The solution
Most cars were designed around the average male body and tested with male dummies, so women were measurably less safe in crashes. Volvo's own data showed women 71% more likely to be injured and 17% more likely to die, largely from injuries like whiplash that female anatomy made likelier.
Instead of selling this research as proof Volvo was safer, the E.V.A. Initiative gave it away: a free digital library of 40-plus years of safety research, including virtual crash-test dummies, that Volvo urged the whole industry to use. It extended the company's tradition of open sharing that began with the three-point seatbelt patent in 1959.
The giveaway reframed Volvo as the industry's safety conscience. The research was downloaded more than 11,000 times during the launch campaign, and the jury recognized the move with a Creative Strategy Grand Prix at Cannes 2019.
What it achieved
Give away the data that would sell cars
Why it worked
Sharing the data made Volvo's expertise the story instead of a claim
The 71%/17% gap was a problem competitors couldn't ignore once published
Free downloads showed genuine openness, not a stunt
The move extended Volvo's 60-year seatbelt-sharing legacy, making it credible
What can be applied
If your advantage is proprietary knowledge, publish the knowledge: generosity becomes proof of expertise and removes the excuse for not fixing the problem.
Aftermath
E.V.A. won the 2019 Cannes Creative Strategy Grand Prix plus a Silver in the same category and two Golds (Brand Experience & Activation, Creative Data), and a Gold Pencil at The One Show 2020; Volvo continued publishing safety research in later years.
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