19,000 cyclists are injured on UK roads every year, 80% holding driving licenses. Visibility in poor light is the main reason for this accident rate – how could we address this whilst providing the Volvo brand with an active social purpose that was in-keeping with its 2020 Vision for no one being injured by a Volvo?

The breakthrough - a news story about glow-in- the-dark paint used on reindeer antlers in Finland to prevent collisions. Could we develop a similar product? So we got in touch with the manufacturer, Albedo100.

But it would need to be different: something that image-conscious cyclists would be happy to use on their expensive kit.

Together, we created Volvo LifePaint. Albedo100 developed the spray. We created the branding and the marketing.

It’s a spray paint for clothing. It’s reflective in vehicle headlights. It’s invisible on clothing in daylight, formulated so it can be washed out.

Given limited stock, we pooled resources into the home of the UK’s media, London – launching the product exclusively (for free) in six of the most respected and influential bike shops around the capital’s cycling hubs. Recognising the importance of early support from the cycling community, we focussed initial outreach on cycling-orientated titles (including an exclusive with The Times’ Cities Fit for Cycling campaign, whose support was vital). Both actions negated the real threat of early and potentially terminal negative reaction from cyclists. Once the campaign had gone viral, we extended its lifespan (and target audience) by targeting the other most-vulnerable road users, children, through a series of downloadable Halloween stencils. This timing was important (and intentional): it was the same week the clocks went back in the UK. Upon global retail launch, we provided local market press packs to Volvo dealerships/Volvo PR team to support launch in each market.-Total

-Total cost = £75,000 (startup costs: initial 2000 cans and promotional material i.e launch film).

-No media spend

-7m organic YouTube views (majority 25-44 year-old males: right at the heart of Volvo’s target audience).

-188m Twitter impressions.

-4.8 BILLION media impressions* across 156 countries.

-Expanded from a limited-run, localised trial into a global retail product within just eight months.

-We have now sold upwards of 86,000 cans at cost price (£10) around the world.

-LifePaint now has an official Volvo spare part number (40005923) = any Volvo dealership in the world can order stock.

-The product is now available in 42 countries (and counting).

-£860,000 revenue has covered ALL costs – including the initial £75,000 startup cost – which means the net cost to Volvo has been zero. We are happy to report that Volvo LifePaint is now a non-profit item.

*Potential reach according to Meltwater online media monitoring platform (28/03/15 - 28/03/16).