VanMoof’s new ad encourages us to ride our way out of the rat race

The e-bike brand offers up a bleak picture of our reliance on cars in its latest cinematic commercial

Shot by director Paul Guesebroek, VanMoof’s new commercial ad arrives at an interesting juncture, as customers increasingly turn to healthier, greener modes of transport to get around town.

The spot certainly paints a damning picture of city life – showing people stuck in sweaty, anger-inducing traffic gridlocks. To ram the point home, they are all shown moving backwards, while our e-bike hero glides effortlessly by.

VanMoof’s damning indictment of cars has got the brand into trouble in the past, with its first ever TV commercial, released last year, banned by French TV for creating a “climate of anxiety” around car driving.

A year on, and as people are looking for different ways to commute to work as offices start to reopen after the pandemic, this new spot – which doubles down on VanMoof’s previous messages – seems timely and thought-provoking.

Credits:
Creative: In-house
Production company: Halal
Director: Paul Geusebroek
Music company: Sizzer
Post-production/VFX: Glassworks