My Favourite Andreas Nilsson Commercials

1. Reebok Classic Club Sneakers, Nails

Advertising Agency: Venables Bell & Partners, San Francisco, California, USA

This amusingly surreal commercial, directed by filmmaker Andreas Nilsson, stars American rapper, singer, songwriter, actress, and television personality Cardi B from The Bronx, New York City, in Reebok’s ‘Sport The Unexpected’ campaign series.

Cardi B is also famous for her trend-setting ‘nail art’ that has become part of her celebrity trademark.

During a conversation about her boy troubles to a friend in a hair salon, Cardi B’s undone shoelaces draws everyone’s attention. Using her magical ‘nail art’, she calmly ‘sports the unexpected’ to fix the problem, and then continues with her ‘nailed it’ story.

2. Amazon Alexa, Ironing

Advertising Agency: Droga 5, London, UK

As part of Amazon Alexa’s ‘voice-activated, virtual assistant’ advertising campaign, the ‘Ironing’ commercial is a superbly enacted medieval battle fantasy, with a humorously dramatised message of; “A voice is all you need”.

Filmmaker and director Andreas Nilsson’s superb storytelling skills come to the fore in this entertaining, epic, send up of a drama in play that is interrupted for some ‘performance coaching’ for the actors.

3. Volvo Trucks, The Tower

Advertising Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors, Gothenburg, Sweden

For the launch of their new Volvo FMX, Volvo FH, Volvo FH16 and Volvo FM heavy-duty trucks, engineers stacked the four large vehicles on top of one another in a 15-metre tall tower, weighing 58 tons.

Directed by filmmaker Andreas Nilsson, the spectacular mobile truck tower was filmed at night on Volvo’s Gothenburg Test Ground. Through the mist and rain, the dramatic demonstration of power and strength, reveals that someone, daringly, is standing on top of the behemoth. Surprisingly, it turns out be none other than Volvo’s President, Roger Alm.

4. Volvo Trucks, The Epic Split

Advertising Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors, Gothenburg, Sweden

Directed by filmmaker Andreas Nilsson, and filmed in a closed-off airstrip south of Madrid in Spain, the ‘Epic Split’ commercial for the launch of Volvo Truck’s new dynamic steering system, took the Internet by storm.

The film stars Belgian martial-arts expert and actor Jean-Claude Van Damme, performing a live-test demonstration that motivated 86 million views on YouTube.

The resonant soundtrack of Irish singer and songwriter Enja’s “Only Time Will Tell”, adds an evocative and emotive aspect to a truck commercial that is unexpected and very effective.

5. Toyota Tacoma, Tough As Chuck

Advertising Agency: Saatchi & Saatchi, Los Angeles, USA

Not surprisingly, filmmaker Andreas Nilsson was the Agency’s preferred choice for directing a tongue-in cheek scenario staring the other famous martial-arts tough guy, Chuck Norris, of whom it is jokingly said can strangle an opponent with a cordless phone.

The commercial amusingly intimates that Chuck’s mere signature is enough to imbue a Tacoma pickup truck with his ‘kick- butt’ power.

6. Jordan CP3.VI, Cut Through LA

Advertising Agency: Wieden+Kennedy, New York, USA

Andreas Nilsson used his acquired set designing expertise to theatrical effect in directing this Nike Brand Activation for the Jordan CP3.VI sports shoe worn by two time Olympic Gold medalist basketball player, Chris Paul.

Staged and filmed at Venice Beach, California, 40 actors were posed in ‘freeze-frame’ positions. The human chain of basketball players were dressed to look like Paul and each one represented a frozen action of his famed court moves that makes for compelling viewing.

7. Stella Artois Wimbledon, Never Heard of It

Advertising Agency: Mother, London, UK

Another theatrically directed commercial by filmmaker Andreas Nilsson, Stella Artois’s Wimbledon Tennis Tournament campaign commercial, is a lavish and colourful visual representation that takes viewers on a fun journey back in time to Victorian England.

Part of the integrated campaign was the creation of the ‘Time Portal’ in London that provided a fully immersive theatre experience of searching for Wimbledon’s first Tournament in 1877.

8. Stella Artois, The Pockets

Advertising Agency: Mother, New York, USA

Filmmaker Andreas Nilsson directed ‘The Pockets’ commercial for the global marketing launch of the new Stella Artois selling line ‘Joie de Bière’ which is a clever play on the French phrase ‘Joie de Vivre’.

Filmed on location in the Belgium town of Leuven in Dutch, and Louvain in French, the birthplace of Stella Artois, the commercial is a fun encouragement to take a break from obsessive cellphone preoccupations to appreciate the joy of a truly good beer.

Part of the Stella Artois integrated campaign strategy is to promote an extra ‘happy hour’ as a ‘Don’t Rush Hour’ at selected bars and establishments’.

9. Rekorderlig Swedish Premium Cider, Silver Skaters

Advertising Agency; Saatchi & Saatchi, London

Saatchi & Saatchi engaged filmmaker Andreas Nilsson to direct a commercial that would be quintessentially Swedish in character.
Jon Henrik Fjällgren’s Swedish ‘The Reindeer Herder’s Joik’ was chosen for the soundtrack for its mystical resonance, and it is central to the unique mood and atmospheric tone of the commercial.

His composition is based on the ancient and haunting ‘kulning’ herding call, which is also a song.

Set on the frozen Torneträsk lake in Lapland, Sweden, the story centres on two skating brothers Henrik and Anders and their coach/singer Jarmo.