Nissan Super Bowl Ad Unveiled 2016 Maxima Sports Sedan Surprise

The Super Bowl is the largest television advertising audience in the world and is traditionally the home of some of the most innovative and top-sheld advertising marketers can bring. Automotive advertisers are no different, of course, bringing their A-game to the screen to match the game being played on the field. This year was as good as any when it came to humorous, thought-provoking, and tear-jerking advertising during the big game.

One of the most talked about commercials was Nissan's With Dad ad spot, which ran for a minute and a half. Featuring a Nissan NISMO race driver and his family, the advertisement revolved around his leaving home during the race season year after year as the iconic folk song Cats in the Cradle. The song is about busy lives taking precedence over family, but the commercial creates a twist when dad returns home to surprise his son.

The car dad is driving is understated and receives no official mention in the commercial, as it's about family and relationships, not the car. Yet the car was a surprise in itself because it was the first public showing of the 2016 Nissan Maxima sports sedan, set to debut in New York in April at the New York International Auto Show (NYIAS).

The glimpse shows the dramatic styling of the car, though, and immediately catches the eye of astute viewers (see the video below). The muscular, rounded hood, heavy fenders, forward-motion grille, and dramatic headlights all accentuate power and movement. The floating roof and fastback-style rear finish the flow. It's a great-looking car.