In 2021, tennis legend Roger Federer teamed up with Swiss Tourism to promote his home country Switzerland, featuring alongside stars like Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway in a series of ads. But in March 2023, they released an unexpected and hilarious 3-minute commercial with Trevor Noah that made people laugh so hard that it quickly went viral.
In the commercial, Roger Federer and “The Daily Show” host Trevor Noah, who are both half-Swiss, joyfully explore Switzerland’s scenic railways, promoting the Grand Train Tour.
In the viral video, the pair is seen chatting about shooting the commercial for the train tour. Arriving at Zurich’s central station, the two stars board the Goldenpass Express between Montreux and Interlaken, almost in a comical accident. Suddenly Federer gazes through the glass of another train and says, “But the crew is over here!”
Noah replies hilariously, “Oh I think the crew is on the wrong train.” Federer says, “No we are on the wrong train!” When Noah also realizes this, he yells at the conductor to stop the train but it is too late. But as they are seated aboard the train, the accident unfolds into a thrilling experience. “That’s not too bad!” Noah exclaims as the glass window reveals vistas of green hills, dotted with tiny cottages, sunlight filtering inside, and lanes of pyramid-shaped trees.
As the train goes through the terrains of Switzerland, a boy walks towards their seats and asks the duo if he can snap a photo with them. Soon enough, the ticket collector comes and asks them for their tickets, they say they are on the wrong train. A lady, who says she’s a big fan of Noah, pays for their tickets and the train continues to sweep past the breathtaking landscapes of Switzerland.
“I am happy we’re on the wrong train,” Federer exclaims at the end of the video, to which Noah replies, “That was one of the best trips I have taken, I wish we could do it again.” Once they hop off the train, they slip away from the crew and run to board another panoramic train ride on the route.
The route showcased in the ad was part of the Grand Train Tour project that takes travelers along a trail spanning 1280 kilometers, exposing spectacular views on the way that include 11 large lakes, 5 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, cosmopolitan cities, towering castles, medieval villages, and snow-capped Alpines. Through the project, they intend to showcase that the Swiss country promises much more than its famous chocolates, cowbells, and cuckoo clocks.
The advert featuring Federer and Noah invited 83 million views in just a year and thousands of comments. It also became widespread on social media and most people loved it. “’You’re never on the wrong train, you’re always on the right train,’ damn that hits deep,” commented @tchaffman.
@polyglotconondrum said, “This was surprisingly good. So many Swiss commercials don’t use modern and relatable humor, but this was definitely funny! Well done!” @annettamanta213 remarked, “Great tennis player, great comedian, great country. We love Switzerland!”
This article originally appeared 5 months ago.
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