VOLVO NEWS

• Volvo Pioneers the First Ever YouTube Masthead with an Augmented Reality Experience

  3/11/2011

  
  

  
  

  Users can activate app for one day only - Sat., March 12, at YouTube

  
  

  
  

  ROCKLEIGH, N.J. - (March 11, 2011) It's an innovation from Volvo that's so "virtually" real you'll be able to practically feel the seat warmers on your bottom and the leather steering wheel in your hands. On Saturday, March 12, Volvo Cars of North America (VCNA) will offer for one day only an Augmented Reality (AR) S60 driving experience iPhone® and Android app that activates when visiting YouTube.

  
  

  Beginning today, individuals can download Volvo's S60 Augmented Reality app on iPhone® or Android. Then, tomorrow (March 12), they can visit the YouTube homepage on their computer and experience the Volvo AR driving game. This campaign, created by Euro RSCG New York, marks the first YouTube masthead ever created with an AR experience of any kind. It is also the first AR game accessible through a mobile app in conjunction with a YouTube masthead.

  
  

  AR allows Volvo to overlay digital information on top of the traditional YouTube masthead to provide the user with more information and a richer experience, in this case, an exclusive Volvo S60 driving game. While users without the app will see a traditional Volvo masthead on the YouTube homepage, users who downloaded the app will be able to race a Volvo S60 through their phone on the YouTube page, experiencing a whole new Volvo world. All consumers who download the app and play the AR driving game will also be entered to win a tablet.

  
  

  "This ground-breaking initiative is significant to the Volvo brand as it allows us to engage with consumers in a fun and interesting way and continues to position us as a true leader in the digital space," said Linda Gangeri, National Advertising Manager, Volvo Cars of North America. "By creating a driving game, we're focusing on the newest and most exciting addition to the Volvo lineup, our new sports sedan, the Volvo S60. This car showcases our new design DNA, our exciting driving dynamics, and our legendary Volvo safety."

  
  

  Volvo's digital and media agencies of record, Euro RSCG New York and Media Contacts are responsible for the development and placement of this campaign, respectively.

  
  

  "This effort is further proof of Volvo's commitment to innovation in the digital channels," said Jeff Brooks, CEO of Euro RSCG New York.  "We're very fortunate to have a client like Volvo who is constantly experimenting with new ways to enhance brand and consumer interactions."

  
  

  About Volvo Cars of North America

  Volvo Cars of North America, LLC, (www.volvocars.com/us) is a subsidiary of Volvo Car Corporation of Gothenburg, Sweden.  VCNA provides marketing, sales, parts, service, technology and training support to Volvo automobile retailers in the United States, and oversees Volvo operations in Canada.

  
  

  About Euro RSCG

  Euro RSCG Worldwide, a leading integrated marketing communications agency and named to both Advertising Age's 2010 A list and Campaign's 2009 Network of the Year ranking, is made up of 233 offices located in 75 countries throughout Europe, North America, Latin America and Asia-Pacific. Euro RSCG provides advertising, marketing services, interactive/social media and corporate communications solutions to global, regional and local clients. The agency's client roster includes Air France, BNP Paribas, Charles Schwab, Citigroup, Danone Group, Heineken USA, IBM, Kraft Foods, Lacoste, L'Oréal, Merck, PSA Peugeot Citroën, Pernod Ricard, Reckitt Benckiser and sanofi aventis. Headquartered in New York, Euro RSCG Worldwide is the largest unit of Havas Worldwide and part of Havas, a world leader in communications (Euronext Paris SA: HAV.PA).

  
  

  About Media Contacts

  Media Contacts ("MC") is the global interactive media network of Havas Digital - the interactive division of Havas Media. MC provides data driven media solutions across all interactive channels: digital, direct response, relationship based media.

  
  

  MC brings together professional expertise, proven strategic insight, and Artemis®, Havas Digital advanced proprietary technology platform, to maximize impact of the advertiser's interactive media investment.

  
  

  Since 1997, and in 32 countries in 42 cities across Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Oceania, Media Contacts has been the trusted partner of more than 400 clients, including the market leaders in many industries, such as Air France, Expedia, Fidelity, France Telecom, ING Direct, Nike, Peugeot/Citroën, Repsol, Reckitt Benckiser, Sears and VW, amongst others.

  
  

  Please go to http://www.mediacontacts.com/ for more information.