Barraclough on marketing and creativity

CHRIS BARRACLOUGH

I received a mailing from Volvo yesterday. The envelope promised "Every new Volvo glovebox comes with one important extra". Open up and I discovered a blank Visitors Booklet (sic), the concept being (I guess) that friends and family will be so impressed that they will leave notes about the car and their journey. Unfortunately, this charming little gimmick is executed without a hint of irony. They really sound quite earnest about it, and in that they are falling in line with the norm for automotive tone and style.

With the honourable exception of older Volkswagen work, most car copy is gushing, full of cliche and hyperbole and accompanied by imagery of models being driven through awe-inspiring landscapes. All designed for people at least 20 years younger than the consumers who actually buy them.

But hey. We've all done it and I'm as guilty as most. I had one automotive client scrawl 'turgid' over my copy. What was worse was that he was right.

However, I'll overlook the fact that Volvo still don't seem sure what car I have (it's a V50) or that there's no price list included so I've no idea which new model(s) are in my range.We Volvo owners are a loyal bunch, so what is it that they want me to think I'm getting if I buy another one?

Is it for their aesthetic beauty and interior design as the concept suggests? Mmmm.... Or is it because I think they are a safe option for the kids (a very credible reason)? Or that they are a premium brand that doesn't shout 'I'm an arrogant tosser" (another plausible reason)? Or does a Volvo suggest I still care about the environment? (well perhaps, but tricky). The trouble is I'm not sure what I think of the brand as a result of this mailing. It seems to say a little bit of all these things, but not one thing in a compelling way. If you're going to focus on design, show the product in sensual glory (like Alfa Romeo), don't rely on words to do that job. The trouble with 'range mailings' is you end up presenting your glamorous Coupe the same way as your 4 x 4.

There is something in the 'independence of choice' that choosing a Volvo demonstrates and maybe something in the perception that Volvo drivers 'care more about society'. Volvos are no longer square boxes, indeed most are now pretty handsome, but they are not going to convince fully there. The copy hints at a brand idea - clearly lifted directly from the research - that Volvo is about 'we' not 'me'. I think there's something in that even though it's a hard one to explain - they get closest when talking about 'safety and reducing environmental impact' but then confuse it with the Visitors' Book - safety and greenness aren't topics you'd write about in a Visitors' Book, you'd talk about the design or comfort.

"Safe cars for families" is potent but too limiting. There is little heritage for "design icons" (bar the P1800). But there might be something in "the discerning alternative" now that Audi is encroaching on BMW territory. Maybe Volvo is struggling with its identity? If so, it's not the only one but it is still in a better place than most car brands to meet changing consumer values and I wish them luck. But I do wish they'd put the ignition key in the right place.