World Car Free Day
World Car Free Day
World Car Free Day
Overview
As a leader in sustainability, Volvo Cars is committed to reducing their lifecycle emissions per vehicle by 40% by 2025 and producing only fully electric vehicles by 2030.
In order to communicate these sustainable ambitions to a new audience, Volvo Car Canada (VCCL) wanted to create a talkable moment that would differentiate the brand within the industry and resonate with their target audience of design-focused and sustainably oriented 30–45-year-olds.
My contribution
Creative strategy
Audience research
Earned Media
Influencer Relations
The team
1 × Head of Comms
1 × Social Media Manager
1 × Advertising Lead
2 × Members of PR AOR
Year
2021
Overview
As a leader in sustainability, Volvo Cars is committed to reducing their lifecycle emissions per vehicle by 40% by 2025 and producing only fully electric vehicles by 2030.
In order to communicate these sustainable ambitions to a new audience, Volvo Car Canada (VCCL) wanted to create a talkable moment that would differentiate the brand within the industry and resonate with their target audience of design-focused and sustainably oriented 30–45-year-olds.
My contribution
Creative strategy
Audience research
Earned Media
Influencer Relations
The team
1 × Head of Comms
1 × Social Media Manager
1 × Advertising Lead
2 × Members of PR AOR
Year
2021
Overview
As a leader in sustainability, Volvo Cars is committed to reducing their lifecycle emissions per vehicle by 40% by 2025 and producing only fully electric vehicles by 2030.
In order to communicate these sustainable ambitions to a new audience, Volvo Car Canada (VCCL) wanted to create a talkable moment that would differentiate the brand within the industry and resonate with their target audience of design-focused and sustainably oriented 30–45-year-olds.
My contribution
Creative strategy
Audience research
Earned Media
Influencer Relations
The team
1 × Head of Comms
1 × Social Media Manager
1 × Advertising Lead
2 × Members of PR AOR
Year
2021
The Opportunity
World Car Free Day (WCFD) was established to raise awareness about the significance of reducing air pollution and encourage a more active lifestyle by walking, running or cycling. Today, it is celebrated in over 2,000 cities and 35 countries around the world and is a springboard for discussions on climate change and wellness – key concerns and motivators for Volvo Cars’ consumers. Since not many brands – especially auto brands – activate on this day, VCCL saw WCFD as an ownable and unexpected opportunity to reaffirm its sustainability commitments.
The Idea
To ensure relevance, the concept needed to celebrate sustainable mobility beyond driving. So, VCCL partnered with Casca, a Vancouver-based footwear brand, to co-create a limited-edition sneaker inspired by the pure electric Volvo XC40 Recharge, acting as a symbol of support for WCFD. Incorporating considered, long-term and circular approaches to design, the shoe embodied the brands’ shared vision for a carbon-neutral future.
The Strategy
I developed an integrated campaign that led with earned media, supported by an influencer outreach program, and light paid digital media.
Earned Media Relations: The media relations strategy leveraged multiple earned drivers to launch the initiative across Canada. Customized pitches were developed for lifestyle, design, tech, business and industry outlets. Outreach followed a strategic timeline, inclusive of a media embargo, launch and sustain phases. To enhance the experience, limited-edition shoes were seeded alongside an interactive walking meditation to recharge the body and mind.
Influencer Relations: To complement the traditional earned media relations strategy, it was necessary to team up with pan-Canadian content creators who were credible in the design and sustainable living segments. These partners had strong ties to their communities and developed engaging content that connected back to their personal sustainability commitments. Content was posted organically to the influencers’ Instagram channel and boosted through paid promotion to reach a wider targeted audience.
Digital Media: Digital assets were created for tease an launch day campaigns that lived on social media. These in-house designed ads were supported by paid media and drove traffic to Casca's custom-built landing page for shoe purchase.
The Opportunity
World Car Free Day (WCFD) was established to raise awareness about the significance of reducing air pollution and encourage a more active lifestyle by walking, running or cycling. Today, it is celebrated in over 2,000 cities and 35 countries around the world and is a springboard for discussions on climate change and wellness – key concerns and motivators for Volvo Cars’ consumers. Since not many brands – especially auto brands – activate on this day, VCCL saw WCFD as an ownable and unexpected opportunity to reaffirm its sustainability commitments.
