Volvo C30 Launch Disappointing

// March 18th, 2007 // Cars & Bikes, Photos // 6,312 views

Pictures of the Volvo C30 launch in Fourways After waxing lyrical about the pending launch of the Volvo C30, the actual event was a huge disappointment.

Maybe I’ve been too involved in organising events like these that I may be a bit too critical, but my fellow attendees (Tripeak and Gino) seem to share the same sentiments as me, the launch was a royal flop.

Taking a step back though, we saw the first glimpse of the new Volvo C30 at Auto Africa back in October 2006. Even then, the car was unvailed with little pomp and circumstance.

I mentioned before, that the Volvo has its eye on the Audi A3, BMW 1 Series, Alfa 147, Mini and the VW Golf GTi market, but it’s going to be a tough sell. We were discussing that at the launch, who is the car targeted at? This wasn’t at all clear from the launch.

I would have liked to see the online campaign translate back to the launch event itself, with the same kind of audio-visual experience. It wouldn’t have cost much for Volvo’s marketing team to give each of the attendees a little goodie bag with the elements to “unbox your Volvo” (go check out the online campaign, it’s really cool).

Volvo C30 Also, the crowd who attended the event seemed to translate back to the old fogey image the brand is actually trying to get away from. There were way too many older people and not enough of the young, up-and-coming 20-somethings who I believe they should be aiming for. The hip, unconventional people who know what they want and where they are going and don’t want to conform to the norm.

I came away from the launch with mixed feelings. I love my car and what the Volvo brand could/should be doing, but the launch itself disappointed immensely.

I’m worried that the experience of the launch could have put a damper on potential buyers and lovers of the brand.

Check out the rest of the pictures over at my Flickr Set.

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15 Responses to “Volvo C30 Launch Disappointing”

coda says:

2007/03/18 at 12:47

Not sure what the launch was like in CT, but I was at a club last night and these promo girls came to our table and gave us two business cards (!!) for the Volvo C30 and said it would be driving past. No less than half a minute later (so they must have been running late because we were the first table to the door) an open truck drove past with the C30 inside, a DJ and some dancers doing their moves around the car. We couldn’t hear anything obviously and couldn’t see the car past the dancers. It felt so desperate. Shame, I had to laugh.
Aquila says:

2007/03/18 at 15:23

Damn, you had promo girls… We just had sales staff.

I believe the Cape Town launch was a lot better, obviously also more media focused. It the launch was held at a dealership instead, it probably would have been a lot more beneficial.

Don’t get me wrong, certain aspects of the car I like, I just think that the launch and publicity (the lack thereof) sucked.
ShutterJane says:

2007/03/18 at 15:54

I saw a guy driving one, and it didnt “fit”.

I think they should target hip, young female execs. It is a sexy. sporty car, but still classy enough for an exec.
Aquila says:

2007/03/18 at 18:16

Shutterjane – you’ve hit the nail on the head. My thinking it’s definitely for young, sexy, femal execs. The one’s that say… “I do what I want, when I want, I don’t have time for kids now”.

Funny
Gino says:

2007/03/19 at 09:23

Th event was very disappointing indeed. Everything about it was done wrong – except for the open bar The car itself is a beauty minus that silly boot…
Aquila says:

2007/03/19 at 09:30

haha…yeah that open bar…geesh..

RE the boot – can you like to say ALIEN…
Shutterjane says:

2007/03/19 at 10:26

pity it is over my budget.. about 1500 euro over..
Aquila says:

2007/03/19 at 13:20

I had to go check out a service light at the Bryanston dealership today and as I arrived, they unloaded the 4 new C30′s.

The black T5 with sports kit, 18″ wheels and sunroof looked so inviting. It was then that the sales manager suggested a quick test drive down Bryanston Main to check out what she’s capable of. Man what a drive and not to mention the almost longing stares from the other motorists next to us.

Interestingly, an ambulance with flashing lights and wailing sirens came up from behind, which presented us with a perfect opportunity to really test her out. The power is really fun and the only problem apart from Metro keeping an evil eye was that you run out of road very quickly.

This is where I have to reiterare my earlier point. Make a splash with a launch, make the people want to come in for a test drive. Once they’ve done that, they’ll be hooked for sure.

I am again…
tripeak says:

2007/03/19 at 13:32

Ugh – other than the price tag… now my main reason NOT to get it is that it seems that I’m not fitting into their demographic – alternatively I could get a sexy female chauffeur?

Any news on our t-shirts?
Aquila says:

2007/03/20 at 00:50

T-shirts we’ll get on thursday it seems. I’m going back there to pick up something else. (By then they would have washed the others heheh)
tripeak says:

2007/03/21 at 11:16

I still want to do a test drive – maybe over the weekend… which dealership do u suggest > Bryanston or Sandton?
Aquila says:

2007/03/21 at 12:44

chances are that Volvo Bryanston would be the best, although Sandton is closer to you.

Most people from the launch are from Bryanston…
Icebabeza says:

2007/03/26 at 17:26

We couldnt see the rest of the pictures, the website wouldnt load them.

I think its a more sexy girl car
muncher says:

2007/09/05 at 11:22

Just bought mine. Geting it on Friday. Bought it from Volvo in Boksburg , East Rand, Standard not the T5. Took it for a test drive and was hooked. Hope it will give me and my wife lots of joy!…

Anyway between all the cars in the same price range, the Volvo C30 seems to deliver more for less.