KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA – To ignite attention to Volvo’s latest new model launch, the ES90, Volvo Malaysia instead launched an entirely new car brand called ‘SELAMAT’. Grey Malaysia, in partnership with media agency Invictus Blue, devised a fully integrated creative campaign, with a specially designed camo car, digital outdoor, and digital assets with no mention of Volvo. All specifically created to re-engage Malaysians with Volvo’s core values in safety.
In Malaysia, “Selamat” has a double meaning. Spoken every day, most often used to wish each other well – Selamat Pagi or safe journey, Selamat Jalan. ‘Selamat’ in isolation also means ‘safety’ – a belief that has been the foundation of Volvo’s Malaysian presence since 1966.
The campaign launched on 15th January with the new ES90 disguised with a specially designed ‘Selamat’ camo wrap, which was driven around Kuala Lumpur for a week, creating a wave of buzz across social media. This was supported by a ‘Selamat’ digital outdoor, social and dedicated website that drove speculation and attention to a launch event on 22nd January, where Volvo revealed that ‘Selamat’ is Volvo. What appeared to be yet another new EV entering the market was revealed to be the original pioneer of automotive safety, returning with the same values that have defined it for almost a century.
Patricia Yaw, Sales & Marketing Director of Volvo Car Malaysia, shares “The electric vehicle landscape in Malaysia is growing fast. New brands are entering the market, many of which assert their own claim towards advanced technology and safety. In a world where everyone says they are safe, safety risks becoming just another feature, something spoken about, but rarely felt. For Volvo, safety has never been a claim. SELAMAT reflects our belief that true progress lies in giving drivers confidence, foresight, and peace of mind on every journey. As mobility continues to evolve, SELAMAT ensures that human life remains at the centre of everything we do.”
Graham Drew, Chief Creative Officer Grey Malaysia said “We needed to re-engage Malaysian drivers with the vital importance of safety inside and outside the car, how it has been the very foundation of Volvo from the very outset. So, instead of launching a new model, we pre-launched a ‘new’ brand ‘Selamat’ – a literal campaign vehicle that carried this promise at the very heart and created a launch platform for a new 12 month campaign re-establishing Volvo’s leadership in the most essential part of motoring.”
Today, Volvo Car Malaysia officially launches SELAMAT, a thematic campaign running throughout 2026, designed to transform road safety from a regulatory mandate into a shared culture.
Throughout the year, Volvo Car Malaysia will host a series of on-ground activations and educational initiatives to reassert the importance of safety fundamentals. These efforts will build towards a major milestone – the SELAMAT Drive, slated for Q2 2026. This flagship driving event will allow Malaysians to experience the synergy between safe driving habits and Volvo’s innovative technologies in a real-world environment.
Shaping the future of safety
Volvo Car Malaysia has long been a leader in safety innovation. With SELAMAT, the brand is not only building safer cars—it is helping shape a safer world. This philosophy informs every aspect of Volvo’s design, engineering, and driving experience. SELAMAT stands as a promise, a benchmark, and a movement that will continue to save lives, inspire confidence, and redefine what it means to drive with peace of mind.
A legacy of safety leadership
Since 1927 globally – and since 1966 locally – Volvo’s unwavering commitment to safety has helped shape the global automotive industry. Guided by the belief that safety must be proactive, inclusive, and people-centred, Volvo has consistently set benchmarks for others to follow. Key milestones include:
- The Three-Point Safety Belt (1959): Invented by Volvo, this innovation has saved more than one million lives worldwide and remains one of the most important safety breakthroughs in automotive history.
- Safe Space Technology: An invisible aura of safety – starting from the very chassis of the car to the active and passive technology, built into a Volvo car. This comprehensive suite enables Volvo cars to anticipate risks, adapt to changing conditions, and help prevent accidents before they occur.
- Multi-Adaptive Safety Belt: The next revolution in safety, introduced by Volvo Car Malaysia for the future.
These innovations show that Volvo does not wait for others to define safety. Instead, Volvo is the benchmark.
Why SELAMAT matters today
This legacy of protection is more urgent now than ever. Road safety remains a pressing concern in Malaysia. According to data from the Department of Statistics Malaysia, 4,428 transport-related fatalities were recorded in Malaysia in 2024. It was also the principal cause of death for population aged 15–40 years, which recorded at 2,547 deaths. These figures are a sobering reminder that safety is not an abstract concept—it is deeply personal, affecting families, communities, and lives every single day.
In this context, SELAMAT carries even greater meaning. Beyond its everyday use in greetings such as selamat pagi or selamat malam, the word reflects a deeper wish for protection and well-being. It is what we hope for our loved ones every time they leave home – and what we want to ensure when they return. Through SELAMAT, Volvo transforms this simple yet powerful word into a promise of peace of mind, built on thoughtful design and purposeful innovation.
SELAMAT: A promise, a benchmark, a movement
At its core, the SELAMAT campaign is defined by three pillars:
A Promise: SELAMAT is Volvo Car Malaysia’s enduring vow – a promise that has shaped every innovation, every vehicle, and every generation of drivers for nearly a century. It represents Volvo’s ambition to provide the freedom to move in a personal, sustainable, and safe way, and a clear vision of a future where no one is seriously injured or killed in a Volvo.
A Benchmark: Volvo has always chosen to set its own standards rather than follow existing ones. From Nils Bohlin’s invention of the three-point safety belt to testing vehicles beyond industry requirements, the brand continues to raise the bar. Today, every new Volvo is equipped with Safe Space Technology, leveraging real-world data, artificial intelligence, and continuous software updates to help predict, adapt to, and prevent risks before they happen. In the future, Volvo will introduce the Multi-Adaptive Safety Belt alongside the EX60.
A Movement: Finally, SELAMAT is a movement – one that extends beyond the vehicle and into everyday life. It is present in every safe arrival, every life protected, and every unseen danger avoided. Each innovation, feature, and Volvo vehicle contributes to a larger mission: to make safety the greatest luxury and to foster a culture where care, foresight, and protection are integral to every journey.
For more information about Volvo, visit www.volvocars.com/my or follow Volvo Car Malaysia on Facebook and Instagram.
