volvo case study marketing

Volvo Cars Marketing Strategy 2024: A Case Study

As we delve into the Volvo Cars Marketing Strategy for 2024, it becomes essential to comprehend the multifaceted approaches that underpin this esteemed brand’s presence in the luxury automotive segment. Volvo has meticulously crafted a marketing strategy that not only emphasizes innovation and sustainability but also prioritizes enhancing customer experience through digital marketing strategies. Through its commitment to safety and technological advancements, Volvo maintains a competitive edge and a strong brand positioning in a market that is always evolving.

In this case study, we will explore the core elements of Volvo’s marketing strategy , highlighting how it connects with its audience composed of men and women aged 25-59 who value safety, innovation, and comfort. Leveraging various digital platforms, including Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, Volvo effectively engages its target demographic, showcasing its diverse product portfolio that encompasses cars, trucks, and more. This deep dive into Volvo’s marketing strategies reveals the brand’s initiatives to ensure its future growth while adapting to changing market demands.

Key Takeaways

• Volvo Cars integrates sustainability and innovation into its marketing strategy.
• The brand targets a demographic that values safety and comfort in vehicles.
• Volvo utilizes digital marketing strategies to enhance customer engagement.
• The brand’s marketing evolution highlights a shift from traditional advertising to online platforms.
• Volvo’s diversified product offerings bolster its competitive market positioning.
• Consumer insight drives personalized marketing campaigns, improving customer experience.

Introduction to Volvo Cars

Volvo Cars, established in 1927 and headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden, stands as a prominent figure in the luxury automotive industry. Known for its dedication to quality and innovation, Volvo has built a diversified product line that encompasses cars, trucks, and construction equipment. With a remarkable global presence, the company operates in over 190 markets, showcasing its extensive reach across continents.

The brand’s reputation in the luxury vehicles sector is not merely built on aesthetics. It emphasizes safety, eco-friendly practices, and cutting-edge technology in vehicle design. Financially robust, Volvo reported a significant operating profit and impressive revenue figures in recent years, reinforcing its strength in a competitive market. By 2024, Volvo Cars aims for 50% of its sales to be fully electric, with plans to transition to an entirely electric lineup by 2030. Models such as the Volvo XC40 Recharge and Volvo C40 Recharge illustrate the company’s commitment to electric mobility, catering to the evolving consumer preferences for sustainable options.

This forward-thinking approach aligns with Volvo’s mission to lower CO2 emissions while enhancing the overall customer experience. The company’s strategic initiatives and robust market positioning place it among the leaders in the automotive industry, painting a promising picture for its future in luxury vehicle markets.

Volvo’s Branding and Market Positioning

Volvo Cars has successfully crafted a strong brand identity that resonates with consumers seeking reliability, safety, and luxury. This branding strategy sets the foundation for its competitive edge in the market.

Luxury Automotive Image

The luxury automotive image of Volvo is characterized by its commitment to high-quality manufacturing and design. Emphasizing Scandinavian simplicity and elegance, Volvo cars reflect a premium quality that appeals to discerning buyers. The brand’s focus on comfort and functionality has solidified its reputation in the luxury segment, attracting a clientele that values both aesthetics and performance.

Commitment to Safety

Volvo’s commitment to safety remains a cornerstone of its brand philosophy. Since the introduction of the three-point seatbelt in 1958, safety innovations have positioned Volvo at the forefront of automotive safety. The brand aims for zero fatalities or serious injuries in its vehicles, championing numerous advanced safety features, including the City Safety automatic braking system and the innovative Pedestrian airbag. This unwavering dedication to safety not only enhances its luxury automotive image but also strengthens customer loyalty.

Eco-Friendly Practices

Sustainability initiatives play a crucial role in Volvo’s branding efforts. The company has committed to producing only electric and hybrid vehicles, reflecting its commitment to reducing environmental impact. By leveraging recycled materials in manufacturing and aiming to decrease carbon emissions, Volvo aligns itself with contemporary consumer values. This eco-friendly approach appeals to eco-conscious consumers and further solidifies its position as a responsible luxury brand.

Volvo Cars Marketing Strategy

Volvo’s marketing strategy highlights innovative approaches tailored to today’s fast-evolving consumer landscape. The focus on digital marketing strategies aligns perfectly with modern customer behavior. By leveraging targeted advertising and engaging social media platforms, Volvo significantly enhances consumer engagement.

Overview of Marketing Approaches

Volvo Cars employs a diverse range of marketing approaches, including collaborations with influencers and community initiatives. Notably, they worked with over 15 influencers to amplify the message around the Volvo Santa Monica dealership. The production of a viral video aimed at new and expecting moms contributed to further success, garnering over 60,000 views within just five days of its release.

Focus on Digital Marketing

Budgets allocated to digital and social media strategies vary significantly, ranging from $10,000 to $40,000 each month across platforms like Google, Facebook, and Instagram. This financial commitment yielded impressive results, with website traffic doubling and maintaining its elevated rate following a concentrated full-service campaign. The numbers speak for themselves: 35 price inquiries, 108 contact form submissions, and 65 phone calls in a single month reflect the effectiveness of their online presence.

Volvo is also strategically targeting the upscale female demographic, recognizing their growing influence in automotive purchases. Their marketing strategy anticipates that by 2025, 25% of the plastic in their vehicles will be recycled, demonstrating a strong commitment to sustainability. With the expectation that 50% of cars produced by that year will be sold via subscription, Volvo is positioning itself to meet the needs of modern consumers seeking new buying options.

Through these innovative digital marketing strategies, Volvo effectively bridges the gap between traditional automotive marketing and the modern digital landscape, creating engaging experiences that resonate with their target audience.

Target Market Segmentation

Understanding target market segmentation is vital for Volvo Cars as it crafts tailored strategies to appeal to various consumer groups. Focusing primarily on young professionals aged 25-59, the brand aims to resonate with those who prioritize luxury, safety, and performance in their vehicle selections.

Demographics of Typical Volvo Buyers

The demographics of Volvo’s target market prominently feature individuals with moderate to high income levels, reflecting a preference for premium automotive options. These potential buyers often find themselves in roles that necessitate both personal and family transportation solutions, hence gravitating towards SUVs for extra space and safety.

Psychographic Analysis

A psychographic analysis reveals that Volvo’s audience desires alignment with brands that represent their values. These consumers prioritize sustainability and reliability, often seeking vehicles that reflect their lifestyle. Volvo’s marketing strategies leverage insights from these psychographics, allowing the brand to connect meaningfully with buyers who appreciate the blend of safety, innovation, and aesthetic appeal.

Active Lifestyle and Preferences

Volvo’s target market segmentation highlights a penchant for active lifestyles. These buyers actively engage in recreational activities and prefer vehicles that can accommodate their dynamic routines. Their lifestyle preferences include features that enhance convenience and safety, attributes that Volvo focuses on in their offerings. By understanding these factors, Volvo effectively crafts marketing messages that resonate with individuals seeking reliable, stylish vehicles tailored for both urban and adventurous environments.

SWOT Analysis of Volvo Cars

A meticulous SWOT analysis of Volvo Cars highlights several important factors influencing its current market position . Understanding these factors reveals critical strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats that the brand navigates within the evolving automotive landscape.

