• The Wall Street Journal, Thursday, August 30, 2007 12:03 PM

Volvo--whose brand image has long been associated with safety--is launching a global ad campaign next month that aims to capture car buyers by tapping into the fun people have with friends and families.

The marketing push includes print and five different TV spots under a new tagline: "Life Is Better Lived Together." In one spot, a daredevil couple rides yachts, helicopters and a Volvo luxury sedan for a breathless meeting celebrating their anniversary. In another, a fleece-clad couple picks up a climber and hikers on an Italian mountainside while the children's song "The Wheels on the Bus" plays. The risk is that the new ads could alienate Volvo's traditional buyers, experts warn.

"Safety is very rational, says Pete Favat, chief creative officer of Arnold Worldwide's Boston office, which created the campaign with independent agency Nitro. "But a car still has to be sexy."

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