TNT Ramps Up The Drama In Sleepy Belgium With Fantastic New Campaign

Who says Belgium is boring. For years, it was the kind of country you would visit to escape the drama life throws at you once in a while.

Why? Because everyone knows that nothing ever happens in Belgium. Sure, there have been one or two world-changing battles there.

But, all in all, Belgium is a sleepy country where you can gorge yourself on the fantastic chocolates, drink their famous beer and stare lovingly at the beautiful architecture.

That is until now. Yep, thanks to TV channel TNT, who are about to launch in Belgium, that has all changed.

With the help of a red button, some daring passers-by and a dazzling array of strange characters, its latest ad campaign has managed to transform a sleepy Flemish town into the set of a Hollywood movie. A particularly dramatic one with American football players, bike crashes, punch-ups, gun fights and sexy women riding motorcycles in their underwear.

Now that's not the Belgium I remember from my visit there. But then, judging by the fact that the ad has rocketed to the top of the Viral Video Chart in just 24 hours, it seems this is the kind of Belgium that people who live in busy cities can relate to.

The success of the ad is its simplicity. Take one sleepy town in Belgium and place a big red button in the middle of the town square with a message promising drama to anyone brave enough to press the button and watch. Cue lots of baffled faces as a parade of odd characters act out dramatic fist fights and gun battles.

The result? Well over 1.1 million shares and 3.5 millions shares in just 24 hours.