Volvo supplies cars for new London drive-in

The concept of the pop-up drive-in movie is not brand-new—we covered a California-based effort back in 2006, after all—but we’re pretty sure the involvement of a major car brand has not been seen before. Sure enough, though, that’s exactly what’s enabled the Starlite Urban Drive-in, which recently sold out a three-night run in London’s East End. Situated in the cultural heart of London at the Truman Brewery, the Starlite featured a full-sized, outdoor screen along with 25 pre-parked Volvo cars, ready for patrons’ viewing, reminiscing and snacking pleasure. Tickets were GBP 25 per person, with a maximum of two people per car—included among those were the Volvo XC60, C30 and convertible C70, all wired to play the soundtrack on their radios. Snacks were even available from waitresses on roller skates at the event, which began on July 1 with a specially commissioned short film about the story of the drive-in movie. “Dirty Dancing” was featured the next night, followed by “Grease” on the last of the run. Tickets to the Startlite’s events sold out in two minutes, causing its creators to begin planning a nationwide expansion of the theater, which is even carbon-neutral. “The opportunity seemed to be one that fit well with our brand,” a Volvo spokeswoman told AdAge. “It also gave us a fun and unique opportunity to reach a younger audience that may not have been exposed to the Volvo brand before. We’ve been delighted with the success of the Starlite Urban drive-in.” Other car brands and entertainment entrepreneurs: time to embark on your own trip down memory lane…? Spotted by: AdAge via Raymond Kollau