Look Who’s Driving
Volvo Trucks
Issue 38 | March 2016
Agency
Forsman & Bodenfors
Creative Team
Art Director Sophia Lindholm Kim Cramer Anders Eklind Copywriter Björn Engström Designer Jerry Wass
Production Team
Agency Producer, Film Alexander Blidner Agency Producer, Digital Peter Gaudiano Production Company New Land Postproduction Swiss Stills Photographer Robin Aron Olsson Media agency BeOn
Other Credits
Volvo Global Marketing & Communications Director Ingela Nordenhav Senior Account Director Olle Victorin Account Director Cilla Pegelow Account Manager Anneli Kjellander Britta Malmberg Planner Tobias Nordström
Date
December 2015
Background
Volvo Trucks were well known for their long-haul trucks but their construction trucks had not been given the same attention. Construction trucks were all about robustness and mobility and Volvo Trucks were the sturdiest and most innovative of them all.
The task was to prove how sturdy they were.
Without a traditional media budget, the campaign had to rely on YouTube and social media, which meant it had to be entertaining and shareable for a broader audience, but, at the same time, highly relevant to the core target group, truck buyers and drivers.
Idea
What could be the toughest possible test for the Volvo FMX? The idea was to put the truck in the hands of a child. Four-year-old Sophie got to drive the 48-tonne truck with a remote control – for real. And to make it more interesting, a construction site was filled with all sorts of obstacles.
Thanks to its extremely strong cage construction, cast-iron front corners and skid plate of high-grade steel, the truck survived Sophie. And thanks to Automatic Traction Control, a revolutionary new feature that automatically engages the front axle when needed, the truck didn't get stuck.
It was also linked to a demo film of the features in "Look Who's Driving", explaining in detail how the truck is designed to handle rough treatment.
Results
10.7 million views on YouTube by February 1st, and 5.5m views on Facebook.
The fourth most-viewed video on YouTube in December 2015.
890 editorial pieces published about it.
+900 000 social actions.
Our Thoughts
I love the strategy here. Truck drivers and fleet managers are too darned busy to be sitting watching YouTube so the Volvo torture-test videos have all been designed for their kids to see. Take this little gem. A 17 year-old sees it, then shoves it in front of Dad. "You gotta see this!" So Dad has a look and then notices there are a whole load of other videos on the Volvo YouTube channel, some of which look really interesting to him because they are about the nit and grit of trucking. For instance, the video demonstrating the features of the truck has had nearly . million views. Every one of those was because someone chose to watch it.
This hilarious video captures attention but it's the others that tell the story.