Success Stories

The brief

In June 2021, Pico helped Volvo create an unconventional product launch event at the Ansa International Convention Center in Shanghai. The new product was the latest XC60, and the event’s merging of artistic elegance and football fandom aimed at boosting its audience appeal.

Insight

As the date of the launch was near the kick-off of the European Championship, Volvo saw the potential of connecting the two events to help spotlight the XC60. Accordingly, Pico helped the client integrate a ‘football carnival’ into the event, injecting it with some up-to-the-moment relevance that would attract engagement with the brand.

Solution

The event was held in a venue of nearly 15,000 sq. m., with Pico responsible for turnkey event management and on-site operation.

The immersive nature of the programme began even before the launch conference, with guests invited to a ‘mingle area’ to enjoy an array of interactive experiences. Each was designed to stimulate a different combination of senses – and build anticipation for the new XC60.

A popular activity was the 360-degree panoramic photo experience – a hit among guests who wanted to capture everything in the moment. Elsewhere, guests could explore aspects of the Volvo brand at a series of display areas. One display focused on the brand’s environmental protection philosophy and commitment to customer well-being, with a combination screen projection, aerosol fragrances and audio effects highlighting Volvo’s exquisite interior materials and balanced relationship with the natural world. Meanwhile, the performance and impressive technologies of the new XC60 were showcased with a stunning holographic projection.

Yet another interactive display in the mingle area took guests on a museum-like journey through the XC60’s design heritage. As well as showing the evolution of the model through successive generations, the display also connected their design with Scandinavian aesthetic tradition.

Guests’ explorations culminated in the product launch conference, where the latest XC60 was unveiled in the metal amid a futuristic stage design and striking lighting effects. Making the proceedings even more impactful were music and dance performances, including by famed singer-songwriter Jane Zhang.

The sensory overload continued as the live band led guests outdoors to the ‘football carnival’. An in-house DJ and delicious food made a perfect complement to the action on the pitch, and a perfect ending to an exciting event.