Strengths of the Brand

Volvo’s notable strengths include its prestigious market reputation for safety and its diversified product portfolio. The company effectively allocates approximately 5-6% of its net sales to research and development, driving innovation especially in electric vehicles. This focus positions Volvo favorably in the electric vehicle market, with readiness and a commitment to sustainability being significant advantages as the automotive industry shifts toward greener alternatives.

Weaknesses and Challenges

Despite strong brand recognition, Volvo faces notable weaknesses, such as declining profit margins and significant debts exceeding $20 billion. The company also trails behind competitors like BMW and Mercedes in brand recall among younger demographics, limiting its appeal within the Millennial and Gen Z markets. Past product recalls have compounded these challenges, affecting consumer trust and sales performance.

Opportunities in Electric Vehicle Market

The accelerating growth of the electric vehicle market presents a substantial opportunity for Volvo Cars. The company aims for a 35% adoption rate of electric vehicles by 2030. Moreover, targeted expansions into emerging markets like the Indian subcontinent and Africa could drive future growth as consumers become increasingly aware of eco-friendly options.

Threats from Competitors

Volvo must contend with strong competition from established luxury automotive brands and the global pressure of price competition. As more brands prioritize eco-friendly models and fuel-efficient technologies, Volvo’s long-standing safety image may risk diminishing its competitive edge. Keeping up with industry regulations and innovations is critical for maintaining its market share amid evolving consumer preferences.

Sustainability Initiatives in Marketing

Volvo Cars emphasizes sustainability initiatives as a cornerstone of its marketing strategy. With a goal for a 75% reduction in CO2 emissions per car by 2030—compared to its 2018 baseline—the company actively promotes its commitment to environmental practices. The intention to use 30% average recycled content across its fleet by 2030 further illustrates this dedication. Volvo’s marketing messages resonate with a growing customer base that prioritizes eco-friendly marketing, showcasing the brand’s responsibility towards a sustainable future.

In alignment with its sustainable objectives, Volvo aims to achieve a 30% reduction in emissions from its supply chain and operations by 2030. Striving for 100% green debt or sustainability-linked financing by 2025 signals an innovative approach to eco-conscious financial practices. Presently, 69% of company operations are powered by climate-neutral energy, leading to a 19% decrease in CO2 emissions per vehicle since 2018.

The growing consumer awareness surrounding sustainability remains at the forefront of Volvo’s marketing campaigns. Recent trends indicate that brands across various industries are addressing environmental concerns in their strategies. Companies like Mango and Levi’s illustrate how messaging focused on sustainability can enhance brand appeal, supporting the shift toward eco-friendly products among consumers. The COVID-19 pandemic notably accelerated interest in sustainable consumption, signaling a transformative era in marketing.

As part of its commitment, Volvo Cars endeavors to become a climate-neutral company by 2040. This ambition aligns with the global effort to tackle climate change, and its marketing initiatives effectively communicate these core values. By weaving sustainability initiatives into its branding, Volvo not only addresses environmental issues but also cultivates a loyal customer base that values corporate responsibility.

Innovation and Technology in Marketing Strategy

Innovation and technology play critical roles in shaping Volvo’s marketing strategy, enhancing customer interactions and engagement through advanced tools and methodologies. With a strong emphasis on artificial intelligence, Volvo has transformed its customer onboarding process across various segments, including B2C, B2B, and fleet applications. The utilization of artificial intelligence enables swift real-time approvals and efficient management of customer credit assessments.

Utilization of Artificial Intelligence

By leveraging the FICO Platform, Volvo established a scalable and robust credit assessment solution that modernizes how organizations interact with their customers. This innovative technology allows for credit checks to be completed in just seconds, significantly improving the onboarding experience. The automated processes in place have saved the company substantial manual labor, totaling 971 hours, showcasing the effectiveness of artificial intelligence in streamlining operations.

Data-Driven Marketing Approaches

Volvo’s marketing strategy relies heavily on data-driven marketing, optimizing campaigns by analyzing customer behavior and preferences. This approach enables personalized messaging tailored to specific audience segments, enhancing overall marketing performance . The cloud-hosted platform supports rapid document uploads, achieving a 75% submission rate among customers, which expedites the evaluation process of their applications. Such innovations profoundly impact customer connections, promoting a more engaging and efficient customer journey.

Customer Experience Focus

Volvo places a significant emphasis on enhancing customer experience by prioritizing consumer engagement through various innovative digital platforms. This focus not only fosters a deeper connection with potential buyers but also ensures that they receive tailored service at every stage of their journey.

Enhancing Consumer Engagement through Digital Platforms

Utilizing targeted online advertising strategies based on demographics and individual interests, Volvo effectively captures consumer attention. The company harnesses the power of social media, actively engaging with audiences on platforms such as Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube. Interactive content, including virtual test drives and 360-degree car tours, deepens the customer experience, allowing potential buyers to explore vehicles in an engaging manner.

Personalization in Marketing Campaigns

Volvo understands that personalization significantly enhances consumer engagement. Their marketing campaigns are designed to resonate with individual preferences, creating a more meaningful connection. Initiatives like “Care by Volvo,” a subscription-based service, demonstrate the company’s commitment to providing a premium ownership experience. By offering personalized recommendations and exceptional service, Volvo builds brand loyalty , ensuring that customers feel valued and supported throughout their purchasing journey.

Sales and Promotion Campaigns

Volvo’s sales and promotion campaigns serve as a vital avenue for showcasing the brand’s unique values while reinforcing its market presence. The implementation of targeted sales campaigns has significantly enhanced the brand’s marketing effectiveness , enabling deeper connections with its audience. Key campaign examples reflect strategic decisions aligned with consumer needs.

Key Campaign Examples from Past Years

One standout campaign is the “Moments” initiative, aimed at family-oriented consumers. This campaign succinctly encapsulated Volvo’s commitment to safety and family memory-making. Engaging storytelling, combined with emotional resonance, made the campaign particularly appealing.

• The 2021 “Safety is a Choice” campaign emphasized Volvo’s dedication to safety innovations, appealing to a broader audience concerned with secure travel.
• The “Electric First” campaign launched in 2022 showcased Volvo’s shift towards sustainable vehicles, inviting environmentally conscious consumers to engage with the brand.

Effectiveness of Promotional Strategies

Volvo employs a mix of both traditional and digital promotional strategies to reach its target demographics effectively. These promotional strategies ensure a broad reach and foster strong consumer engagement. Digital channels, including social media platforms like Instagram and Facebook, play an integral role in connecting with a younger audience, while traditional advertisements help maintain a robust brand image among all consumers.

Leveraging data-driven insights has allowed Volvo to tailor marketing messages specifically to varied customer segments. The effectiveness of these promotional strategies is evident in the sales growth observed annually, supporting the notion that a multifaceted approach enhances marketing effectiveness.

Analysis of Competitive Landscape

The competitive landscape in the luxury automotive market presents a significant challenge for Volvo Cars, as it strives to maintain its relevance amid a rapidly evolving environment. Key competitors such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi dominate the luxury automotive competition, making it crucial for Volvo to assess its strategies and offerings continually. Recognizing the strengths of these brands plays an essential role in identifying areas where Volvo can distinguish itself.

Key Competitors in Luxury Automotive Market

• BMW: Renowned for its performance and engineering excellence.
• Mercedes-Benz: A leader in luxury and technological innovation.
• Audi: Known for its sleek designs and advanced technology features.
• Lexus: Strong emphasis on reliability and customer service.

