For the first time since 1997, Nissan->ke62 is joining in on the fun of advertising at the Super Bowl after announcing that it had bought a 60-second spot during Super Bowl XLIX, which is set to air February 1, 2015 on NBC. The automaker announced that the return to major events like the Super Bowl is tied into its “Big Moments” marketing strategy. Considering that the company is right in the middle of its best sales year ever in the US, the timing behind its return to the Super Bowl does make a lot of sense.

The company hasn’t announced what kind of commercial it plans to unveil during the game, but multiple reports have tied Nissan’s 60-second spot with Los Angeles-->ke211based advertising agency TBWA/Chiat/Day.

Nissan’s return to the Super Bowl also comes at a time when a handful of auto companies traditionally involved during the game are holding on to their advertising budgets. While Toyota->ke88 and Mercedes->ke187 have already bought time slots during the game, Jaguar->ke39 and Lincoln->ke48 has announced that it's not getting involved this year after being prominently featured during Super Bowl XLVIII. Even Volkswagen, which has dominated the Super Bowl narrative in the past four years with hit ads like “The Force” is sitting out this year.

The timing of these absences is a boon to Nissan as it seeks to continue the momentum generated by its “Big Moments” campaign. Don’t be surprised if its ad focuses on some of its new models, including the 2015 Murano, which is set to be launched later in the year.

What’s clear is that Nissan wants to use events like the Super Bowl to promote its new products in one of the biggest television audiences throughout the year. It might have been a while since Nissan last appeared during the Super Bowl, but none of that will matter now that the company has booked its return ticket to the game.

Click past the jump to read more about Nissan's return to Super Bowl.

Why it matters

Advertising during the Super Bowl doesn’t come cheap. In fact, a 30-second commercial during Super Bowl XLVII and Super Bowl XLVIII reportedly cost $4 million. There’s no telling how much a similar spot will cost in Super Bowl XLIX, but don’t expect it to be anything less than the past few years. Spending that much money doesn’t make any sense if Nissan is advertising at the game just for the sheer fun of it.

There’s a reason the company is willing to pay that much scratch to have a spot during the game. It all ties into how strong the company’s sales figures have been in 2014 and its attempt to roll that momentum into the next year. Having an ad during the Super Bowl will go a long way in further establishing Nissan’s sales push in the country, possibly even the entire world. Nissan’s also planning to have a big presence in other sporting events, including the NCAA College Playoffs and the NFL Playoffs, both of which will happen well before the Super Bowl.

We’re all waiting earnestly to see what Nissan’s plans are during the Super Bowl. If the company has the time to release a full-blown press release to commemorate its return to the big game, we can at least expect something noteworthy when the commercial makes its debut during the big game.

Nissan's Super Bowl XXXI Ad