Volvo aims to distract kids with nature-based activities
On trend with the recent spate of useful marketing activity, Volvo Cars UK and Boldspace have launched their first campaign together, tackling parental driving stress with nature-inspired road safety initiative.
Boldspace has launched its first campaign with new client Volvo Car UK, spotlighting the dangers of in-car distractions caused by children on family road trips.
‘Roadside Nature’ launches in partnership with the Eden Project and wildlife expert Steve Backshall. It’s designed to reframe car journeys as ‘nature-fuelled adventures’ rather than ‘stress-filled battlegrounds’, with the aim of reducing driver distraction and increasing road safety.
The campaign went live on 5 August with earned media, digital content, and influencer engagement, and is supported by materials and editorial from the Eden Project and Steve Backshall.
A social media competition offers families the chance to win tickets to the Eden Project, encouraging hands-on nature exploration beyond the car journey. Campaign assets are also live in Volvo showrooms across the UK, extending the initiative into retail environments and engaging customers at key physical touchpoints.
Insight backed
New research commissioned for the campaign revealed that more than one in three parents (35%) admit to taking their eyes off the road to manage backseat behaviour, with 19% saying the distraction has resulted in a minor collision.
Volvo Car UK and Boldspace created the Roadside Nature Activity Pack - a free downloadable toolkit that encourages children to spot trees, plants and wildlife on the road, making the car journey more engaging for them and less stressful for parents.
Lou Kelly, head of consumer at Boldspace, said: “Any parent who’s been on a long car journey with kids knows how quickly things can go from calm to chaotic. We wanted to create something that really helped with that everyday reality - and that’s where the idea for Roadside Nature came from. It’s been a brilliant first project to work on with Volvo Car UK - combining real insight with a creative solution that’s not only useful for families, but also stays true to what the Volvo brand is all about.”
The campaign brings together PR, digital content, partnerships, and owned storytelling, with an earned-first strategy aimed at parenting, motoring, and lifestyle audiences - alongside a direct appeal to families via Volvo’s channels. With wildlife presenter Steve Backshall fronting the campaign and a strategic partnership with the Eden Project, the activation is underpinned by Volvo’s long-term brand purpose around safety and sustainability.
Our take
This campaign is successful in highlighting some core Volvo values - safety, nature, and spending time together - while providing activities that genuinely appeal to families.
While very different from the IPA experiential we covered last week, the two campaigns are united by a trend towards providing genuinely useful offerings to consumers. Here’s to more of that.
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