Big Willow Big Problems
Client: Nissan
Group Creative Director: Mike Blanch
Role: ACD
Copywriter: Joey Chiarulli
Art Director: Elissa DeBruyn
01 PROBLEM
Sony film, Gran Turismo, tells the story of how Nissan turned gamers into real-life racers. The only hiccup? They premiered in the middle of the SAG strike. So how do you promote a film without talking about the film?
02 SOLUTION
We decided to focus on the community, not the film. Enter professional driver Chris Forsberg and Gran Turismo actress Emelia Hartford. Together, they took on Willow Springs Raceway—the most hated track in the gaming world—and taught players how to master it. The result? A 4-part TikTok series that tackled fan frustrations head-on, turning gripes into gripping content.
03 RESULTs
With 50 million views (and counting), we proved that sometimes, the best way to promote a film is to stop talking about the film entirely.
There’s few things the Gran Turismo gaming community hates more than Willow Springs Raceway. So we made a 4-part TikTok series to tackle their biggest gripes.
Part 1 Mastering The Omega
Part 2 Reading the Straights
Part 3 Conquering Corners
Part 4 Avoiding the Shadow Realm
