Joyriding jumbo steals the show for Virgin Media O2

Virgin Media O2 is continuing to tap into the animal kingdom for the fourth chapter of its “To Better and Beyond” campaign, this time employing the services of an opportunist elephant joyrider, designed to spotlight Virgin Media’s TV and entertainment service.

“Trunk Trucker”, devised by agency VCCP, follows “Highland Rider”, “Goat Glider” and “Walrus Whizzer”, and shifts the focus from broadband to entertainment, with the aim of showcasing that Virgin Media offers a world-class selection of programming – including TNT Sports, Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, Disney+ and Netflix.

At the heart of the campaign is a 60” spot, for which VCCP and its global content creation studio Girl&Bear worked with multi-award winning director Andreas Nilsson through Biscuit Filmworks to bring the idea to life. The CGI was once again crafted by Emmy and BAFTA award-winning Untold Studios.

Set to the soundtrack of Laura Branigan’s Self Control, the film follows an elephant as she steals a red truck from a gas station and embarks on a journey into the big city.

With a twinkle in her eye, we see her drive into the centre of Bangkok, drawn in from the countryside by the lure of the bright city lights.

“Trunk Trucker” is designed to represent the feeling of discovering entertainment like you have never imagined – a visual metaphor for the scale, breadth and richness of Virgin Media’s TV and entertainment offering.

Just like in the previous three films, our protagonist is designed to represent how it feels to be with Virgin Media. Only this time, rather than fast, reliable broadband, it is the world of entertainment that takes centre stage.

The campaign will run across TV, video on demand, online video, out of home, radio and social, with media planning and buying by MG OMD.

Virgin Media O2 marketing director Simon Valcarcel said: “Virgin Media is home to a breadth of unmissable entertainment across the UK’s most popular channels, apps and streaming services – from Sky Sports to Netflix and more, there’s something for everyone. Trunk Trucker brings that to life in a big, bold and memorable way, full of Virgin Media’s trademark energy and character.”

VCCP executive creative director David Masterman added: “Promoting Virgin Media’s TV service gave us the perfect chance to have a bit more fun with the world we’ve built. This time, it’s the story of an opportunist elephant joyrider that leaves the countryside behind and heads into the city, because she’s heard it’s where all the best entertainment is. She’s as bold and unstoppable as the brand itself.”