Volvo published a video called the Ultimate Safety Test and the company started a campaign to raise awareness of climate change. The company is identified with the safety of its cars, since 1959 when it patented the first seat belt. The Swedish brand also wants a significant place in the field of electric cars, hence its recent commitment to sell only zero-emission vehicles from 2030 is also fascinating.
The manufacturer seeks to raise awareness about climate change and how the automotive industry can be a vector to reverse this problem. The video begins with a supposed company spokesman, Bjorn, who is in a center where crash tests are performed, impact tests measure the safety of vehicles in the event of an accident at different speeds.
In the first part of the advert, the protagonist explains the importance of buying a safe car and briefly explains the homologation processes to which Volvo cars are subjected. After this explanation, he presents “The Ultimate Safety Test.”
The company takes climate change seriously
Then, Bjorn travels to the Arctic Circle, where Volvo’s car is suspended at 30 meters. “Is this the ultimate safety test?” he asks the viewer directly, just before a glacier collapses, prompting the brand spokesperson to say that climate change really is the biggest challenge the company has ever faced in safety.
In addition to the stated commitment to sell only electric cars from 2035, the Swedish manufacturer aims to be emissions neutral by 2040. For Mike Johnstone, Volvo’s Head of Marketing, “The Ultimate Safety Test” is a campaign to be proud of.
With this campaign, Volvo adds another chapter to its social impact advertising communication. A tone it has developed with other campaigns such as the one it developed last year in Sweden with the agency Forsman & Bodenfors.
