Volvo has launched a major direct marketing initiative to woo
drivers away from its German rivals in favour of its new S80 luxury
saloon.
A 100,000-strong direct mail drive together with 500,000 press inserts
are intended to support the premise that the car, while living up to
Volvo’s reputation for safety, is stylish too.
The S80 marks the Swedish manufacturer’s entry into the executive saloon
market, and the campaign will attempt to identify and target motorists
likely to be the most disloyal to other marques.
Anthem, the Abbott Mead Vickers Group subsidiary, has produced the
initiative which will run across 22 countries and link with the TV
commercial produced by the main agency.
The S80’s sensible and sexy appeal is exploited in the direct marketing
with a challenge to would-be customers, who are asked: ’What side of the
brain do you drive on?’
The advertising includes a short survey for drivers to work out whether
they are left- or right-brained. Results will be used to find those most
likely to make a switch.
David Nobay, Anthem’s creative partner, said: ’This is true
integration.
It builds on the central proposition for all the work involved in the
launch but it also takes the argument on.’