To gain a foothold in this competitive landscape, Volvo has invested heavily in research and development. This investment ensures that the brand remains innovative, particularly in electric vehicles (EVs) and sustainable technologies. According to reports, Volvo’s R&D expenditure as a percentage of net revenue reflects the company’s commitment to staying ahead amidst luxury automotive competition.

Market Share Dynamics

The dynamics of market share within the luxury automobile sector require ongoing analysis. Recent figures indicate that Volvo Cars’ sales performance is diverse across various models, including SUVs, wagons, and sedans. Their experience in the EV market is notable as they’ve adapted to growing consumer demand. With the goal of increasing their electric vehicle sales, Volvo is capitalizing on trends that reveal a rising interest in sustainable transportation options.

Volvo’s future product strategy, labeled Concept Recharge, aims to redefine its electric vehicle lineup. This strategic shift is vital to capturing market share in a segment poised for substantial growth. Technological investments and partnerships with companies such as Luminar and Forciot indicate a forward-thinking approach that could lend Volvo a competitive edge in performance and user experience.

Benefits of Data-Driven Marketing for Volvo

Data-driven marketing has emerged as a cornerstone in Volvo’s strategy, providing the brand with numerous advantages. By leveraging precise data analytics, Volvo enhances its audience targeting, allowing for more tailored messaging that resonates with various consumer segments. This focused approach aligns closely with customer preferences, fostering deeper connections and brand loyalty.

Improved Audience Targeting

The use of data-driven marketing enables Volvo to refine its audience targeting mechanisms significantly. Through the analysis of media campaign data across various platforms, including Google Search, the brand can discern which channels yield the best results. For instance, the integration of generic keywords in paid search campaigns has proven to enhance search efficiency remarkably. Furthermore, insights into customer behavior gleaned from extensive research facilitate customized ads that meet the needs of distinct market segments .

Maximized Return on Investment

Maximizing ROI is vital for Volvo’s marketing initiatives. The bespoke marketing mix model (MMM) conducted by the company illuminated opportunities for budget optimization, revealing areas where spending could generate the highest returns. The study indicated that media channels such as YouTube, with strong recall rates, deliver better investment returns compared to traditional avenues. Additionally, it highlighted the importance of store visits, demonstrating a positive correlation between website traffic and potential customers physically entering dealerships. By continuously analyzing performance and adjusting media spend accordingly, Volvo effectively enhances its financial outcomes.

The ongoing integration of these insights into Volvo’s marketing framework not only optimizes current campaigns but also sets the stage for future marketing efforts , ensuring alignment with evolving consumer expectations and market conditions.

In conclusion, Volvo Cars’ marketing strategy has been meticulously crafted to position itself as a leader in the luxury segment while embracing sustainability and innovation. The insights drawn from consumer feedback in Sweden and France highlight the brand’s strength in its home market and underscore the need for enhanced communication and marketing efforts in international regions. By adapting to perceptions that label it as outdated, Volvo has the opportunity to reshape its image based on its celebrated values of ecology and safety.

The company demonstrated impressive financial growth in 2023, with revenue reaching SEK 399.3 billion and significant advancements in electric vehicle sales, which comprised 16% of their total global sales volume. As Volvo continues to prioritize data-driven marketing and customer engagement, it is strategically placed to meet the evolving demands of a competitive automotive landscape. This disciplined approach to Volvo Cars Marketing Strategy not only fortifies its current market position but also lays the groundwork for enhancing future prospects.

Going forward, Volvo’s focus on innovation and the transition towards electric vehicles signals a robust market adaptation strategy. As the company anticipates an increase in retail sales and improved liquidity, its trajectory appears optimistic. By leveraging its strengths while addressing weaknesses and harnessing emerging opportunities, Volvo Cars is well-equipped to solidify its standing in the luxury automotive market and drive growth in the coming years.

What is Volvo Cars’ marketing strategy for 2024?

How does volvo position itself in the luxury automotive sector, what role does sustainability play in volvo’s marketing efforts, who comprises volvo’s target market, what digital marketing strategies does volvo employ, can you explain the swot analysis of volvo cars, how does volvo enhance customer experience, what innovations has volvo integrated into its marketing strategy, what are some examples of volvo’s sales and promotion campaigns, who are volvo’s main competitors in the luxury automotive market, how does data-driven marketing benefit volvo, related posts:.

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Nina Sheridan is a seasoned author at Latterly.org, a blog renowned for its insightful exploration of the increasingly interconnected worlds of business, technology, and lifestyle. With a keen eye for the dynamic interplay between these sectors, Nina brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to her writing. Her expertise lies in dissecting complex topics and presenting them in an accessible, engaging manner that resonates with a diverse audience.

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Volvo’s global marketing strategy: fundamentally changing the way cars are marketed and sold

Tom McNamara and Asha Moore-Mangin, of The ESC Rennes School of Business, look at how Volvo is transforming its global marketing strategy by tapping into its Scandinavian roots, following its acquisition by a Chinese firm.

Volvo, the 87-year-old Swedish car company, is in a delicate situation. In 2010 it was bought by the Chinese company Zhejiang Geely Holding Group, normally referred to just as Geely (previously, Volvo was owned by the US carmaker Ford). Since then, the company has been walking a fine line, trying to stay true to its Scandinavian values of safety, environmental concern and classic understated design, while at the same time trying to appeal to affluent Chinese buyers who demand more luxury and performance from their cars. In August of 2014, Volvo launched a stylish new sport utility vehicle (SUV), the XC90, in an effort to bring these two worlds together.

The XC90 is Volvo’s attempt to break into the premium automobile market, an area normally dominated by its much bigger German rivals. The company said that prices will be similar to what one would expect to pay for an Audi. In 2015 Volvo plans on releasing a sedan version, tentatively labelled the S90 sedan, which will be primarily aimed at the US and Chinese markets. Volvo needs to make some radical changes to its marketing strategy because although it is a market leader in Sweden, it has had stagnant sales for years in the rest of Europe and the USA. Encouragingly, at the moment it is experiencing significant growth and increased market share in China.

Redefining automobile marketing

In addition to its attempts to blend Scandinavian sensibilities with Chinese demands for luxury, while at the same time trying to move upmarket, Volvo recently made another announcement: it would like to completely change the way cars are marketed and sold, and redefine the concept of customer service and customer relations. Not bad for a company that used to be mocked for making money by, “Selling schoolteachers cars shaped like bricks”.

Volvo’s new strategy is called the ‘Volvo Way to Market,’ and it is nothing if not ambitious. “For decades, car marketing has been following a certain pattern,” which has been too conservative and lacking in imagination, says Alain Visser, senior vice president of marketing at Volvo. He believes that this new plan will finally allow the Swedish company to “Implement a strategy that is geared towards its own needs”. It immediately calls for a doubling of the amount of money that the company will spend on marketing over the next five years (but even with this, the company’s marketing budget is still no match for its largest rivals). The company plans on highlighting its Scandinavian roots in all of its marketing and communication efforts, and will focus more on developing its brand. As part of its new marketing initiative, the company also announced that it will be extensively renovating its dealerships to give them a true Scandinavian ‘feel’. This means that all waiting areas will be fitted out with Swedish furnishing as well as offering Swedish refreshments and snacks. It will be curious to see how this will play out with Li Shufu, the chairman of Geely and the ultimate owner of Volvo. He is known for making regular trips to Sweden to visit the local headquarters. In the past he has complained about how the interiors and design of the cars were “too Scandinavian” and offered advice about what he thought his rich Chinese friends were looking for in a car.

