In a mock-hip-hop video style ad shot by music video director Dave Meyers, where the women wear plenty of shiny bling bling, the men hang out 'chillin' and hip hop provides the thumping soundtrack - the spokesperson with the tagline is L.L. Cool J who turns to the camera and says "When it starts showing up in music videos, don't let the style and flavor mess with your mind. It's still built like a Volvo." Volvo wants the S40 to be known in the USA as the cool car, not just the safe car. Can they have it both ways? from Forbes:
"We have a car that is nimble, fast and cool," says Thomas Andersson, Volvo's executive vice president for marketing in North America. "All of a sudden, for the target audience, we've taken down the barriers to consideration. Safety can become an added value."
Have LL cool J escape a rapper-assasination attempt in a Volvo and hit a tree as he flees, walking away from the crash unharmed and as cool as only LL can be, completely unfettered. Add hip hop music, babes and bling-bling, and lots of fancy explosions. That might even work.
