Volvo is launching an international promotion around "Twilight: New Moon," the second installment of Summit Entertainment's "Twilight" motion picture series, premiering on Nov. 20.
In the romance film, vampire Edward Cullen drives Volvo's XC60 crossover. Volvo's C30 3-door coupe was featured in the first movie, but this is the first of the films in which Volvo is actually marketing around the car's star turn.
"It was a missed opportunity in the first film because the car had actually four minutes in the film, which is unheard of in product placement," says Linda Gangeri, Volvo's national advertising manager. "It did really well without us doing anything, so with the second film we worked with the studio to develop a global program."
"What happened with the C30 in the first 'Twilight' film was it drew interest among 20-to-30 year olds and people who had never considered Volvo before," she says. "And while the books started out appealing to a teen audience, it has grown exponentially. Women of all ages, they are reading the book. It does relate to what we are trying to do with brand, since we are perceived as 'safe.' This movie gives us an audience of people who haven't acknowledged us before and lets us break out of the paradigm of being seen only as a safety brand."
According to Gangeri, Volvo's XC60 wasn't brought into the movie through deal-making but because author Stephenie Meyer's brother suggested it. "He is very much a car nut; he was charged with deciding which characters drove what in the movie. The Volvo was chosen for Edward because he's the hero, a protector who takes care of Bella, yet he wants to have something exciting and fast and fun," she says. source
In the romance film, vampire Edward Cullen drives Volvo's XC60 crossover. Volvo's C30 3-door coupe was featured in the first movie, but this is the first of the films in which Volvo is actually marketing around the car's star turn.
"It was a missed opportunity in the first film because the car had actually four minutes in the film, which is unheard of in product placement," says Linda Gangeri, Volvo's national advertising manager. "It did really well without us doing anything, so with the second film we worked with the studio to develop a global program."
"What happened with the C30 in the first 'Twilight' film was it drew interest among 20-to-30 year olds and people who had never considered Volvo before," she says. "And while the books started out appealing to a teen audience, it has grown exponentially. Women of all ages, they are reading the book. It does relate to what we are trying to do with brand, since we are perceived as 'safe.' This movie gives us an audience of people who haven't acknowledged us before and lets us break out of the paradigm of being seen only as a safety brand."
According to Gangeri, Volvo's XC60 wasn't brought into the movie through deal-making but because author Stephenie Meyer's brother suggested it. "He is very much a car nut; he was charged with deciding which characters drove what in the movie. The Volvo was chosen for Edward because he's the hero, a protector who takes care of Bella, yet he wants to have something exciting and fast and fun," she says. source
