Submitted by John Stauber on
"Nissan Motors is planting actors in movie theaters to
perform live commercials before the start of showings of
'The Matrix Revolutions' in an effort to expose jaded,
skeptical consumers to advertising by masking it as
something else. The brief in-person pitches feature actors scattered among
the ticket-buying audience who stand and deliver lines that
evoke the words spoken by poets at events known as slams or
jams. Their performances are timed to accompany a
commercial the audience sees on the movie screen, which
begins without identifying the sponsor but concludes with
the Nissan Altima logo. The campaign by the Nissan North America division of Nissan Motor, intended to pique the curiosity of younger consumers
about the Nissan Altima sedan, began yesterday in theaters
operated by the Loews Cineplex Entertainment Corporation in
seven large markets and is scheduled to continue through
tomorrow."