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Skövde challenges the rules of the game

Northvolt's non-establishment in Skövde became a brave campaign that made it all the way to a nomination of the Publishing Prize 2022 as this year's brand ad.

It was on the finish line – but in the end Northvolt chose Gothenburg over Skövde for the establishment of its new battery factory earlier this year. But instead of mourning the loss of the battle of the prestigious battery factory, Skövde decided to put on the leadership jersey and continue to run the establishment work with a communication that stood out. After all, everything was prepared and ready for Northvolt, from a world-class industrial space to the welcome advertisement for the establishment.

When the decision was made that Skövde would be in the race for the battery factory, with almost 3,000 new jobs, everything went at breakneck speed. 400 hectares of attractive industrial land, and everything needed, were put forward in record time.

- The final decision was a bit snowy, of course, but we, the residents of Skövde, are used to moving forward in our own way, focusing on the next challenge and goal. We know that we have a comprehensive offer that is few and far between. So, then the idea of using the "non-establishment" for a marketing campaign was born - with a focus on everything actually being prepared, even your welcome ad, says Malin Sandegren, place marketer at Skövde municipality.

The campaign material, which consists of, among other things, welcome ads, the text with company name and "battery factory" coveredand replaced with a note that welcomes companies within the smart industry. The text explains that "there was no battery factory – but everything is now ready for the next establishment."

An advertising image at a bus stop

- We wanted to use this unique timing when many people think that Skövde probably went home to lick the wounds, to do something in a playful and unexpected way. Now they're going out with a broad campaign to tell the world they have vacant, and prepared, world-class industrial space. It's brave and makes Skövde a very fun customer to work with," says Linda Olofsson, account manager at Identx Kommunikation, who together with the working group developed the campaign.

The campaign was seen during weeks 10–11, in DI (print, digital), on billboards around Stockholm and Gothenburg, digital billboards in Stockholm, on the trains (tray tables and breakfast boxes) between Stockholm and Gothenburg and in social media.

Nominated for the Publishing Prize 2022

- It feels great that our first campaign under Skövde's new place brand received such a lot of attention and that we are now, as the only place brand in addition, one out of five nominees for the Publishing Prize 2022 in the category "Brand Ad of the Year". We could never have imagined this when we made the decision to invest in this campaign, but of course we think it deserves its place among the top candidates. It's time for places to start taking up space! Malin continues.

Starting point in place branding

The marketing campaign for Skövde was the first since a place brand was developed in Skövde. Now several campaigns are expected to take over that will highlight Skövde's offering, and strengthen the global position of being a knowledge hub for innovation and transformation. In addition to its tradition in the automotive industry and strength in the smart industry, Skövde has an exciting and international cutting edge in computer game development that has been taken into account in the place brand. Inspiration from the game world permeates design, tonality and word choice. Here it is played with expressions like Game on!, Play it like Skövde!, Level up! and Ready to challenge the rules of the game? Game on!, Play it like Skövde!, Live it up! and Ready to challenge the rules of the game?

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