With competition for a slice of the sales segment in the beleaguered auto industry so high, manufacturers have turned toward more innovative methods to launch their products.  Volvo is no stranger to viral marketing and announced plans early today that they would release the first official video of their new S60 on You Tube, ensuring it will be the first new car video on You Tube for 2010.

Like many companies these days, Volvo is relying on social media to reveal products to its target audiences, rather than on the more traditional and mainstream media forums. Accordingly, Volvo says that its ‘Facebook fans were the first to see [the S60] exclusively already in 2009. The video will then be released to the general public on You Tube as soon as the new year begins.’

“We will ensure that this is the first car video on You Tube in 2010. It will be released on Volvo Car’s channel on You Tube a few seconds after we have entered the new year,” says Olle Axelson, Senior Vice President Public Affairs at Volvo Car Corporation.  The first photos of the all-new Volvo S60 were released to the world press on 10 November 2009, however no TV or video footage was released at that time.

“We want to acknowledge all the Volvo enthusiasts around the world by giving them an exclusive pre-view of this video on the Volvo Cars Face book fan page. Then it will be available to everyone through Volvo Cars’ channel on You Tube right after midnight on New Year’s Eve,” says Olle Axelson.

The all-new Volvo S60 video will be released to the public on the You Tube channel VolvoCarsNews a few seconds after midnight on Jan 1, 2010 CET (Central European Time).

According to a company press release, production of the sporty sedan model will start in early summer 2010 at the Volvo Cars’ plant in Ghent, Belgium.

Source: [Examiner]