Grey New York launched an attention-grabbing campaign introducing the new Volvo XC90 T8 with a two-minute spot entitled “Highway Robbery.”
The ad introduces the vehicle as both “One of the most powerful Volvo’s ever built” (the seven-seat plug-in hybrid has 400 horsepower) and “The first to be powered by gas, electricity and other cars.” So what does that mean exactly? Well Volvo and Grey worked to create a custom peristaltic pump and placed it over a Southern California roadway in late March. When vehicles drove over the pump, it generated electricity which was then fed to a charging station nearby, where it was used to power the XC90 T8 Twin Engine. A digital billboard then thanked each driver for generating power for the new vehicle. We won’t attempt to go into the science behind the stunt here, but it’s explained in the two-minute spot above, which does a pretty admirable job of condensing an overview of the process into its moderate runtime.
“The allnew Volvo XC90 T8 proves that great power can come from anywhere, from traditional engines to electric motors, and beyond,” said John Militello, director of marketing, Volvo Car USA. “Highway Robbery is yet another way we are able to showcase our thinking not just about our cars, but how they can affect the world around them. We’re posing big questions as we seek out new, fresh ways about how and where we can enable the future of driving.”
Credits:
Advertiser: Volvo
Agency: Grey New York
Chief Creative Officer: Andreas Dahlqvist
Executive Creative Director: Matt O’Rourke
Group Creative Directors: João Coutinho, Marco Pupo
Art Director: Jason Goldshteyn
ACD/Art Director: Rodrigo Burdman
CD/Copywriter: Natalie Rose
Copywriter: Jason Goldshteyn
Agency Producer: Stephen Samelko
Agency Music Producer: Ben Dorenfeld
Production Company: 1stAveMachine
Director: Bob Partington, Jordan Fein, Hunter Baker
DP: Hunter Baker
Post Production: 1stAveMachine
Editor: Colin Laughlin
Sound Mix: Gramercy Post