Cutting back on corporate sponsorship

In a radical departure from traditional marketing strategy, Volvo also announced that it would be cutting back drastically on corporate sponsorship activity and will basically remove itself from auto shows, something that, until now, was unheard of. Instead of following the annual car show circuit, visiting the same cities year after year mixed in with every other automobile brand in the world, the company said it would be striking out on its own. Volvo said it plans to focus on just one auto show in each major region once a year, namely Detroit in the United States, Geneva in Europe and Shanghai/Beijing in China. These reduced events will then be complemented and supported by additional communication and branding activities in other important markets.

Also apparently on the chopping block is Volvo’s participation in auto racing, with Visser insisting that “Motorsport does not conform with our brand”. Oddly enough, fans of yachting need not worry. The company still plans on sponsoring the Volvo Ocean Race, a triennial event in which boats race across four oceans and around six continents, covering 30,000 miles and taking nine months to complete. The strategy behind limiting the number of corporate events, but focusing more intensely on the ones that remain, is to differentiate Volvo from other car companies and allow it to get its message out more clearly.

Improving service

The company also announced that it will improve its digital platform in an effort to better engage and serve customers. Volvo believes that 80% to 90% of car buyers first shop online before going to a showroom. The company is upgrading its online platform in order to better integrate the online brand experience with the in-showroom brand experience. Customers who go online will be given a standard choice model which they then can personalize and upgrade, designing the eventual car they would like to buy. They will even receive a short video showing what the car will look like when finally delivered. Volvo does not see online purchasing as a replacement for car dealerships, but rather as a complement, since cars bought online will still have to “pass through the dealer network,” says Visser.

Even more innovative is how the company said it will focus on customer service and developing personal customer relations. Volvo’s new marketing strategy calls for every customer who buys a new car to be assigned their very own service technician. This representative will personally deliver their car to them and thereafter will be on call seven days a week for as long as they own the car. The service has already been introduced in Sweden, with plans of rolling it out worldwide by 2018. Volvo wants to build a personal relationship with their customers, and believes that providing a personal technician is the best way to do it.

Boosting digital advertising

According to Visser, the company is looking beyond the traditional ways of marketing cars through print, TV, billboards and corporate sponsorship events, and plans on increasing the amount of money it spends on digital advertising. Volvo said that it will focus on messages that develop its brand, and tailor the types of media that it uses, and how it will use them, according to the nature of the local markets that it operates in.

“TV is best for some markets, but in Southern Europe, for example, billboards are very efficient,” says Visser. It is hoped that through these innovative changes in the way Volvo markets its cars, sales will double in the next five years.

For more from Tom McNamara and Asha Moore-Mangin, check out Gucci online: old-world tradition meets modern digital marketing . 

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How the power of data transformed Volvo’s digital marketing

The customer path to purchase is a complex one, but none more so than in the automotive industry. And understandably so — with a big-ticket item such as a car, consumers take their time in the research phase before committing to a purchase.

But what if automotive companies could harness their own research to better understand their customer’s journey? That’s exactly what inspired Per Carleö, marketing director of Volvo Car Sweden, to engage media agency Mindshare, powered by Business Science, in creating a bespoke marketing mix model (MMM) to capture the unique journey of a Volvo customer.

“As a marketer, you believe the brand is doing work on a long-term basis,” he says, “but by measuring it, we could see much more. We could see brand preference levels being a strong contributor all the way down to the customer ordering the car. Seeing this having such an impact, even on a short term basis, that was my aha moment.”

But what are the secrets to building, interpreting, and implementing the results of a successful MMM, and has it helped Volvo during the pandemic?

The importance of being involved in the initial study design

Measurement is key for achieving business goals and improving digital marketing maturity — something Carleö and his team agree with. They made some hypotheses as to what drives Volvo’s success, and included them in the MMM.

“I would say we're becoming more digitally mature but are still very much in the midst of a transformation,” Carleö explains. “As with most companies in the automotive space, we don't own our stores. That means we have to tackle challenges from a perspective other brands do not need to consider.”

“We felt it was really important to be around from the start of the study to ensure that it was as relevant as possible for our business. Perhaps, if we weren’t so involved, we might think that certain data wasn't relevant to what we were trying to discover, so we’d skip it and move on. But it might be crucial, and by being so engaged, we were able to spot what is interesting and, more than that, explain why.”

Get a full view of your campaigns: A 4-step measurement plan

The media model analysed media campaign data at the creative, ad format, and targeting level for seven of Volvo’s top passenger cars. Lisa Gröning, project manager with Business Science, explains: “We went with a customised approach as part of which we, in addition to standard MMM, designed a deep dive analysis. We first measured the long-term effects, because that's so important in the automotive category. This allowed us to quantify the value of having a strong brand.”

Secondly, they needed to fuse the MMM learnings with other efficiency measurements such as brand lift studies to try and understand the success of all Volvo’s campaigns, while the third element was to identify and define the different touch points of the consumer journey.

Lastly, the team had to compare the data from the MMM with the attribution models Volvo already used to understand how and why the results were differing between everything.

Don’t treat all insights as equal

Unlike its neighbours, Sweden did not go into lockdown, meaning customers could still visit showrooms. So when coronavirus struck, the study, which was conducted pre-pandemic, allowed Volvo to focus their media budget where they knew it would have the greatest impact. The wealth of data it produced also confirmed that certain media channels, such as Google Search, are a strong short-term performance driver for Volvo. Expanding paid search to include more generic keywords greatly improved search efficiency, for example. But channels such as social, TV, and display worked best to increase brand preference. In addition, the study revealed that YouTube campaigns with strong recall can deliver a better return on investment.

When coronavirus struck, the study, which was conducted pre-pandemic, allowed Volvo to focus their media budget where they knew it would have the greatest impact.

While each of these findings will inform future decisions, the teams at both Volvo and Mindshare were most excited about the results from Store Visits. This records if a user visits a physical store within 30 days of visiting your website.

“We had some indicative results that the store visit signal is really interesting for automotive brands,” says Gröning. It’s a view Carleö shares: “With Store Visits, the correlation between the traffic we saw and the visits was so much stronger than we thought. That was a great finding, and really made us instantly add it as a measurement to our daily analysis.”

Action results as soon as possible

Balancing media budgets to drive short-term profitability and long-term sales is something that is on many marketers' minds. Volvo and Mindshare have figured out a way to do that by dedicating resources to marketing effectiveness measurement, establishing a test-and-learn mentality, and connecting data sources, media platforms, and complementary methodologies.

As a result of the study's success, Volvo are implementing many of the findings and have already changed budget allocations and optimised media spend. But that’s not all.

“I would say the biggest change to come from this is that we're trusting data and using it on a cross-functional basis,” says Carleö. “It's not only the marketing department that benefits from this data, it also helps the finance department, as well as the CEO and the management team. Everyone can use this data as a basis for their work. There's definitely a new dawn for the use of MMM in Volvo.”

Everyone can use this data as a basis for their work. There's definitely a new dawn for the use of MMM in Volvo.

3 tips to improve your company's measurement strategy

• Assign an owner within your organisation who can take full ownership of the measurement process, including the granularity of data and interpretation of results.
• Decide on the main KPI that you want to understand and ensure that you are looking at both long and short term effects on that KPI.
• Keep an eye out for unforeseeable results as these can prove just as valuable to your organisation as expected one.

