Review
Memorable
Effective
Style
Heart or Humor
Execution
Is it a TV ad or the start of a sci-fi inspired series that Volvo intent to dazzle us with for their new XC60 luxury leisure vehicle? We’ll review this interesting new automotive ad and give it scores out of 10 for memorability, effectiveness, style, heart, and execution. The background music is the song WASP by Feral. The male actor in this Volvo commercial is Darude Sandstorm.
The commercial tagline is “Our Idea of Luxury.” In the end of the advert, you’ll find that she was an astronaut.
Memorability – 8 / 10
It’s a gorgeous idea. Why put too much effort into selling the intricacies of a car when you can simply sell what it stands for. The concept breathes notions of drama, excitement, potential and of course beauty, These are everything that modern middle-class family oriented couples believe they should be seeking in their daily lives, so why not give it to them? Volvo is saying something new here. They’re saying that luxury means more than comfortable living. They’re saying luxury comes in the form of desirable living. Does it seduce us as well as it intends to? Yes, we love the car almost as much as the concept, even though the product seems to make up less than 20% of the commercials core content.
Effectiveness 8 / 10
People will be googling the car and the brand from sheer intrigue following the enticing story presented in this clip. The car does look wonderful in the images, but its attractive nature is further enhanced by the gravity and lure created within this alluring piece of film-making. The ad basically plays as if it were a trailer for a feature-length picture, and we are all excited to know what’s coming up next.
Style – 9 / 10
It is a cliche to sell cars with sex. Here we’re not getting a direct view of something obviously sexual in nature, instead, we’re presented with scenes that provoke feelings of tension and build up. We are pulled into predicting what comes next and are not disappointed when the clip ends without giving us a clear answer. This is thoughtful, playful, and powerful work that will certainly have car buyers within the mature adult segments wanting to chase more information. We love the retro space odyssey soundtrack, dark visuals, and warm interior shades. It all combines to reflect, quality, importance, and the emergence of something life-changing.
Heart or Humor – 8 / 10
Some of the strongest feelings many people will extract from this piece will revolve around price, inspiration and the sense of something higher. Many outside of the target demographics will likely feel these images stand for superiority, indulgence, and pretension. Relevant consumers, however, will enjoy the sheer focus in the way the ad portrays such a favorable lifestyle.
Execution – 8 / 10
The typical formula to a great car commercial is great visuals, a delightful soundtrack, and clever story. The formula hasn’t changed for this entity, yet it still seems to offer something that feels dynamic and exciting. Has ground been broken with this captivating concept? Many would say no, but then we are pretty sure almost everyone would love to see a follow-up entry in the series!
