Volvo Ties Into a Winning Movie: 7 Consumers Win New Vehicle

Special to The Auto Channel
By Marty Bernstein

AIADA Contributing Editor

 

There are movie tie-ins and there are tie-ins to movies – the subtle difference in terminology can make a big difference in the results. Fast food chains use characters to sell food.  Volvo used it to drive traffic to dealers’ showrooms.  And, as they say in Hollywood award shows, “the winner is ….”

 

Volvo.

 

Volvo hit it big, very big with a 10 month tie-in to the biggest box office hit ever, Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man’s Chest.  It has only grossed over $350 million and still going strong. And Volvo has had a good run with the event too.  Linda Gangeri, Volvo’s national advertising manger, in a recent phone conversation said, “We are extremely pleased with the results of our partnership with the Disney Organization and the production company headed by Jerry Bruckheimer. They were both amazing.”

Linda Gangeri, Volvo’s national advertising manger

 

The contest targeted to five of the more than 100 nations in which the Swedish brand is sold, was based on locating a buried treasure that could lead to another buried treasure, a new Volvo XC90 SUV.

 

Over 52 thousand entries were received, from with seven finalists from around the world.

           

Yesterday, on Abaco Island in the Bahamas, the finalists competed in a grueling, clue-filled search conducted by foot, boat, motor vehicle and helicopter in a competition reminiscent of reality TV shows. The contest winner would receive a Volvo valued at $82,000. And it was won an American from Virginia, but in a surprise twist all seven finalists won a new Volvo of their own.

           

Volvo dealers were provided with a kit to stage the event in their showroom that included banners, counter cards, car decals to make the car mirror the pirate-themed car that was buried, pirate tattoos, the map consumers needed to begin the hunt and an operations guide to run a such a big event.

 

The promotion/contest was developed by Volvo’s advertising agency Euro RSCG – New York, which also created all the materials and advertising.  Centra Marketing, also of NY handled logistics and the various contest rules that were applicable.

 

Given the amount of interest in the movie and the huge number of entrants in the event, it looks like Volvo has been a big winner in the tie-in to movies. 

Aug 11, 2006