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Volvo Cars North America: The XC90 Experience in Volvo Reality

Campaign summary.

Volvo knew that buying any car, especially a luxury car, is a personal experience. People need to see it, touch it, and feel it to truly understand it. But with the new XC90 months from the showroom, the brand had to come up with another way for people to experience it. The solution was Volvo Reality, a virtual test drive using Google Cardboard. Available on both Android and iOS, the Volvo Reality experience combined photoreal CGI and a proprietary 360-degree VR camera technique. This allowed users to get a truly panoramic 360 view inside and outside the car.

Objective and Context:

Volvo had suffered a consistent decline in U.S. market share for a decade, so the brand needed to launch its redesigned flagship SUV, the XC90, in a brand new way. Volvo also wanted to create an addressable audience with whom it could communicate directly. To generate excitement for the XC90, Volvo wanted to let people touch, feel, and experience its new luxury car months before the vehicle launch. The campaign needed to appeal to the luxury buyer, generate leads, and create demand and buzz for a new product. The primary goal was to generate leads, or “handraisers” for dealers to engage with once vehicles arrived at dealerships. Volvo wanted to identify 100,000 handraisers in six months across a multi-phase campaign.

Target Audience:

The target was young, tech-savvy luxury car buyers who wanted something different than the BMW X5 or Audi Q5, and didn’t currently have Volvo in their consideration set.  This new audience was difficult for Volvo to reach and inspire, but the new XC90 was a perfect fit for their lifestyle.  The Volvo reality app allowed Volvo to become relevant to this new audience in a way that was consistent with the brand and in line with the XC90 vehicle.

Creative Strategy:

To get people excited about a car that was months away from launch, Volvo created Volvo Reality, the world’s first virtual reality test drive available to anyone with a smartphone and Google Cardboard, Google’s low-cost VR headset. 

Overall Campaign Execution:

The brand started with direct outreach to key influencers through one-to-one tactics in the mail, event lead capture tactics, and email. With the goal of maximizing media and influencer impact, the app soft launched to a curated list of 15 journalists who cover the intersection of design and technology. The journalists received direct mail packages explaining the product and campaign. As articles broke in publications like Mashable, Fast Company and Digiday , the app was featured at a series of events. A week later, the launch went public through a YouTube homepage takeover and supporting paid, social and organic media, as well as a sweepstakes, where users could enter to win a free Volvo-designed Google Cardboard. The campaign was designed to capture consumers’ emails and physical addresses in order to send high-end direct mail packages and follow-up communications. It culminated at the L.A. Autoshow, where visitors experienced Volvo Reality firsthand in the interactive social booth.

Mobile Execution:

Volvo set out to create a premium aesthetic derived from nature and showcasing the progressive simplicity for which the brand stands. In every digital and virtual reality interface, Volvo emphasized harmony between nature and the XC90. The Virtual Reality headset and promotion collateral was produced with a premium black on black aesthetic to communicate the premium simplicity for which Volvo was known. This black on black aesthetic presented itself throughout the XC90 experience. And, just as the XC90 was setting a new standard in sustainability, the headset technology was printed using sustainable inks.

The execution represented a series of serious firsts, most notably the first truly immersive VR experience to be delivered at scale through a smartphone and a 12 dollar piece of cardboard. Available on both Android and iOS, Volvo Reality was the one of the first Google Cardboard enabled projects to be released cross-platform. The experience combined photoreal CGI and a proprietary 360-degree VR camera technique which allowed users to get a truly panoramic 360 view inside and outside the car, including through the car’s stunning sunroof, and at any and every point of the drive. It also took full advantage of the powers of Google Cardboard and the stereoscopic display built into most smartphones. While other automakers have readily adopted virtual reality experiences with Oculus Rift installations, Volvo Reality was unique in that it was available to anyone with a smartphone.

The app itself was comprised of two 1080p HD videos running simultaneously, compressed and optimized for mobile. It also featured a custom VR plug-in for Unity, an innovation created for this project. In fact, Unity 3D was used to build the experience once, and then deployed to both Android and iOS. This was the first time Unity had been used that way. Finally, the experience worked both with and without a Google Cardboard headset.  The app is currently available in the United States with plans to roll out to international markets through 2015.

Results (including context, evaluation, and market impact)

The campaign generated over 40,000 app downloads. Over 34,000 additional customers raised their hands to be the first to know when an XC90s would be available for purchase. Having captured 34,000 consumers in an engaging and proprietary experience, Volvo is now able to communicate directly with app users through content updates, push notifications, email and targeted paid social ads. This allowed Volvo to prioritize based on users’ levels of engagement and propensity for purchase.  It was a lead generation campaign that created an ongoing, owned direct marketing channel.

The campaign also garnered over 238 million PR impressions, 159 million paid media impressions, 19 million social media impressions, nearly 4 million video views, 24 earned news stories, and a half-million web page views. Most importantly, the entire run of first edition XC90s sold out in less than two days.

Categories: Brand Awareness, Innovation, Mobile Video, Product/Services Launch | Industries: Automotive, Technology | Objectives: Brand Awareness, Innovation, Mobile Video, Product/Services Launch | Awards: Gold Winner, Silver Winner

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Transforming Volvo’s digital marketing with the power of data

Google Marketing Platform

Display & Video 360

We achieved significant gains for Volvo through a bespoke Marketing Mix Model that analyzes data across channels, types and targeting levels

Volvo wanted to understand the complex path from discovery through to the purchase of their cars. Customer data resided at the car dealers. So, how could we help them harness their first-party data to better understand the customer journey and optimize their media investments?

Our bold ambition

We captured the unique journey of Volvo customers, giving Volvo both the methodologies and the technology to connect their first-party data points and better engage customers, ultimately improving the cost-effectiveness of their marketing.

Our solution

For seven of Volvo’s top passenger cars, we:

• Identified all digital media touchpoints of their consumer journeys
• Analyzed the campaign data per advertising creative, ad formats and customer targets
• Built a customized marketing mix model (MMM)
• Fused the MMM learnings with other efficiency measurements such as brand lift
• Analyzed the effectiveness of all of Volvo’s ad campaigns, providing a data comparison with Volvo’s existing digital attribution models
• Recommended marketing spend reallocations to increase performance

I would say the biggest change to come from this is that we’re trusting data and using it on a cross-functional basis. It’s not only the marketing department that benefits from this data, it also helps the finance department, as well as the CEO and the management team.  Everyone can use this data as a basis for their work. Per Carleö Marketing Director, Volvo Cars

Our results

10% increase in revenue potential, 10-14% increase in brand equity potential, wpp extraordinary awards shortlist, related news and insights.

As Google Changes Course on 3P Cookie Deprecation, 1P Data & Multi-Signal Approaches Remain Key

Learn how and why marketers should continue to focus on solid 1P data foundations and multi-signal approaches even as Google changes course on its 3P cookie deprecation plans.

Why is my GA4 data different from my GUA data?

Download our guide to understand common differences in data across the platforms and explore possible causes.

AI Agents: What are They & How Could They Benefit Marketers?

Explore our brief introduction to AI Agents, including what they are, how they work, and how they could benefit marketers today and into the future.

The biggest change to come from this is that we’re trusting data using it on a cross-functional basis. It’s not only the marketing department that benefits from this data; it also helps the finance department, as well as the CEO and the management team. Everyone can use this data as a basis for their work. It’s a new dawn for the use of MMM in Volvo.

