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Who Is Mr. K?

13 August 1997

Who Is Mr. K?

    LOS ANGELES, Aug. 13 -- When Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A.
founder Yutaka Katayama introduced the first compact pickup truck to America
in 1959, he espoused a philosophy that was part ethereal, part car aficionado.
To Mr. Katayama's credit, his outlook -- "Love cars, love people, love life"
-- has become the inspiration behind Nissan's award-winning brand marketing
campaign, which embraces the magical spirit of "Life is a journey.  Enjoy
ride." and takes form in the character Mr. K.
    Seeing the world through rose-tinted glasses (literally), Mr. K exudes joy
and spreads happy thoughts wherever he appears, sharing messages associated
with the "Enjoy the Ride." brand campaign -- "Drive happy." "Have fun."
"Smile." -- Mr. K is reminiscent of his namesake, Mr. Katayama.
    Since the launch of the campaign, consumers everywhere have come to
associate the character with both the Nissan brand and the unique commercials.
In fact, recent research findings show that Mr. K, after just one year of
appearing in Nissan advertising, is a popular icon.  A national study
conducted for Nissan revealed these stunning results:

    *  Fifty-five percent of 1,127 people surveyed nationwide recognized Mr. K
       on an unbranded photograph.

    *  Of those who recognized Mr. K, 78 percent are aware that he is the
       character from the Nissan commercials.

    *  When asked about the desire to wear a brand character on a T-Shirt, Mr.
       K beat out icons that have been around longer, including Tony the
       Tiger, Pillsbury Dough Boy, Energizer Bunny, and was only beaten by the
       Budweiser Frogs/Lizards.

    *  Mr. K conveys a feeling of amusement (55%), happiness (29%), uplifted
       spirit (18%) and wisdom (16%).

    Source: Quick Test, Inc. research for Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A.

SOURCE  Nissan Motor Corporation U.S.A.