Volvo Just Made The Best Commercial Of The Year And It’s Barely February

Marketing to consumers is a very difficult task. You have to find the right balance of approachable/smart/but not too smart/relate-able. The ask is tremendous because people are so different. You can’t market a shoe the same way to men or women, kids or adults. Everyone’s tastes and styles are different. And they should be because that’s part of what makes us individuals. It’s part of what makes us human.

Marketing agencies know this and they use it to their advantage, sometimes. Most of the time, you get ads like this one and no one relates to it or cares. It’s a tricky balance because a lot of the time the clients, in this case the automakers, have a different vision than the agencies who actually know what they’re doing. Very few get it right and we’re sure to see some terrible examples during the Superbowl.

However, sometimes the agency/client mix is magical and beautiful. Whoever Volvo is paying to make their ads needs a bonus because they just produced the best car ad of the year, and it’s only February. The spot is called “The Getaway Car” (though it’s hilariously name “The Get Away Car” leading me to believe you need to shun it) and it is worth all 2:51 of your time.

The idea isn’t anything special as a voiceover/montage combo style ad has been done plenty of times before. What sets this apart is the humanity in it and how it relates to our lives. Everyone needs to escape the real world once in a while and Volvo is offering you exactly that. Live you life to it’s fullest. Don’t just trudge along and be mundane. Go out in nature, explore, go forth and seek out new adventures. But do it in a Volvo. The message comes across clearly even though they never say it until the last frame.

The creative execution in this ad is also top notch with excellent visuals, clear and crisp audio, wondful musical score, and stark but colorful videography. We could be any of these people at any stage of life. Everything about this ad makes you want to be these people and isn’t that the goal of every ad? To make you want something you don’t have?

Volvo sure is making some exquisite cars these days. They can now say the same about their advertisements.