Product as Brand

This week did you see the Polestar 3 campaign on The New York Times website?

The ads leverage minimalist, design-led visuals and modular storytelling to position the vehicle as an intelligent alternative in the premium EV category.

Each ad panel in the creative introduces a single product feature - ranging from aerodynamic design, to panoramic roof, to upgraded LIDAR (pictured) - in a visually instructional style.

What is at work in these ads?

First, the visual and UX designs are grounded in Scandinavian minimalism. Clean lines, muted grays, white space and architectural overhead views. This visual approach aligns with Polestar’s Nordic design ethos, drawing in viewers who appreciate clean, modern, and high-design sensibilities - think Apple, Muji or Bang & Olufsen aesthetics.

Then there's the sequential storytelling. The carousel format walks viewers through the car's distinct value props. Each slide has a focused message and supports education-based advertising - building understanding over time rather than overwhelming viewers up front.

There's also the interactive, native feel. The "+ hotspots" suggest interactivity even in static format. This reinforces a sense of control and exploration, working much like a product page on a dealer website.

Who is the target audience?

Polestar is aiming at affluent, design-savvy urban professionals (like some NYT readers) who are also likely early adopters or fast followers of EV tech. People who value aesthetics, innovation and environmental consciousness. People who have the disposable income for a premium EV but who may be turned off by Tesla's ubiquity or company leadership.

Why do I like these ads so much?

I appreciate the "brand as product, product as brand" communication design being demonstrated in the Polestar 3 ads.

Brand name. Product features. Unintrusive CTA. That’s it.

In my experience, this type of simple clarity is essential to powerful communication design, and has a causal relationship with understandability.

The ads may stop running soon, but if you miss them, you can see a reflection of them here on the Polestar 3 product page.