Volvo’s “Epic Split”, starring Jean-Claude Van Damme doing the splits between a pair of moving trucks, was one of the most talked-about ads of last year, and even took home a pair of Grand Prix Lions at Cannes. While most of the world was focused on the action star’s return to glory, there was one unsung hero most of us never got to see: the guy driving the truck.

Jens Karlsson has been driving trucks since 1988, and Volvo and agency Forsman & Bodenfors brought him back for a branded reality series, the first three episodes of which debut on the company’s YouTube channel tomorrow. He will be travelling with Swedish musician Mapei over nine days as she films her newest music video. Based on the trailer for the show, Karlsson doesn’t hold back any of the tricks of the trade he’s picked up over the years just because he has a pop star as a passenger.

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While “Reality Road” is (ostensibly) about Mapei, there is something undeniably interesting about Jens. When does a regular trucker learn to do those kinds of stunts with a truck that big? How many did he crush before becoming an expert? Do his bosses know he’s been teaching himself to do donuts and wheelies? Why, why, why would you ever want to do that in the first place? Luckily, ahead of the series’ release, Volvo has released a behind-the-scenes video introducing us to Jens.

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Credits:

Brand: Volvo Trucks
Agency: Forsman & Bodenfors