The archive · Advertising · Marketing decision · 2013–2014
Volvo Trucks' 'Epic Split' — Van Damme splits between two reversing trucks
Volvo Trucks films Van Damme holding a split between two reversing trucks to prove Dynamic Steering — 60M+ views, ~$100M media value.
Volvo Trucks (AB Volvo)
What it had to solve
Volvo Trucks was launching its new FM, FMX, FL and FE range with Dynamic Steering, in a B2B category where ads rarely break through. PR director Per Nilsson said the brand could not outspend competitors, so it had to outsmart them.
How it works
In late 2013 Volvo Trucks needed to launch its new FM, FMX, FL and FE models, whose headline feature was Volvo Dynamic Steering. As PR director Per Nilsson put it, the brand could not outspend competitors, so it had to outsmart them — and it bet on a single stunt film to do it.
Forsman & Bodenfors conceived 'The Epic Split' for the Live Test series: action star Jean-Claude Van Damme stands on the side mirrors of two Volvo FM trucks reversing in perfect sync and holds his signature split. Shot at a deserted airfield in Spain under director Andreas Nilsson, the film premiered on November 14, 2013, after a teaser in which the steering engineer explains the stunt.
Within a month the film passed 60 million views, was shared more than six million times, spawned numerous spoofs and drew roughly 20,000 editorial pieces, which Volvo valued at close to $100 million. It became the most-watched automotive commercial on YouTube at the time and won Best in Show at the 2014 New York Festivals.
Why it lands
- It turned a technical spec — steering precision — into a physical stunt anyone could understand at a glance.
- It inverted B2B marketing: instead of talking only to buyers, it made the truck the star for drivers, hauliers and a mass audience.
- Releasing on YouTube as entertainment let organic sharing, not media spend, do the reach.
- The teaser built anticipation before the reveal, turning a launch into an event.
What it did
Over 60 million views within a month, 6 million+ shares, roughly 20,000 editorial mentions and an estimated $100 million in media value — the most-watched automotive ad on YouTube at the time. It took Best in Show at the 2014 New York Festivals and shifted Volvo Trucks toward consumer-facing storytelling.
What you can take
When you cannot outspend rivals, make the product's advantage the spectacle: one real, filmable proof point, shared as entertainment, can beat a media budget.
Since then
The Epic Split became the signature of Volvo Trucks' Live Test series, which collected more than 100 million views across its six films. Volvo said the strategy shifted the brand from B2B to a business-to-consumer approach built on engagement, and hauliers reported customers bringing up the film; it kept winning — Best in Show at New York Festivals 2014 and top honors at the ADC awards — and remains the benchmark for viral truck advertising.
Sources
- Jean-Claude Van Damme to Star in Volvo Stunt
- Van Damme breaks record for Volvo
- F&B Sweden Earns Best In Show At New York Festivals Ad Awards
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