Hasta La Ideas

In Forsman & Bodenfors’ latest spot for Volvo Trucks a parking valet on his first day on the job gets something of a surprise

Last year’s Epic Split, in which Jean-Claude Van Damme balanced precariously (and hilariously) between two lorries was a huge YouTube success, as well as pretty much making a clean sweep of advertising awards worldwide. The follow-up, The Casino, is a Candid Camera-style practical joke set outside the San Remo casino.

It’s brilliantly done and the look on the valet’s face is priceless, but hasn’t the strategy become a litle confused? The previous films – including The Hook and The Hamster Stunt – all demonstrated particular features of the trucks in dramatic, funny, highly shareable ways. In fact, Volvo claims that The Epic Split was the most shared video in the world following its launch. We know that hidden camera stunts are also highly shareable so the new film will no doubt prove popular on that front.

Here’s the making-of:

But, while there are so many other hidden camera stunts out there, it seems a shame to have lost the product demo aspect that made the Volvo Trucks ads great advertising, not just great entertainment.

Credits:
Client: Volvo Trucks
Creative Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors
Director: Henry Alex Rubin
Art Director: Anders Eklind and Sophia Lindholm
Copywriter: Martin Ringqvist, Björn Engström
Post Production: Absolute Post, London
Executive Producers: Chris Barett and Fergus Brown
Music: “Tighten Up”, Al Escobar and His Orchestra Courtesy of Fania Records
D.O.P: Matthew Woolf
Editor: Spencer Ferszt, Marshall Street Editors