Transforming brand core values into perceived quality: a Volvo case study

• January 2020
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How The Power of Data Transformed Volvo’s Digital Marketing: Mindshare Sweden & Volvo

• Case Studies
• September 9, 2020

The customer path to purchase is a complex one, but none more so than in the automotive industry. And understandably so — with a big-ticket item such as a car, consumers take their time in the research phase before committing to a purchase.

But what if automotive companies could harness their own research to better understand their customer’s journey? That’s exactly what inspired Per Carleö, marketing director of Volvo Car Sweden, to engage media agency Mindshare, powered by Business Science, in creating a bespoke marketing mix model (MMM) to capture the unique journey of a Volvo customer.

“As a marketer, you believe the brand is doing work on a long-term basis,” he says, “but by measuring it, we could see much more. We could see brand preference levels being a strong contributor all the way down to the customer ordering the car. Seeing this having such an impact, even on a short term basis, that was my aha moment.”

But what are the secrets to building, interpreting, and implementing the results of a successful MMM, and has it helped Volvo during the pandemic?

Read more from Think with Google here .

Article as seen in Think with Google. 

How Safety Scored Volvo a Big Game Win

Safety Sunday

How an integrated communications campaign drove deeper engagement than a $5M ad ever could.

Volvo Car USA , LLC (“Volvo Car”)   needed a way to authentically break through to consumers around the Big Game. Instead of fighting for advertisement supremacy against some of the biggest brands (and the biggest budgets), Volvo   Car   dr o ve deeper engagement than a traditional advertisement ever could by leaning into its   core value   —   safety   —   and tying it into the game itself.  

For the 2020 Big Game, WE worked with Volvo Car to  concept   an integrated campaign  —  Volvo Safety Sunday  —  that would reinforce the brand’s legacy in safety .   To celebrate more than  1   million lives saved by Volvo innovations, Volvo Car pledged to give away $1,000,000 worth of Volvo cars  to randomly selected winners   —  if a safety was scored during the  B ig  G ame .  

WE  supported Volvo Car across all elements of the project, helping manage the website and sweepstakes build,  creative development ,  and integration with CRM, sales and retailers.  The team   executed a n  earned, social and paid media campaign to drive story placements and  sweepstakes  entries in the two   week s   before  the  B ig  G ame , targeting general news, ad/marketing, automotive, lifestyle, sports and broadcast verticals. Volvo  Car  also worked with former NFL player Justin Tuck to help drive interest in the campaign through a media tour in Miami at Radio Row.

The campaign’s results were wide-ranging and strong:

Vehicles sales and leads

• 290 linked car sales   and 10x program return on investment  
• 284%   YoY   increase in sales   leads  

Customer intelligence and engagement

• 141K+ unique sweepstakes entries, surpassing   goal by more than   350%
• 64K+ email opt-in s:   40% +   of registrants chose to opt-in to Volvo marketing  
• Registrants chose   their ideal model, color and trim — valuable   customer preference   information
• Significantly increased YoY unique web visitors, engagement and visits to vehicle configurator

Media results

• 370+ pieces of earned media coverage a cross   online and broadcast outlets
• 583M+ earned media impressions
• Highlights include   USA Today, CNBC, A dweek , Car and Driver, and Cars.com
• 20+ national and local   broadcast interviews with   Justin Tuck , including   CBS Sports Radio   and Bloomberg Business

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New marketing approach brings Volvo CE and customers closer together

• Together with dealer partners, an increased focus on local market Volvo branded events to build stronger and more sustainable customer relationships 
• A commercial marketing approach aimed at seamless integration of developing digital and traditional marketing channels
• Increased investment in digital channels and campaigns to reflect changing customer touchpoints and behaviors 

“Despite our withdrawal from next year´s event, we have not ruled out future participation at Bauma or other tradeshows,” he adds. “We will continue to review the way our customers want to interact with us and base our strategy on their needs and demands.”

• Download the press kit (ZIP, 3.6MB)

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION

Åsa alström.

Head of Strategic Communications Volvo Construction Equipment Email: [email protected]

Head of Brand, Marketing and Communications, Sales Region Europe Volvo Construction Equipment Email: [email protected]

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Marketing Strategies and Marketing Mix of Volvo Group

Marketing Strategies and Marketing Mix of Volvo Group 6 min read

Volvo Group is a renowned multinational manufacturing company headquartered in Gothenburg, Sweden. With a rich history dating back to 1927, the company has established itself as a global leader in the commercial vehicle and construction equipment industries. Volvo Group is committed to shaping the future of transport and infrastructure solutions through its innovative products, focus on safety, and dedication to sustainability. From heavy-duty trucks, buses, and construction equipment to marine and industrial engines, Volvo Group delivers a diverse range of high-quality and technologically advanced solutions. With a global presence and a strong emphasis on customer satisfaction, Volvo Group continues to drive progress and create a positive impact on industries worldwide.

Table of Contents

Marketing Strategies of Volvo Group

Volvo Group employs various marketing strategies to promote its products and strengthen its brand presence in the commercial vehicle and construction equipment industries. Here are some key marketing strategies employed by Volvo Group:

Brand Positioning : Volvo Group’s brand positioning revolves around three core pillars: safety, innovation, and sustainability. The company has a long-standing reputation for prioritizing safety, and it actively communicates its commitment to developing advanced safety technologies. Volvo Group’s emphasis on innovation is demonstrated through its development of electric and autonomous vehicles, connectivity solutions, and advanced driver assistance systems. Additionally, Volvo Group is dedicated to sustainability and aims to reduce the environmental impact of its products through initiatives such as electrification, alternative fuels, and eco-friendly manufacturing processes.

Targeted Marketing : Volvo Group employs a targeted approach to marketing, tailoring its messages and campaigns to specific customer segments. By understanding the unique needs and preferences of different customer groups, Volvo Group can create more relevant and impactful marketing communications. For example, when promoting Volvo Trucks to fleet managers, the focus might be on factors like fuel efficiency, productivity, and driver comfort. In contrast, marketing efforts for Volvo Buses may emphasize factors like low emissions, passenger safety, and connectivity features for transit authorities and urban transportation providers.

Integrated Marketing Communications : Volvo Group utilizes a mix of marketing channels to effectively communicate with its target audience. Traditional advertising channels such as television, print media, and radio are still used, particularly for broader brand awareness campaigns. However, the company also places a strong emphasis on digital marketing channels, including websites, social media platforms, online advertising, and email marketing. Volvo Group leverages these digital channels to engage with its audience, showcase product features, share informative content, and create interactive experiences.

Content Marketing : Volvo Group utilizes content marketing as a strategy to educate, engage, and establish thought leadership within the industry. The company produces a wide range of content, including articles, blog posts, videos, and social media content. This content covers various topics such as industry trends, sustainability initiatives, safety insights, customer success stories, and behind-the-scenes looks at the company’s operations. By providing valuable and relevant content, Volvo Group aims to build trust, foster brand loyalty, and position itself as a reliable source of information.

Event Sponsorship and Trade Shows : Volvo Group actively participates in industry events, trade shows, and exhibitions to showcase its products, innovations, and technologies. By sponsoring and attending these events, Volvo Group gains valuable exposure, engages directly with customers, and connects with key stakeholders. These platforms provide opportunities to demonstrate the company’s latest technologies, interact with potential customers, and gather market insights. Volvo Group’s presence at these events reinforces its brand presence and reinforces its reputation as an industry leader.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) : Volvo Group places a strong emphasis on building and maintaining strong relationships with its customers. The company strives to provide excellent customer service, offering customized solutions and addressing customer needs and feedback. Volvo Group’s CRM strategies include personalized communications, customer loyalty programs, and ongoing support throughout the customer journey. By focusing on customer satisfaction and building long-term relationships, Volvo Group aims to generate repeat business and positive word-of-mouth referrals.

