-
Swoon and Sky Media - Missguided
- Standard Life Investments
- Sky Mobile and Transfer Deadline Day
- Volvo
Home > Case Studies >
Driving Change:
How Volvo and Sky Atlantic transformed sponsorship through smart innovation
0
%
Uplift in purchase intent
0
%
YoY increase in brand image
0
%
Visibility (beating industry norms)
Challenge
Volvo has partnered with Sky Atlantic since 2013, using premium TV sponsorship to build long-term brand equity. While the association had successfully reinforced Volvo’s core credentials around safety and trust, the brand faced a new challenge.
As Volvo transitioned to a direct-to-consumer model, marketing was under increased pressure to deliver greater relevance, performance and measurable impact, without losing the emotional power and consistency of broadcast TV.
The question was clear:
How could Volvo evolve a long-standing brand sponsorship into something more personalised, performance-driven and commercially effective?
Insight
Sky Atlantic’s audience is highly engaged, premium and receptive, but not homogenous.
Audience research revealed that different viewer groups were motivated by very different aspects of the Volvo brand, from electric mobility and sustainability to design, technology and family safety. Crucially, these audiences were also open to more personalised messaging within a sponsorship environment.
This created an opportunity to rethink traditional sponsorship:
Could Volvo keep the scale and emotional halo of broadcast TV, while delivering targeted, relevant messages to different audiences?
Idea
Sky Media introduced Smart Sponsorship, integrating addressable TV technology into broadcast sponsorship for the first time in the UK.
The idea was simple but powerful:
Maintain the prestige and scale of Sky Atlantic sponsorship, while using addressable delivery to tailor sponsorship idents to distinct audience segments.
This allowed Volvo to move beyond a one-size-fits-all message and instead speak directly to the motivations of different viewers, all within a single, premium sponsorship partnership.
The Solution
Volvo’s Sky Atlantic sponsorship was enhanced using AdSmart addressable technology, enabling personalised idents to be delivered to different audience segments during the same broadcast environment.
Four core segments were identified through audience insight:
- Mobility Pioneers (25–35)
- Mobility Pioneers (35–55)
- Pragmatic Drivers
- Trendy Car Buyers
Each segment was served bespoke sponsorship idents, highlighting the most relevant Volvo features, from electric mobility and sustainability to safety, design and cutting-edge technology.
All creative executions followed Volvo’s brand guidelines, ensuring a consistent look and feel, while increasing relevance through personalisation.
The campaign ran across Sky Atlantic’s premium programming, combining the emotional power of broadcast sponsorship with the precision of addressable TV.
Why It Worked
Smart Sponsorship allowed Volvo to do something previously impossible in broadcast TV:
- Deliver mass reach and brand prestige
- While simultaneously driving relevance, engagement and performance
- Without compromising creative quality or brand consistency
By aligning personalised messaging with a trusted, high-quality content environment, Volvo was able to deepen emotional engagement and drive tangible business outcomes.
Results
Smart Sponsorship delivered standout performance from an already strong baseline.
Creative diagnostics exceeded industry norms:
- Visibility: 94% (norm: 91%)
- Clarity: 91% (norm: 79%)
- Believability: 91% (norm: 81%)
Qualitative feedback showed strong emotional resonance across all segments:
- Pragmatic Drivers connected with family-focused storytelling
- Trendy Car Buyers responded to sleek technology and modern design
- Younger Mobility Pioneers engaged with future-focused narratives
- Older Mobility Pioneers valued safety innovation and thoughtful design
The campaign also delivered significant brand impact:
- +6% year-on-year increase in brand image, reinforcing Volvo’s position as a progressive, design-led brand
Most importantly, Smart Sponsorship drove exceptional performance outcomes:
- +211% uplift in purchase intent among exposed viewers versus non-viewers, the highest uplift recorded across the 12-year partnership
“This partnership has allowed us to connect with our audience in a more personal and meaningful way, showcasing the power of technology in driving engagement and results. It’s not just innovation for innovation’s sake, it’s innovation that delivers real business outcomes.”
Georgina Williams, UK Marketing Operations, Volvo
The Bigger Picture
By combining the emotional impact of sponsorship with addressable precision, Smart Sponsorship demonstrated that scale and personalisation can work together.
The campaign has set a new benchmark for broadcast sponsorship, proving that premium TV can deliver brand resonance and measurable business results and providing a scalable model for future campaigns.
Other case studies of interest
Our Sites
Please click on any of the sites below to open the link in a new window