“Release Me” – Saab Release The Power of Nature

2007 Saab company has performed a very good and effective international promotional campaign for the eco-friendly BioPower, featuring a powerful combination of cinematography and soundtrack from Swedish group “Oh Laura“.

Music was written especially for this campaign, capturing the fragility and softness of nature to counteract the hard steel of car.

The Saab TV ad, filmed in muted colours, features elements of nature longing for release: a plant overshadowed by a bridge, a butterfly trapped in a window, an orca (killer whale) swimming in an aquatic theme park pool, a tree caged in a city square, a dog chained to a peg, water restrained by a man-made dam. “The power of nature wants to be free. Release it. Saab BioPower. 25 extra bhp with bioethanol.”:

The Song was also used to drive people to the BioPower website, where it could bi downloaded for free. On the website visitors could learn more about Saab BioPower engine. In addition to billboards, web banners and videos, the campaign included a special promotion at airports.

There was test-drive event at airports where people could drive a BioPower Saab car from airport to a chosen desination accompanied by a BioPower specialist to answer questions. Saab also sponsored a week-long initiative from one of the three largest TV channels in Sweden called “Climate Smart Week“.

Effects of this campaign

The PR effect has been huge, with articles such as “The Saab tune is number One“. Of course, the Song has been viewed on Youtube in various formats close to a million times.

In June 2007, Saab 9-3 BioPower was the number one selling environmetally frendly car in Sweden. And, in a countrywide research Saab was perceived as the most enironmentally frendly car Brand on the market.

Campaign Credits

The Saab Biofuel campaign was developed at Lowe Brindfors, Sweden, by creative director Tina Jarlerud, copywriter Martin Barthof, art director Richard Villard, and agency producer Mark Baughen.

Filming was shot by director Adam Berg via Camp David Film with producer Stefan Falk and executive producer Johan Svensson, editor Johan Wik. Sound was designed by Eric Thorsell at Housework. Post Production was done at Syndicate. Swedish trade press magazine Resume, gave the ad the Best Campaign of the Month award.