I wrote about Saab Billboards last week and in that post, I asked if someone could take a picture of the billboard at Landvetter airport, just outside Gothenburg.
I have a penchant for good advertising from any source – but Saab in particular, of course – and I just loved this billboard when I saw it straight after the Geneva Motor Show. I didn’t have my camera ready at the time, but thankfully Johan R was heading that way this weekend and stopped for a couple of shots.
The billboard features the Saab 9-3 Independence Edition Convertible. And a big, beautiful butterfly. It’s double-sided, hence the white flap to the left side (which is the butterfly wing for motorists coming the other way).
Thanks Johan!
The distance shot…….as you approach in your vehicle…..(click to enlarge)
And up close for detail……
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Saab is really courageous to use a butterfly, after having that many problems in Sweden because they used a ant in the TTiD billboards. 😉
I like it, and it follows the theme of the picture of the lynx yellow 9-3 conv and the sunflowers.
Well.. the “problem” with the environmental part of those adverts was because they emphasised that the car was good for the environment. This time it’s not a problem as it is just celebrating their independence, and as you say, they have used the color-theme connection on previous 9-3 ‘vert ads.
A Saab billboard in Sweden, written in English? Is this normal?
Very much so, Greg.
It’s at an airport, so plenty of English speakers coming though. And the Swedes all seem to speak English anyway, more than any other non-English speaking country I’ve visited (and better than some English speaking countries, too 😉 )
Swade.. wasn’t you going to slow down? 😉 😉
Here I thought about giving a good reply to Greg so you could rest, byt yet you beat me to it. You should start relaxing a bit.. 😉 😉 (even if it is good to still have you around of course)
No, it’s not “normal”, but it’s located by the road leading to Landvetter airport in Göteborg – so also foreigners pass the sign.
I think it’s because of the fact that the ads are placed near an airport.
Most Swedes speak perfect English that would put a huge majority of American English speakers to shame!
It’s because we embrace american culture like no-one else… It has some good effects, like speaking english, but also means that most young people prefer hamburgers over smörgåsbord 😉
The butterfly is a great connection to the independence theme… A rebirth
Or metamorphosis – which is true too 🙂
Speaking of good Saab advertising, the Saab dealer in Charlotte NC scored a really cool product placement. They’ve got a 9-5 Turbo4 BioPower in the SouthPark Mall just outside the Apple Store. There were more people in the Apple Store today at 1 PM than there were in the entire rest of the mall.
SouthPark Mall is one of, if not *the*, premium malls in Charlotte. I shoulda’ taken a picture … but too many people and kids around.
Nice outside a Apple Store. Great product placement. Lucky them! My idea is to have a 9-5 and Spyker at Grand Central Station in the Big Apple (NYC). Thousands of people go through there everyday:)
I wish, I wish, I wish! What’s that 3 wishes on the Magic Genie’s Lamp?
The bill-board is great but what drove me to comment here is the SaabsUnited banner! It’s like the “best of Swade”! Love it!
Wow! That new banner is really awesome!
nice banner header change..
I love all kinds of creative ambient advertising and enhanced outdoor formats, but I believe to call it really good I would expect for Saab’s agency to somehow use the “flap” on both sides. I do hope for Saab to get more and more adventureous in the world of ambient advertising and unexpected formats. There is so much creativity out there to be exploited, not just print ads and billboards.
As concerns the banner above, however, it’s perfect!
Very good idea to put and ad near an airport ! The customers of SAAB are businessmen and women, managing directors…
Very nice
This kind of advertising will slowly but surely rebuild the image of the brand. Well done Saab Sweden!
I love the billboard. I love that SAAB is legible, unlike some others we’ve seen. I ran across the butterfly image on the saabusa website when looking for artwork themes for a promotional mailer. Perfect! I went to the media website we can access for images and such, and it did not exist. The downloads on the saabusa website weren’t high enough resolution, so I had the publicity house I was using (they loved the ad, too) make their own creation with butterflies. It’s good, but I wish I could have used the real deal.
Awesome banner!
…going from a colorless GM larvae to a fully blown beautiful SAAB butterfly 🙂
Saw the “Story of Saab” played in a small movie theater that caters to independent movies in Cambridge, MA (US). It was spectacular.