Volvo is undergoing a major brand transformation, manifested by a bold, new design strategy. In record time, the boxy Volvo of the past has been replaced by a modern, self-confident luxury car.

For Volvo, the main challenge is to change the brand perception among international luxury car consumers, who aren’t overly excited about Volvo’s old design. Rationally, they know that Volvo is a quality car, but the brand doesn’t engage emotionally.

We were assigned to introcuce a new concept car, the Volvo Concept Estate, for Volvo’s global target group in the lifestyle segment. Volvo’s objective was to put its new design at the center of the cultural conversation.

We knew that we wouldn’t reach the target group though Volvo’s offical channels. Instead, we let Stutterheim – a small but exclusive and internationally recognized raincoat maker, reveal Volvo’s new design. Volvo didn’t say a word, but with the help of a design collaboration, a photographic puzzle and Stutterheim’s channels, we reached our target group, had them to reveal the new car, and made our car go viral. The news of Volvo’s new design spread organically all around the world, while Volvo cold just sit back and relax.

800 stories were published before Volvo said a word officially. Expectations were through the roof, and once we presented the new car officially, the total reach passed the one billion barrier.

We engaged Stutterheim, a small but über-trendy raincoat designer from Sweden, in a socially driven teaser launch. Stutterheim crafted a hand-made custom car cover for the Concept Estate. We shot a wide range of photos and by lifting the cover, we let each photo reveal a small part of the new luxurious Volvo. Together the photos shaped a puzzle.

The cover was put for sale in Stutterheim’s online shop, and photos were shared in their social channels and distributed to key influencers. Immediately the collaboration generated a massive buzz in design and lifestyle media. Within hours one outlet had laid the puzzle in Photoshop and their image, revealing some 50% of the car got viral. Auto media woke up as people around the world were suddenly talking about Volvo, without any official communication yet coming from the company. Once we launched the car officially – a launch that included the introduction of Apple Car Play – the success was already a fact.

By sidestepping Volvo’s official channels, we generated curiosity, excitement and more than 800 PR stories, before Volvo said a world about its new car.

Volvo’s most elusive target group spoke about Volvo in a whole new way with a close to 100 % positive sentiment and key message penetration.

60 % of our tier one lifestyle media covered the Volvo/Stutterheim collaboration, which proves that Volvo reached its target group. The total earned reach exceeded the one billion barrier, and the launch video alone, earned more than one million views on YouTube, without any paid support.