Polestar isn’t just another electric‑car startup—it’s a design‑driven challenger taking on a $785Bn global EV market. In this episode, Åsa Borg, Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer of Polestar, explains how building an in‑house agency, embracing radical transparency, and balancing 60/40 brand‑vs‑performance spend helped the Scandinavian brand grow across 27 markets. From running a “Silence in a Loud World” Super Bowl spot to launching SUV models 3 and 4, Åsa details why focusing on sustainability is table stakes—yet never the only selling point. If you want to learn how to scale a purpose‑led brand without diluting its DNA, this is your playbook.
Watch our documentary on the Future of the CMO from this link 📺: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AXBKelmQomM
In this episode, Eric sits down with Åsa Borg, the Chief Marketing & Commercial Operations Officer at Polestar, the Swedish electric performance car brand that's challenging the automotive industry. Since launching in 2017, Polestar has rapidly expanded to 27 markets globally with their lineup of electric vehicles. Åsa brings her wealth of experience from 20 years at Volvo Cars to this challenger brand, offering unique insights on the difference between marketing for an established brand versus building one from scratch.
One of the key takeaways from this conversation is how Polestar approached sustainability—making it core to their brand identity rather than just a marketing message. Åsa shares that transparency is a fundamental value for Polestar, especially in an industry that has historically hidden its environmental impact. We also dive into their decision to bring creative and media capabilities in-house, which has allowed for greater consistency, speed, and control over their brand expression across all 27 markets. Another fascinating aspect of our discussion explores how AI is being integrated into their marketing operations, from improving translation to maintaining brand tonality across markets. If you're interested in automotive marketing, sustainability branding, or building in-house creative capabilities, this episode is packed with valuable insights!
Watch the video version of this podcast on Youtube ▶️: https://youtu.be/fSEW2Vl2Sf8
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🖊️Mentioned in the show:
Scratch is a production of Rival, a marketing innovation consultancy that develops strategies and capabilities that help businesses grow faster. Scratch is hosted by Eric Fulwiler, and he's joined by Åsa Borg of Polestar in this episode.
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