The Idea
To ensure relevance, the concept needed to celebrate sustainable mobility beyond driving. So, VCCL partnered with Casca, a Vancouver-based footwear brand, to co-create a limited-edition sneaker inspired by the pure electric Volvo XC40 Recharge, acting as a symbol of support for WCFD. Incorporating considered, long-term and circular approaches to design, the shoe embodied the brands’ shared vision for a carbon-neutral future.
The Strategy
I developed an integrated campaign that led with earned media, supported by an influencer outreach program, and light paid digital media.
Earned Media Relations: The media relations strategy leveraged multiple earned drivers to launch the initiative across Canada. Customized pitches were developed for lifestyle, design, tech, business and industry outlets. Outreach followed a strategic timeline, inclusive of a media embargo, launch and sustain phases. To enhance the experience, limited-edition shoes were seeded alongside an interactive walking meditation to recharge the body and mind.
Influencer Relations: To complement the traditional earned media relations strategy, it was necessary to team up with pan-Canadian content creators who were credible in the design and sustainable living segments. These partners had strong ties to their communities and developed engaging content that connected back to their personal sustainability commitments. Content was posted organically to the influencers’ Instagram channel and boosted through paid promotion to reach a wider targeted audience.
Digital Media: Digital assets were created for tease an launch day campaigns that lived on social media. These in-house designed ads were supported by paid media and drove traffic to Casca's custom-built landing page for shoe purchase.
The Opportunity
World Car Free Day (WCFD) was established to raise awareness about the significance of reducing air pollution and encourage a more active lifestyle by walking, running or cycling. Today, it is celebrated in over 2,000 cities and 35 countries around the world and is a springboard for discussions on climate change and wellness – key concerns and motivators for Volvo Cars’ consumers. Since not many brands – especially auto brands – activate on this day, VCCL saw WCFD as an ownable and unexpected opportunity to reaffirm its sustainability commitments.
The Idea
To ensure relevance, the concept needed to celebrate sustainable mobility beyond driving. So, VCCL partnered with Casca, a Vancouver-based footwear brand, to co-create a limited-edition sneaker inspired by the pure electric Volvo XC40 Recharge, acting as a symbol of support for WCFD. Incorporating considered, long-term and circular approaches to design, the shoe embodied the brands’ shared vision for a carbon-neutral future.
The Strategy
I developed an integrated campaign that led with earned media, supported by an influencer outreach program, and light paid digital media.
Earned Media Relations: The media relations strategy leveraged multiple earned drivers to launch the initiative across Canada. Customized pitches were developed for lifestyle, design, tech, business and industry outlets. Outreach followed a strategic timeline, inclusive of a media embargo, launch and sustain phases. To enhance the experience, limited-edition shoes were seeded alongside an interactive walking meditation to recharge the body and mind.
Influencer Relations: To complement the traditional earned media relations strategy, it was necessary to team up with pan-Canadian content creators who were credible in the design and sustainable living segments. These partners had strong ties to their communities and developed engaging content that connected back to their personal sustainability commitments. Content was posted organically to the influencers’ Instagram channel and boosted through paid promotion to reach a wider targeted audience.
Digital Media: Digital assets were created for tease an launch day campaigns that lived on social media. These in-house designed ads were supported by paid media and drove traffic to Casca's custom-built landing page for shoe purchase.
Outcome
167 stories from outlets across Canada were generated, resulting in 50+ Million PR impressions in Tier-A publications that reached the target audience.
In addition, approx 200k in organic reach was achieved on Instagram, resulting in a considerable increase of followers on Volvo Car Canada's Instagram account.
KPIs aside, the Volvo Car Canada and Casca limited edition footwear sold out in less than 16 hours, and the program and campaign was replicated in over 7 additional Volvo Cars markets.
Outcome
167 stories from outlets across Canada were generated, resulting in 50+ Million PR impressions in Tier-A publications that reached the target audience.
In addition, approx 200k in organic reach was achieved on Instagram, resulting in a considerable increase of followers on Volvo Car Canada's Instagram account.
KPIs aside, the Volvo Car Canada and Casca limited edition footwear sold out in less than 16 hours, and the program and campaign was replicated in over 7 additional Volvo Cars markets.
Outcome
167 stories from outlets across Canada were generated, resulting in 50+ Million PR impressions in Tier-A publications that reached the target audience.
In addition, approx 200k in organic reach was achieved on Instagram, resulting in a considerable increase of followers on Volvo Car Canada's Instagram account.
KPIs aside, the Volvo Car Canada and Casca limited edition footwear sold out in less than 16 hours, and the program and campaign was replicated in over 7 additional Volvo Cars markets.