Volvo Gets Creative With Super Bowl Ads

2015 Volvo XC60 (Credit: Volvo )

As we reported before, Volvo is striking out in a new marketing direction that eschews many of the conventional methods used by automakers. That means the Swedish automaker is skipping out on most auto shows, likely in a bid to channel money into vehicle development, plus it is not advertising during the Super Bowl. Big deal, some might say, because not every automaker takes out a spot during the big game. The big deal is what Volvo is doing to manipulate the marketing efforts of other car companies, if only a little.

Instead of running a Super Bowl ad and reaching a huge audience that way, Volvo has announced it’s launching a campaign called The Greatest Interception Ever. The marketing push invites people to watch the Super Bowl and look for car ads. Each time a commercial for a competitor’s vehicle is broadcast, Volvo allows people to enter others into a giveaway for a 2015 XC60 crossover.

Anyone who’s interested simply has to be on Twitter and send out a tweet when a car commercial plays, using the hashtag #VolvoContest. The tweet must contain the name of the person they want Volvo to give the brand new XC60 to and the reason why. It could be a parent, uncle, babysitter, child, neighbor, etc.

As Volvo puts it, during the Super Bowl other automakers will be showing America and the world what matters most to those companies. This new marketing campaign, on the other hand, allows average people to show Volvo what matters most to them. Hopefully they’re able to win the vehicle for the person they love or respect, which only spreads around even more goodwill.

After all the tweets are received, Volvo plans to select five winners.

It’s a brilliant move, because Volvo it helps link itself to altruism instead of greed, all without taking out an expensive ad. Also, it can potentially reach people who don’t even plan to watch the Super Bowl, boosting the brand’s image even further.