Launching the world’s first mass-produced electric car was about more than selling a green car to environmentalists. We needed to turn gasoline’s dominance on its head and get the general public to start thinking about electric cars as a viable alternative. We did this by reminding everyone about the problems with petroleum. By visualising the absurdity of gasoline as an energy source (loud, dirty, unhealthy, etc.), we exposed gas cars for what they really are, creating an epic campaign around a very simple idea: What if everything ran on gas?

Hair dryers, alarm clocks, iPods, copiers and even a dentist’s drill were reenvisioned with gas engines, spewing noise and pollution into the air. Teasers showcased static images of these modified devices as well as video vignettes from the TV while a dynamic Facebook app calculated users C02 emissions, annual spending on gas and more, based on a user’s profile.

Once the spot leaked online, LEAF conversation volume jumped 177% in just one day. The campaign generated 8,300 new Facebook fans and 8,200 comments. After watching the TV spot, viewers were 59% more likely to tell their friends about the LEAF and 80% more likely to want to visit a dealership (vs. past Nissan ads). Perceptions of Nissan as an innovative company jumped more than 40%, while excellent brand opinion grew nearly 30% (vs. past Nissan ads).

The Gas-Powered Everything Facebook app served as the hub of the campaign, housed at the URL gaspoweredeverything.com. Based on users’ profiles, the app would create a custom infographic of the user’s gas-powered world.

Initially, four 15-second teasers were seeded to ad networks, with each teaser showcasing a specific gas-powered vignette from the dentist drill to the office scene. The teasers culminated with the question “What if everything ran on gas?” before directing users to gaspoweredeverything.com. Days later, an ad with a smoking gas-engined alarm clock appeared in The Wall St. Journal, again asking,“What if everything ran on gas?” Readers were directed to tune into the NBA Finals to find out. The 60-second ad debuted during the game, closing on gaspoweredeverything.com. Homepage takeovers on Yahoo and MSN followed. The Nissan YouTube brand channel was re-imagined with various gas-powered objects, ahead of a YouTube homepage takeover on the following day.