Sustainability Marketing : As sustainability becomes increasingly important in the business landscape, Volvo Group integrates sustainability messaging into its marketing efforts. The company highlights its commitment to reducing emissions, improving fuel efficiency, and developing alternative powertrain technologies. Volvo Group also emphasizes its use of sustainable materials and responsible manufacturing practices. By promoting its sustainable initiatives, Volvo Group appeals to environmentally conscious customers and demonstrates its dedication to reducing the carbon footprint of its products and operations.

Overall, Volvo Group’s marketing strategies revolve around positioning the company as a leader in safety, innovation, and sustainability while utilizing targeted marketing, integrated communications, content marketing, event sponsorships, CRM, and sustainability messaging to effectively reach its target audience and strengthen its brand presence in the market.

Marketing Mix of Volvo Group

The success of any company relies on its ability to effectively market its products and services. Volvo Group, a global leader in commercial vehicles and construction equipment, has established itself as a prominent brand through its strategic use of the marketing mix. In this article, we will explore how Volvo Group leverages the marketing mix elements – product, price, place, and promotion – to drive its success while emphasizing innovation and sustainability.

Product : Volvo Group offers a diverse portfolio of products that cater to various industries and customer needs. From heavy-duty trucks to buses, construction equipment, marine and industrial engines, Volvo Group delivers reliable, technologically advanced, and environmentally conscious solutions. The company’s products prioritize safety, innovation, and sustainability, setting them apart from competitors. Volvo Group also focuses on continuous research and development to introduce new features and technologies that enhance performance, fuel efficiency, and driver comfort.

Price : Volvo Group adopts a value-based pricing strategy , considering the unique features, quality, and benefits its products offer. The company positions itself as a provider of premium products and, accordingly, sets prices that reflect the value delivered to customers. The pricing strategy considers factors such as manufacturing costs, competitive pricing, and market demand. Volvo Group also offers flexible financing options through its financial services division to make its products more accessible to customers.

Place : Volvo Group has a global presence, with a well-established distribution network across different regions. The company strategically selects distribution channels and partners to ensure its products are readily available to customers. Volvo Group operates through a combination of company-owned dealerships, authorized distributors, and partnerships with rental and leasing companies. This multi-channel approach allows Volvo Group to reach diverse customer segments and provide comprehensive support services, including maintenance, spare parts, and repairs.

Promotion : Volvo Group’s promotion strategy revolves around showcasing its commitment to safety, innovation, and sustainability. The company utilizes an integrated marketing communications approach to effectively reach its target audience. Through various channels such as television, print media, digital advertising, social media, and industry events, Volvo Group communicates its brand message and product benefits. The company highlights its technological advancements, safety features, environmental initiatives, and customer success stories. Volvo Group also engages in public relations activities, including partnerships, sponsorships, and collaborations, to strengthen its brand image and reputation.

Volvo Group’s marketing mix strategy has been instrumental in driving its success as a global leader in commercial vehicles and construction equipment. By focusing on product innovation, safety, and sustainability, the company differentiates itself in the market. Through value-based pricing, a well-established distribution network, and effective promotion, Volvo Group ensures its products are accessible, visible, and appealing to customers worldwide. As the industry continues to evolve, Volvo Group’s commitment to the marketing mix elements will remain vital in shaping its future success and driving innovation in the transportation and construction sectors.

Also Read: Founding History and Business Divisions of Volvo Group

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Care by Volvo – Redefining the way people can own and access a vehicle

In introducing and building a new concept such as car subscription service, it was critical to understand marketing efficiency – certainly when it came to understanding the business case of developing the Care by Volvo offer.

Launching something new, especially in such an established industry as this one, was always going to be challenging. And to get started effectively there were a number of considerations…

Introducing this new way of accessing a car meant that we couldn’t lean on any previous knowledge about our consumer’s behaviour. We, therefore, had to take a data-driven test and learn approach to get an understanding of how best to present Care by Volvo to consumers, and also who those audiences might be. At the same time staying true to the Volvo brand.

The main factor defining the success of this collaboration has been the integrations of all areas of marketing. Oftentimes, the different areas of digital marketing are siloed and perhaps work towards different incentives – which at times might even counter each other. Within this project, we have integrated all areas from media buying, data projects, analytics and creative both operationally and structurally between the teams with common objectives.

In launching a new product to such an established industry, we had to set out to create a comprehensive map of every conversion point – small or large – and link these signals to our overall picture of performance at every stage of the funnel. This then allowed us to see where we were missing – or losing consumers – allowing us to work with Volvo to build our own benchmarks and make adjustments to content or messaging based on this real-time analysis.

With Care by Volvo, we wanted to avoid making assumptions about our audiences. Therefore, we kept our audience brackets wide and allowed creative adaptation through messaging and visuals to steer the targeting on platforms instead. By testing different variations of these, we found that we could gain more traction with both younger, and female audiences – challenging some of the more traditional assumptions about the audiences you might see in the automotive space.

It’s been a pure joy working with Precis. The expertise they have in unifying both content and paid and having that set up as one team means we are always optimising, not only from a content perspective, but also using data as a guiding star to take our next steps.

Emelie Överdahl

Success factors, 1. digital maturity for creative.

We develop our clients’ creative maturity by engineering tailored creative solutions for different audiences and touchpoints in the user journey. Ensuring each creative plays to the unique strengths of digital channels. Through an iterative process we continuously develop, test, and improve creative assets and concepts. Allowing data and consumer insight guide us in everything we do.

2. Aligned expectations with business goals

It is fundamental to take that step back and define what success looks like before jumping into any project. It’s a bit of a clichè, but data does not speak for itself. When we dive into insights, simply looking at tables and dashboards won’t make much of an impact. Connecting this information to business objectives is what will make data actionable.

3. Optimisation for full funnel marketing

The media mix was mature and structured to cover the full funnel efficiently, but we needed to direct the platforms to the right users at the right stage, without using targeting that was too restrictive for algorithmic optimisation. Adapting content was key here, but also having a strong data infrastructure to evaluate results consistently.

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Volvo’s Marketing Strategy Case Study & Insights

Vivid Candi Case Study

Volvo Santa Monica

We increased volvo santa monica’s sales through boosting their online presence & strategizing their digital marketing.

Our agency implemented a cohesive, full-service strategy that would create a strong digitally branded identity and help increase their sales. Volvo’s top dealership in the region was decreasing in sales as their marketing hadn’t modernized much beyond traditional print, radio & tv. As a result, they were losing their connection to their prime demographic, pregnant women and new moms, which made up 2/3 of their auto sales.

“Before Vivid Candi – The dealership was languishing in month to month and year to status quo which shows up as numbers in red or orange which represent “Not-Good” due to the flow of managers who should be selling cars and not signing marketing contracts acting as the marketing gurus. Which had been the workflow.

