The latest captain marvel nissan commercial sees Brie Larson, star of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and real-life activist for women’s rights, promoting the car manufacturer. The spot, directed by Craig Gillespie (I Tonya, Cruella) and produced by TBWA/Chiat/Day/NY, opens with a male boss denying his female employee a promotion. Next, Larson shows up in a Nissan Sentra and takes her out for a joy ride. She concludes by asking her if she feels like she’s been forced to compromise and declaring “if this car isn’t going to compromise, why should you?” The girl then exits the car with renewed vigor and resolve, ready to demand her promotion from her boss.
The ad has received a lot of backlash from viewers, with many calling it blatantly feminist and anti-male. They claim that it doesn’t take into account the girl’s job performance and instead pushes an agenda of women being superior to men. The fact that comments on the official YouTube video have been disabled only further fuels this backlash.
Despite the backlash, Nissan is committed to continuing its partnership with Larson. She recently appeared in another ad for the Nissan Ariya EV crossover, this time with actor Jay Ellis. The spot plays up the ad’s feminism by having Larson play the bold speed lover while Ellis plays the calm driver who appreciates the Ariya’s elegance. It also showcases the ad’s two main themes: power and grace. Watch it below.