Volvo launches four new trucks by stacking them on top of each other in spectacular film — complete with President on top
Gothenburg, Sweden – Volvo Trucks’ latest launch film has reached new heights. To demonstrate the power and strength of its four new vehicles, Volvo built a colossal 15-metre, 58-tonne truck tower, stacking its four new trucks on top of one another. Adding to that, they stood president Roger Alm on top.
In the truck industry, releasing one truck is a huge project. But releasing four at the same time is almost unheard of. When renewing the entire range of heavy duty trucks, Volvo Trucks went for a different approach.
The unusual film is set in the dead of night and starts by showing the truck tower as a huge monolith glowing in the distance. As it moves forward, we see wolves in the foreground and catch a glimpse of a female driver. As the film reaches its climax, complete with smoke and lighting effects, we see that the man standing on top of the truck tower is actually Volvo Trucks’ president Roger Alm.
The release of the film comes one day ahead of the official launch of the heavy duty range in Europe, which includes the Volvo FH, Volvo FH16, Volvo FM and Volvo FMX. The four trucks represent about two thirds of Volvo Trucks’ deliveries.
”This is our biggest launch ever at Volvo Trucks. They will have a huge impact on our customers’ profitability and ability to compete both for business and the best drivers. I´m used to being on top of things, but for me, shooting the truck tower was definitely an unusual day at work. And let’s just say I have a certain respect for heights. I´m a down to earth guy”, said Roger Alm, president of Volvo Trucks.
The film was shot in late 2019 on a testing ground outside Volvo’s hometown of Gothenburg, Sweden. Both the truck tower and the majority of the visual effects are real, including the smoke and lights, which a behind-the-scenes film reveals.
”It took about a month to design and build the tower and make sure it was safe to drive. Essentially, this was made possible thanks to the sturdy construction truck, the Volvo FMX, and its new 38-tonne bogie being able to carry the weight of the others. But it also required a steady speed and course, accomplished by the Volvo Dynamic Steering technology and a skilled truck driver”, said Markus Wikström, engineer at Volvo Trucks and part of the engineering team behind the tower.
CREDITS
Client: Volvo Trucks
Title: The Tower
First air date: February 26th, 2020
Creative Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors
Client Director: Cilla Pegelow
Account Director: Ann Spennare Bengtsson
Account Manager: Britta Nilsson
Art Director: Mattias Berg, Jose in Roxeheim
Copywriter: Olle Langseth, Hampus Elfström
PR-strategist: Bjarne Darwall
Designer: Jerry Wass
Planner: Daniel Sjöstrand Agency
Producer: Lena Sellman
Digital strategist: Peter Gaudiano
Media/PR agency: Verizon, TMK
Production company: Bacon
Post production: Bacon X
Music: Vangelis – Conquest of Paradise
Production company: Bacon
Director: Andreas Nilsson
Managing director: Mette Jermiin
Executive producer: Samuel Cantor
Producer: Karl Wettre
Line producer: Jakob Berlin
Coordinator: Danielle Ekblad
1st AD: Robert Diment
2nd AD: Ronald Meier
D.O.P: Jakob Ihre
Key grip: Emil Hall
Gaffer: Nils Wallin
Prop Master: Zeke Söderlund
Motion control Operator: Allan O. Lükow
Stylist: Natalie Olenheim
Stunt: Seth Ericson Editor: Peter Brandt
Sound design: Adrian Aurelius
Head of PR: Lasse Cato
Focus puller: Daniel Wannberg
Drone operator: Daniel Casselby
SFX supervisor: Johan Hamesk
Edit assistant: Nikolaj Dahl
Post production: BaconX
VFX & COLOUR: BaconX
VFX supervisors: Jonas Drehn & Jan Tvilling
EXECUTIVE POST PRODUCER: Eliana Carranza-Pitcher
VFX PRODUCER : Louise Bejerholm
COLOURIST: Hannibal Lang
COLOUR ASSIST: Søren Gamborg Knudsen
Concept artist: Ditte Marie Ludvigsen
Previs artists: Tom Crate, David Lessel
CG Artists: David Lessel, Arthur Dalvig, Mats Andersson, Gemma Aliaga Costa, Erik Sundkvist
Comp artists: Mario Maruska, Mikkel Hansen, Jacob Carlsson, Oliver Buus, Kai Hauswirth
For more information visit the Volvo Trucks website and social media channels:
www.volvotrucks.com
www.facebook.com/VolvoTrucks/
www.instagram.com/volvotrucks/
www.linkedin.com/company/volvo-trucks/
