As a CEO you can no longer hide behind your corporate branding. Customers demand you live and breathe the brand (think Steve Jobs, Marissa Mayer and Richard Branson).
But how often does a boss genuinely put their life in the hands of their company's product?
Claes Nilsson, president of Volvo Trucks, took on this challenge and put his neck on the line during his own exciting stunt, called quite simply #thehook.
Forget about tricks, clever camera angles, and stunt men ready to jump in at the final second, Nilsson chose to try out the robustness of the new Volvo FMX by giving it a unique test drive.
Claes Nilsson balances on the new Volvo FMX, suspended by its towing hook
"When you want to make a YouTube hit you need the hook at the beginning of the film," Nilsson reveals.
But the hook in this case was made from cast iron and suspended him, and the new Volvo FMX, more than 20 metres in the air over Gothenburg Port in Sweden, during a new video made by his company.
However, while the CEO might look as though he's in danger (see video above), as Nilsson explains, he's actually resting safely on the most robust truck his company has ever made.
The truck's front towing hook can handle up to 32 tonnes of stress. So a minor amount of 15 tonnes (plus Nilsson!) is nothing to be worried about.
“Well, I have to admit I had butterflies in my tummy before the event. I’m no mountain climber and I don’t like heights. But I’d promised to do the stunt so I couldn’t very well back out,” said the CEO.
#TheHook is not the first spectacular test that Volvo Trucks has filmed. In connection with the launch of the new Volvo FH in September 2012, the film The Ballerina Stunt was released, in which Faith Dickey slacklines between two trucks driving at full speed.
“Since then we’ve introduced another four truck models. Our plan is to subject them to a variety of tests, all with the aim of demonstrating the improved characteristics of each model. These are not any run-of-the-mill tests we’re doing. I can assure you you’re going to see things that nobody in the truck world has ever done before,” reveals Nilsson.
Click here, so you don't miss the next film coming out from Volvo and follow the team on twitter, or search via #thehook