Five years ago, VOLVO Trucks and Van Damme presented the „epic split."
What ingredients are needed for a perfect advertisement in the 21st century?
Take a truck brand that communicates reliability as a key brand value. Add a bold creative agency. Don't forget a great director and a martial arts film star open to all craziness. You also need two trucks and, of course, professional drivers. Spice it all up with a wonderful sunrise and Enya's catchy hit. Spend plenty of time on the production. See, the recipe isn't that simple, is it? But the end result is simply genius!
Personally, not many advertisements captivate me, but the Volvo Trucks 2013 advertisement, The Epic Split, turned out very professional! I also have perfectionist tendencies, so every moment of this 75-second ad was captivating.
In fact, it is the perfect combination of elements that has such an impact: creative, authentic, atmospheric – seemingly impossible!
For those who grew up on Jean-Claude Van Damme movies, any version of the perfect split is an eternal experience – and Volvo rode that wave! With trucks, no less.
The idea was a new approach to brand values, with the goal of not only positioning but also influencing the general perception and stereotypes about trucks.
VOLVO Trucks chose a rather difficult path: it allowed creativity to prevail. I wonder what the management thought of the idea?
How authentic would it be if Van Damme were to do the split (!!) in the air, standing between two reversing (!) VOLVO trucks, showcasing the incredible stability and precision of the trucks?.
The Belgian action hero's „delicate split” was intended as the crowning moment of the campaign. We can certainly say that this really became a bold advertisement!
The Spanish airport that served as the location was selected during the five-month (!) planning period.
Director Andreas Nilsson knew that time is also needed for the perfect advertisement recipe. It was a fortunate encounter; reportedly, Van Damme was surprised by the idea but remained calm throughout, even though he knew the stunt was dangerous. There was only one piece of safety rope on him, just in case.
After three days of rehearsal, the shot came together, with Van Damme doing the split between two reversing VOLVO trucks at sunrise, and to make the shot even more epic: „No filter, no trick!” (But we expect that from him 🙂)
VOLVO Truck achieved what most brands strive for: convincing people that the brand is synonymous with its main message, in this case, safety and reliability. Volvo Trucks veered off the beaten path (though I should note, this wasn't their first such successful experiment) and took on a creative agency (Forsman & Bodenfors) known for their groundbreaking ideas.
Because the road to success is like love: it requires depth and sometimes you have to take a leap. And how well VOLVO Trucks did to take that leap!
This is how you can generate 170 million from a campaign with a total cost of 3-4 million dollars...
Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors
Client: VOLVO Trucks
Director: Andreas Nilsson
Music: Enya: Only time
