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MEDIA
Volvo queer ad wins Ogilvy award
April 29, 2004
NEW YORK — Volvo Cars of North America, LLC (VCNA)
received the esteemed David Ogilvy Award for its innovative
use of research in advertising by the Advertising
Research Foundation (ARF) at the ARF David Ogilvy Awards Dinner at
Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City on April 27.
Presented to advertisers and their partner agencies, the ARF's
David Ogilvy Awards strive to showcase successful, innovative
research-driven ad campaigns. Volvo's "Starting a Family" ad
that specifically targeted gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
(GLBT) consumers through a series of gay-specific images and copy
was selected by the ARF for its exemplary research use in shaping
and assessing its GLBT marketing communications strategy.
"We wanted to better understand how to leverage the buying
power of this very brand loyal market. We did so by further
analyzing this market, via one of the most comprehensive studies
of GLBT consumers," stated Vic Doolan, president and CEO of Volvo
Cars of North America. "As a result, we crafted a compelling
story effectively communicating the core values of the Volvo brand
while speaking credibly and intelligently to this unique consumer
segment. The 'Starting a Family' campaign speaks directly to GLBT
consumers about Volvo's diverse family of vehicles, with a goal to
increase consideration and appreciation."
Volvo partnered with Witeck-Combs Communications, Inc., a
strategic public relations and marketing communications firm with
special expertise in the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender
market, and Harris Interactive(r), a global market research and
consulting firm, to develop and implement their comprehensive
strategies to reach this largely untapped consumer market.
"Volvo is a model for other corporate marketers who are looking
to reach the gay and lesbian consumer," said Wesley Combs,
President of Witeck-Combs Communications. "This was a true
collaboration. With our strategic research partner Harris
Interactive, and advertising partner, Prime Access, Inc., we
developed a comprehensive GLBT-specific campaign based on a solid
foundation of research. The application of Internet-based survey
research methods has had a significant impact on the extent and
reliability of data available about GLBT consumers, a segment
estimated to be 15 million strong with a buying power of $485
billion."
Volvo's "Starting a Family" print ads began running in national
GLBT publications in May 2003 and continue to run today. The
print campaign was accompanied by an integrated online initiative
called "Volvo Family Portraits" on Advocate.com in the fall of
2003. The campaign included a sponsorship and affinity program
with the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), the nation's largest and
most respected GLBT rights organization. –Witeck-Combs Communications
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