Like a Swede is a PSA that went viral like the common cold this week. It’s by ANR BBDO and B-Reel for TCO, a Swedish trade union confederation. And its message is that everyone with collective agreements in Sweden can enjoy the same benefits that are usually only available to the very richest in other countries.
So far it sounds as dull as Betoota (population: 4). It’s so not. It’s the story of Joe Williams, whose Beverly Hills lifestyle is transformed (hilariously) when he decides to live like a Swede.
A story that begins, “You know I’ve tried it all – Kabbalah, Kundalini, Kama Sutra…,” is going to grab its audience’s attention. This one with its ten second celebrity personal training sessions – per year, six month paternity leave on 90% pay, six weeks annual holiday…holds onto its audience for the full three and a half minutes. Joe Williams negotiated with his employer – his rich dad – to live like a Swede.
The story became the second most shared video in Sweden in its first 24 hours (to Volvo Trucks’ The Epic Split), and achieved more than 187,000 views and 25,000 social actions in its first five days.
“We are completely overwhelmed by the campaign’s reception. One desires and dreams of such an outcome when one starts a project like this, but you can never know how the outcome will be. Along with the advertising agency ANR BBDO, we have been able to explain the important role of The Part Model for the Swedish working life and competitiveness in an interesting and fun way. Who’d have thought it?” stated project manager, Ana Esteban.
According to TCO, the Swedes take for granted the model that distinguishes Sweden and its neighboring countries from almost every other country in the world. The rest of the world’s creative community doesn’t.
We’ve noticed the rocket rides of Swedish brands like Ikea, H&M, Absolut Vodka, Skype and Spotify. Of Swedish creative like Matias Palm-Jensen, Andreas Dahlqvist and Linus Karlsson. And of Swedish indies like Forsman & Bodenfors. [Check out this Big Idea).
So much so that Cannes held a three day session of lectures and workshops last year called Made@Sweden, examining what makes Sweden’s marketing tick.
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