“We are standing at a tipping point where climate change is no longer a theory. Transport is one of the biggest polluting sectors, but that can change. We are convinced that the thrill of driving, the beauty of good design and technological innovation does not have to come at the expense of our planet.” Åsa Borg, head of marketing at Polestar.

The campaign for car brand, Polestar, created by its internal creative team and Forsman & Bodenfors, tackles the problem of climate change head on. That’s why Polestar exists. The electric car only brand was founded by Volva Cars and Geely Holding in 2017. All cars have an environmental footprint, but Polestar works relentlessly to minimise its negative impact on the planet and aims to be fully transparent on the journey. 

The campaign film features Dr Karen Nyberg, a former US astronaut with two space missions and a total of 180 days in space to her name. In 2013, Nyberg spent close to six months on the International Space Station (ISS) as flight engineer. The film draws on Nyberg’s experience that allowed her to reflect on the way we live, the innovations and progress mankind has made, but also on the damage some of those advancements have had on our home. These fundamental questions arose as Nyberg experienced a phenomenon known as ‘the overview effect’, while observing Earth from above.

“We were very drawn to the Overview Effect and how this phenomenon changed Karen’s outlook on life. We wanted to capture the empathy she developed for our planet but also how technology can help us embrace life, both today and in the future. Her story became the lead act in the film and gave us the unique angle we needed to reflect a brand like Polestar,” commented Forsman & Bodenfors creative, Hampus Elfström.

“With this campaign we recognise that we are part of the problem, but also that we have the power to turn things around. We believe that sustainability is the new premium and work relentlessly to minimise the negative environmental impact of our cars, as we design towards zero,” Borg added.  

“When you look down on Earth you realise how fragile it is. It’s hanging there in the blackness of space with nothing around it. And it’s our home, our only home, and we really need to protect it. For me, another aspect of the overview effect is that all humans are connected, that we have more in common than we think,” Nyberg noted. 

Polestar has put itself forward in the automotive industry as the only manufacturer to publish the complete Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of the Polestar 2 electric performance fastback, with full transparency on methodology, and calls on the automotive industry to follow suit. The environmental impact of its cars is displayed in retail locations and during the online purchasing process, and the company uses blockchain to trace the cobalt that goes into its vehicle batteries, a scope that will be expanded to include all risk minerals. Recognising that electrification is a starting point, not the end game, Polestar earlier this year announced the Polestar 0 project, an important goal of creating a truly climate neutral car by 2030, by reducing emissions throughout supply chain and production. 

The brand campaign launched on October 22 and will run across key markets globally during the coming months, in both traditional and social media channels. The campaign film was shot in Sweden, on the island of Gotland and in Stockholm.

Credits:

Client: Polestar
Client Team: Åsa Borg, Sofie Petrovski, Nils Rylén, Dan Persson, Samuel Åkesson, Pär Heyden, Viktor Vahl & Susanne Blomster

Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors
Art Directors: Sophia Lindholm, Karl Risenfors & Leo Dal
Copywriter: Hampus Elfström
Client Director: Magnus Wretblad
Account Director: Katarina Klofsten
Account Executive: Sofie Bengtsson
PR: Bjarne Darwall
Planner: Daniel Sjöstrand
Designer: Martin Joelsson

Media Agency: Dentsu

Polestar Content Production Team: Martin Victorin, Chris Cornwall, Adam Eklund, My Magnusson & Annika Trana Lagerholm

Film Production: Smuggler
Director: Henry-Alex Rubin
Producer: Ray Leakey
DOP: Crille Forsberg
Executive Producer: Tom Knight
Editor: Warren Chapman

Grade: ETC London
Sound Design: The Factory
Online: ETC London

Stills Photographer: Stefan Isaksson
Photographer Assistant: Per Kårehed
Art Director: Susanne Blomster
Producer: Charlie Cronborg
Technical Support: Pontus Frykenstrand

Post-Production: Sugarhouse

Music Composition: Electric Symphony
Performed by: Hanan Townshend
Publishing rights controlled by: Hanan Townshend