Volvo’s FMX truck is the toughest they’ve ever built, so the brand demonstrated its durability by letting a child rag one around an obstacle course, getting over 11m YouTube views in the process.
Case study summary
• Volvo follows up previous stunts with a new video showing how tough its new truck is
• Puts child in charge of truck via remote control and films the destruction
• Ampifies message with teaser videos
• Ad attracted more than 11.5 million YouTube views
The solution
Forsman & Bodenfors created the spot, in which a child is handed a remote control that drives a full-sized FMX truck and then let loose to drive it as she sees fit around a closed-off area.
Volvo released a teaser video a week before introducing its toughest truck ever, facing its biggest challenge from little Sophie with her pigtails and thick glasses.
For its new stunt, the 4-year-old was given a remote control specially made for this stunt that allowed her to control steering, acceleration, braking, and the gearshift. ‘Left and right, back and forwards’, is all that Sophie plans on doing up there, as she is driven up a building and let loose to handle the giant FMX truck on the gravel pit.
The result is an amazing ‘Look who’s driving’ film that shows how the Volvo truck can withstand almost anything. Sophie is having the time of her life ramming the giant truck right onto swinging boxes and concrete buildings. The truck braves fireworks, water filled yards while going off track most of the time, thanks to the 4-year-old’s highly destructive spree.
The text blurb says, “Volvo FMX is the toughest truck we ever built. Now with automatic traction control’.
The results
‘To show what the truck can do, we want to give it a real challenge. What test driver is more reckless than an unpredictable four-year-old?’ says Ricard Fritz, Vice President Volvo Trucks Brand.
The video not only succeeds in demonstrating the toughness of the new Volvo FMX, but also makes for a fun watch.
The ad attracted more than 11.5 million YouTube views.
The online ad follows a series of tests, the most famous of which showed Jean-Claude Van Damme performing an acrobatic feat as Enya played in the background.