THE VOLVO REV UP

BRIEF

Queensland Reds Rugby fans were bored.

They were bored with all the usual pre-game hype at their home ground, Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium. From catch the ball to sprint races, t-shirt promos and fireworks, they’d seen it all.

And not only were they bored, they were immune.

STRATEGY

After winning their first Super Rugby title in 2011, it’s fair to say Reds fans had become somewhat laissez-faire in their disposition, a fate often suffered by dominating teams.

So in season 2012, Volvo Cars Australia wanted to reignite the imagination of Reds Rugby goers — before and during home games — so they could engage with the Swedish marque and its innovative features on a more primal level.

SOLUTION

With 242kW of power and 474 Nm of torque, the Volvo S60 is loud. Very loud.

Tapping into the casual sports fans’ inner rev-head, we put our foot down and staged an ambient takeover of Suncorp’s scoreboard, converting it into the The Volvo Rev Up.

A giant responsive stylised tachometer, The Volvo Rev Up was an engaging rugby experience on a Scandinavian scale that merged live match action, crowd participation and interplay between the on-ground compare and stadium control booth.

tHE VOLVO REV UP

The Volvo tacho was fully interactive and powered by a custom-built, modified decibel meter. It was designed to "rev up" the Reds' home crowd by responding to their cheers in real-time as the Viking power of Volvo’s signature S60 engine reverberated through the stands.

The campaign was run in conjunction with Volvo S60 TVCs, radio spots and match day programs distributed throughout the 2012 domestic and international season.

EFFECTIVENESS

The Volvo Rev Up was successfully employed before each home game, at half time — and even during play — to help the Reds hit the redline.

Used as a ‘teaser’ on numerous occasions in the lead up hours of game day to ‘condition’ the crowd, the amplified engine revs were used to greatest effect during rolling ruck and mauls when the Reds were 5-10 metres out and attacking the opposition line.

Proving a massive success both on and off the field, Volvo’s innovative rugby sponsorship helped the Queensland Reds finish first at the end of the regular season — perhaps the best testament of Volvo’s sporting patronage to date.