Volvo Skips Most Auto Shows For Massive Internet Push

2016 Volvo XC90 (Credit: Volvo)

It’s no secret that Volvo is undergoing a huge transformation as a company. Flush with cash from its current owner, the Swedish automaker is looking to show it has truly changed since its dark days of Ford ownership. To help convey the message of its transformation, Volvo is looking to skip out on all but three auto shows for 2015, per a recent interview Alain Visser did with The Wall Street Journal.

Those three lucky shows are Detroit, Geneva, and Beijing, touching on the three big markets for the company. If you want to see the latest from Volvo next year, you will need to make plans to be at one of those events.

In lieu of putting together elaborate booths, Volvo is opting to pump up its presence online. Already, it has created an immersive experience on its webpage for the all-new 2016 XC90. More social media engagement is coming as well, taking the marketing message to the general public. Undoubtedly, this is a necessity for Volvo since it lacks the deep pockets of brands like BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Lexus, and Audi. The move is also a step in the direction of the future as an increasing number of car shoppers gather vehicle information on the Internet before even thinking of visiting a dealership.

Volvo will still be launching its new models with events, only they will be ones the company hosts. For example, the XC90 will be launched at a Stockholm art museum, which dovetails with the messaging that the new crossover is a work of art as much as it is a form of transportation.

Just how the big online push will go for Volvo will be interesting to watch. Dealer groups have treated Tesla Motors with great suspicion since it has cut out franchised retailers, and some might view Volvo’s marketing model as a step in that direction. Visser said in his interview that the goal is to drive people to the dealerships, which will help ease any tensions that might be present.