A 4-hour ad???

I didn’t want to buy a new car. I loved my Honda Civic Sport. But a new member of the family and a back that isn’t getting younger had different plans.

I wanted to balance safety, value, and practicality without sacrificing the little bit of cool I may still have. As a car enthusiast, I dove into the research. And ended up where I didn’t expect.

A Nissan Ariya.

It has the performance I crave, the safety my wife needs, and the easy access my back desires. What I didn’t expect was the driving experience. The car is an absolute dream to drive. It’s peaceful, serene, and handles so well. My wife equates it to a whale shark traversing the ocean. It’s calming, even in 405 traffic.

When Nissan first launched this car, they faced a challenge EVs still face today, which is range anxiety. I can tell you numerous conversations were had on range and charging of that car. But Nissan had a brilliant marketing strategy to address this.

A 4 hour ad.

Your reaction is my dad’s first reaction when I sent it to him. But the ad went viral, and for good reason. In an homage to the popular Lofi girl, now driving an Ariya, it shows how far the car could go on a single charge. In the chillest way possible. The video encapsulates the Ariya’s driving experience in a unique and memorable way.

After just a few minutes of watching and listening, it made me feel the exact same way I feel driving my Ariya, at peace and enjoying the journey. I could care less if giant robots (0:07) or Godzilla (1:03) rampage around in the background, I’m vibing. And that’s exactly what the creative director, Simón Wilches-Castro wanted. In an interview with Fast Company in 2023, he said “These creatures are usually associated with chaos, but (the driver) doesn’t seem to be bothered.”

The video now has over 18.5 million views, and has people coming back for more. Just check the comments.

For Los Angeles and the USA, where road trips are such a big part of the culture, the Ariya has revitalized that part for me. I now enjoy the road. I now enjoy the journey. And I sure as hell enjoy the ride.