The Challenge

Volvo had a perception problem. While safety was still valued, the brand was seen as conservative, uninspiring, and dull—especially against aspirational rivals like BMW and Mercedes.

To reignite desirability, the launch of the all-new Volvo S60 had to challenge everything people thought they knew about Volvo.

Insight & Solution

If Volvo was going to break free from its “safe” stereotype, it needed to be unexpected, playful and bold.

Enter The Naughty Volvo S60 Convoy – a nationwide, interactive roadshow where the public dictated the campaign. Consumers were dared to send mischievous challenges to the convoy crew via social media, SMS, and online platforms. The most daring ideas – foam jacuzzi at a traffic intersection, dressing as royal guards, paying a toll in 5c coins – were brought to life and broadcast across social channels, sparking massive engagement.

To drive action, test-drive participation was gamified, offering 10x competition entries for booking a test drive – turning engagement into real-world conversions.

Results

• Test drive requests exceeded targets by 305%
• Actual test drives jumped 175% over previous records
• 227 Volvo S60s sold, smashing industry conversion rates by 16%
• Social media exploded: 320% Facebook growth, 2,500% YouTube views, and 240% Twitter increase

By challenging category norms and making safety sexy, Volvo rewrote its own rulebook – and won.