Nissan is introducing its new 2014 Rogue with a mobile and social adventure that asks fans to ?open the briefcase? for a chance at winning one of the new models.

The contest is running until Feb. 10 and can be accessed via the mobile-optimized microsite OpenTheBriefcase.com. Consumers have to pick one of three briefcases to open, and if the one they choose contains a key, they will win one of three brand new Rogue vehicles.

?The ?Find the Briefcase? campaign is a great example of the steady progression of mobile advertising," said Joshua Brandau, vice president of media strategy and distribution at Pereira & O'Dell, San Francisco. 

"We're learning to make contests more accessible to audiences on the go, but things fall apart when it comes to execution," he said. "Social [and] mobile campaigns? strength should be in easy engagement. While ?Find the Briefcase? is creatively compelling, the distribution appears cumbersome." 
 
Mr. Brandau is not affiliated with Nissan. He commented based on his expertise on the subject.

Nissan declined to comment for this story.

Open the briefcase
When consumers open the microsite, they can watch a short, dramatic clip involving a car chase where a man is forced to open a briefcase with a car key in it. The video then prompts consumers to open one of the three briefcases below to see if it also has a key in it.

When a consumer clicks on one of the briefcases, he or she is asked to enter an email address. Then a briefcase opens.

If there is no key, the consumer is invited to share the video on Facebook, Twitter or through email for more entries. Consumers can play once a day and share the video three times a day.

Additionally, if a Facebook friend clicks on a consumer?s post and plays, that consumer will earn another play.

The site also has a call-to-action to follow Nissan on Twitter, as well as a button to learn more about the Rogue car.

To enter, consumers must be residents of the United States and at least 18 years old.

Mobile Nissan
The mobile and social contest is not Nissan?s first entry into these channels.

In October 2013, Nissan claimed higher engagement rates with its mobile ads within Apple?s iTunes Radio streaming service because of the ability to target specific groups of consumers (see story).

Additionally, at Mobile Marketer's Mobile FirstLook: Strategy 2013 conference, a Nissan executive said that the company sees one in five digital sales leads coming from mobile (see story).

Additionally, other automotive brands have also leveraged mobile for creative campaigns.

For instance, Jeep promoted its 2014 My Cherokee with a new mobile ad that engages consumers by asking them to pull down the ad to expand (see story).

Dodge rolled out a more interactive digital and mobile competition with Paramount Pictures to promote the upcoming film "Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues" (see story).

Now Nissan took its turn with an interactive campaign.

"The site is clean and optimized for mobile, and the relevant video is pinned to the top of their timeline,  but the supporting elements aren't there," Mr. Brandau said. "[For example, there is] no SEO to support it in search in either mobile or digital, [and] the tab on their Facebook main page is buried on the slider."

Final Take
Rebecca Borison is editorial assistant on Mobile Marketer, New York