Volvo's 99th Anniversary Enlists Hu Xijin and Luo Yonghao to Reinforce Safety-Centric Brand Identity

[Brand Marketing] Volvo invited controversial public figures such as Hu Xijin and Luo Yonghao to participate in its 99th-anniversary promotional campaign.

Core Strategy: Controversial Personalities Precisely Target Educated Middle-Class Consumers

Hu Xijin articulated the brand’s philosophy with the phrase, “Keep the steering wheel steady—safety is the bottom line.” Luo Yonghao, together with Luo Xiang and Xu Zhiyuan, forms the “triumvirate of public discourse,” reinforcing Volvo’s image as a brand that steadily advances through turbulent times.

Strategic Foundation: Using Personality Labels to Build a User Filtering Barrier

Volvo has long focused on customer segments such as teachers, lawyers, and physicians—the so-called “Three Professionals with Three Highs.” By leveraging KOLs who are controversial yet carry rational, intellectual labels, Volvo deliberately excludes mass-market traffic to deepen identification among its core user base.

Industry Impact: Differentiated Marketing Strengthens Safety-Centric Brand Perception

While most automakers chase celebrity influencers for traffic, Volvo adheres to a communication logic centered on safety as the non-negotiable baseline, continuing its brand narrative: “One Volvo equals half the history of automotive safety.”