The shortlist includes Havas' Euro RSCG and its sister agency Arnold, Publicis Groupe's Fallon, WPP Group's Ogilvy & Mather, independent StrawberryFrog and 180.
Volvo will visit each of the shops next week before choosing finalists, with final pitches pencilled in for March. The car manufacturer is struggling with falling sales and it will launch seven new models over the next four years.
It is believed the brief challenges agencies to plan global campaigns to promote these new models. Euro RSCG has held the Volvo creative account in the US since 1991. It formed a specialist automotive division, Fuel North America, after the 1998 win of Volvo's US regional dealer account. The agency then landed portions of Volvo Car Corporation's estimated $150m global account in 2000.
News of the review came in early December.
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