Provider" at Westgate, gaining access to the development's many retail and commercial tenants, as well as the approximately 26 million people expected to visit Westgate annually.
About Nissan North America
In North America, Nissan's operations include automotive styling, engineering, consumer and corporate financing, sales and marketing, distribution and manufacturing. More information on Nissan in North America and the complete line of Nissan and Infiniti vehicles can be found online at www.nissannews.com.
About Westgate City Center
Westgate City Center is a super-regional mixed-use urban development that includes: the Jobing.com Arena; the University of Phoenix Stadium (home of the Arizona Cardinals, the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl, the 2007 & 2011 BCS National Championship Games and the 2008 Super Bowl); a 320-room Renaissance Hotel; and an 80,000-square-foot convention center. Westgate's first mixed-used phase of retail and office opened in November 2006 and includes a 4,000-seat 20-screen AMC Multiplex Cinema.
Upon completion, Westgate will include up to 8 million square feet of retail, entertainment, restaurants, office, residential (2,200 condominiums, lofts, flats and apartments) and five hotels, making Westgate one of the largest commercial real estate developments in North America. Estimated cost for the complete build out of Westgate is approximately $1.5 billion, and Westgate is projected to attract approximately 26 million visitors annually.
About Clear Channel Outdoor
Clear Channel Outdoor (NYSE:CCO) is the world's largest outdoor advertising company with over 973,000 displays in more than 60 countries across 6 continents. In the United States, the company operates over 167,000 advertising displays and has a presence in 49 of the top 50 Designated Market Areas. It also operates airport, rail, taxi and mall advertising businesses worldwide. Its Spectacolor (U.S.) and DEFI (international) divisions are the global market leaders in spectacular sign displays, including in New York's Times Square. Clear Channel Adshel is the company's international street furniture division, which operates over 3,500 municipal advertising contracts worldwide. More information may be found by visiting www.clearchanneloutdoor.com
Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements.
Source: Clear Channel Outdoor
Released August 20, 2007