After Vivid Candi got it’s feet squarely positioned – the dealership showed nothing but STRONG GREEN Numbers that blasted past anything that had occurred since the dealer owner switched from Acura to Volvo. At first I was only slightly impressed but when it just kept going and going and going I was blown away. To quote the GM(to me) and repeat what I mentioned above “You knocked it out of the park with Vivid”. This comes from a man that is one of the best GM’s I have ever worked with because he is everything a ‘General’ should be, rightfully tough and demanding. When he told me that I knew this is going to be awesome.” –David Neverton, In-House Marketing Manager Volvo Cars of Santa Monica

Key Highlights

Sales increased 200% to 400% more than previous all-time highs

How we did it:  We introduced a new full service campaign with a large emphasis on new digital & social media strategies using budgets ranging from $10-40k/mo on Google, Facebook and Instagram. We gained Alfa Romero, Maserati and Fiat dealerships as clients through Volvo’s referral.

Made rare permanent brand awareness jump and saw website traffic DOUBLE and not drop back down again after

How we did it: Our cohesive online strategy included the production of numerous viral videos appealing to new and expecting moms, which we seeded through social media paid advertising.

Worked with 15+ influencers that shared about Volvo Santa Monica

How we did it:  As “Bird-Dogging” is not allowed in the car business we came up with a work around… Social media influencers that meet the socio-graphic messaging that would help push the Volvo factory and dealership’s messaging as “the safest car in the world.”

Secured numerous brand collaborations

How we did it: Secured fruitful collaborations with family-oriented brands that appealed to the same upscale female audience as Volvo, such as 10 to 12 Baby Lounge, local community sports teams and Paradise Cove Beach Cafe.

Produced & launched a viral video that got 60k+ views from a targeted local audience in 5 days

How we did it: We tested a seeded video strategy between highly produced [more commercial] style viral videos vs. organic style videos, produced and launched by our in-house production and advertising teams. Through A/B testing, we learned that more organic style content would drive higher view and conversion rates. The video was shared and watched by over 60k+ new and expecting moms in the Santa Monica area.

Sample of Website Statistics For A One Month Period:

Some of our influencer & brand collaborations:

Photography Highlights

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Viral video viewed by 60k+ moms in a matter of days geofenced around the dealership.

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Volvo Cars: A Unity case study

A pioneer in safety technology, Volvo Cars is also blazing trails in bringing interactive, immersive virtual experiences to product development processes in the automotive industry. Volvo Cars’s drive to innovate is evident in its incorporation of real-time technology across every stage of its vehicle production lifecycle.

To help achieve these goals, Volvo Cars sought a technology partner that could help bring to life virtual environments as part of an end-to-end pipeline, allowing engineers, designers, stakeholders, and consumers to visualize concepts and results in real-time.

Reimagine traditional processes for designing, engineering, manufacturing and selling vehicles by developing an integrated, cross-department toolchain powered by Unity

CAD software:CATIA, NX, Creo, VRED, Alias

AR and VR: iPad (ARkit), Varjo, Microsoft HoloLens, HTC VIVE

40 total Unity users; 25 active users across Volvo Cars (design, R&D, and marketing); core team of 10 focusing on the pipeline and feature integration

Gothenburg, Sweden

Unifying the product lifecycle

Volvo Cars needed a better way to unify the many teams responsible for taking its vehicles from vision to reality. Since these teams are laser-focused on specific modules of the vehicles and use different tools, they had no common language of communication. The parties only came together late in the lifecycle, when potential problems are more cumbersome to address.

Unity’s real-time 3D platform has become the glue in Volvo Cars’s toolchain, connecting all its modules and project stages – from vehicle inception to off the lot. In a short span of time, Volvo Cars has achieved one of the most advanced, wide-reaching deployments of Unity.

The results

• Improved design-engineering communication and collaboration
• Faster design iteration and behavior validation
• Reduced reliance on physical prototype vehicles
• More immersive and effective buying experiences

Volvo Cars is using virtual experiences at every stage: in design and R&D as well as in consumer-facing applications. Timmy Ghiurau, Innovation Leader, Virtual Experiences at Volvo Cars, explains, “ We use Unity as a glue between our projects and modules. It’s not designed to replace existing tools, but enhance them by delivering a complete virtual car experience.”

With a more cohesive toolchain, Volvo Cars was able to streamline its pipeline, creating a more accessible, collaborative, and productive workflow.

By experiencing a vehicle in an immersive environment, designers and engineers can collaborate to accelerate the iterative process and reduce costs. They can conduct research, design, modeling, prototyping, and user testing to validate ideas virtually in ways that would be too costly, impractical, or impossible to recreate in the real world.

Like many automotive OEMs, Volvo Cars relied on expensive prototypes to communicate designs as they progressed. With Unity, it only needs to create these physical models at certain milestones. “In between we use virtual experiences to iterate and do research and user testing to see what we want to push into production,” says Ghiurau.

A “product simulator” made in Unity acts as back-end support and connects the system modules, such as vehicle dynamics, user interface, product functionality, and digital interaction. Unity is then used for rendering, animation, dynamic content, and scene creation at various stages of production.

By using Unity, it’s easy to repurpose assets and share them with different departments. For instance, a car model used in a parking simulation could be used in different consumer-facing virtual reality (VR) demos, which could contribute to user experience (UX) research and testing. The Unity Asset Store is an important resource for props and environments vital to creating a realistic context for the virtual vehicle.

Unity became a way for Volvo Cars’s engineers and designers to speak the same language, where everyone could see the same, complete virtual vehicle.“We can go to management and instead of showing them 50 slides on how a door handle works, you just ask them to try it out,” Ghiurau says.

By using a virtual environment, Volvo Cars's designers and engineers can better understand how people interact within the cabin environment.

With real-time 3D, it’s possible to test different in-car displays in various positions based on driver reactions. UX researchers can easily adjust the nature and placement of displays in real-time to optimize information distribution.

The instant feedback on interiors, ergonomics (e.g., reach of the steering wheel or buttons), and interactions allows for more iterations to modify the design and behavior, ultimately ensuring a better experience for drivers and passengers.

With XR environments made in Unity, Volvo Cars can offer training at key stages of the vehicle lifecycle, from production to maintenance. The clarity afforded by photorealistic graphics quality and real-time rendering allows professionals to train in a VR environment that perfectly mimics the real world.

Further, owners and operators can also benefit from immersive tools that guide them in using various features and performing basic maintenance.

Volvo Cars is using immersive 3D experiences as a sales and marketing tool to offer consumers the ultimate research aid and customization mechanism. With its custom-built VR car configurator, the showroom has limitless inventory. Volvo Cars’s design and marketing teams also benefit from the data provided by these virtual interactions – transformed into valuable insight into buyer behavior and product feedback.

Underscoring its commitment to automotive innovation, Volvo Cars is the world’s first car company to drive with a mixed reality headset on a real road.

Volvo Cars’s drive for virtual experiences demanded a quality headset and a software platform capable of rendering photorealistic content that displays without any transparency – where it is impossible to distinguish between what is real and what is virtual.

So Volvo Cars partnered with Unity and Varjo to use Varjo’s groundbreaking XR headsets. With this technology, engineers can seamlessly add virtual objects that seem real to both the driver and the car’s sensors. This is most obviously beneficial in testing safety mechanisms, but it’s also an immense source of data on driver behavior. They can also test various elements of future cars – such as heads-up displays, new materials, and UI for infotainment systems – inside a real car while driving on a real test track.

Unity will continue to be a key component of fitting together Volvo Cars’s forward-looking services and technologies to create mobility experiences that are personal, safe, and sustainable.

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