Volvo Cars Canada is putting its new Care by Volvo rental subscription service in front of customers who are already inclined to buy into similar programs through a promotional partnership with B.C.-based subscription box company Extraordinary Man.
The automaker launched Care by Volvo in October last year, giving customers the option to rent one of two new models, either the V60 Momentum or S60 Momentum sedans, at a rate of between $949 to $1,050 per month.
The subscription fee includes access to winter wheels and tires, vehicle maintenance, customer care (including roadside assistance), a yearly mileage allowance, among other perks. Customers have the option to upgrade to a different car after at least 12 months into a two-year subscription agreement.
At launch last year, the program was advertised with a campaign that included display, social and video assets.
This year, the company has partnered with Extraordinary Man – a DTC seasonal subscription service aimed men that includes a curated collection of grooming, fashion and decor items – on a Care by Volvo branded box and insert. The partnership includes additional social and influencer promotion through Volvo and Simply Beautiful, the seasonal subscription service for women that also runs Extraordinary Man.
Volvo Canada’s agency of record, Grey, designed the program and creative, with Mundy Group offering support on PR.
“As more and more consumers are seeking out premium and curated experiences and products, subscription boxes like Extraordinary Man have become extremely popular,” says David Carroll, director of sales and marketing at Volvo. “This partnership allows Volvo Canada to target customers who are already inclined and interested in subscription-type services and present them with a subscription based car service.”
Like most subscription boxes, he says Care by Volvo is intended to “simplify life, making the ownership experience easy and convenient.”
According to Carroll, the launch of a vehicle subscription service is part of a global Volvo effort aimed at extending the company’s focus as it becomes a “diversified mobility group,” beyond simply selling cars to end consumers. Those efforts also include M, an on-demand service for its cars, and further investment into electric and autonomous driving.
Competitor Toyota has moved towards a “mobility” position for several years, becoming the first mobility partner of the International Olympic and Paralympic Committees in 2015, an effort that led to the launch of its global “Start Your Impossible” campaign.
