Bentley's new film looks at the automaker's past and present. Image Credit: Bentley Motors
British automaker Bentley Motors is beginning celebrations for its 100th anniversary with a campaign reflecting on its long history of innovation and craftsmanship.
The short film, “Together we are Extraordinary,” tells the story of Bentley and its achievements, starting with founder W.O. Bentley. Much like Bentley itself, the new film uses advanced technology to create a striking end result.
“With our centenary coming up in 2019, we wanted to make a film that explained the ‘Bentley spirit,'” said Marc Mustard, news and product communications manager at Bentley, Crewe, Britain. “At its heart, Bentley’s story is one of collaboration.”
Story of Bentley
Bentley's new film details the brand’s origins and its evolution through its newest model, the Continental GT.
Metallic sculptures come alive with the help of 3D-scanned actors. Stylized archival images and motion graphic technology were also used.
Bentley's new film takes a look at the automaker's history of collaboration in light of its 100th anniversary
An aluminum paperweight is the key to W.O. Bentley’s piston design and jumpstarts the film when he touches it against a wall.
“Taking inspiration from the narrative techniques seen in modern movie title sequences, the film was designed to be dramatic enough to make the viewer want to find out more,” Mr. Mustard said.
Different Bentley models materialize onscreen to the sound of camera flashes in sleek chrome finishes.
Founder W.O. Bentley appears in the automaker's new campaign. Credit: Bentley Motors
The original Bentley Boys and Girls appear in the film alongside their race cars, as a nod to the automaker’s reputation in racing.
“The Bentley mindset has been the same since 1919: to create extraordinary cars for extraordinary customers," Mr. Mustard said. "This is how the brand arrived at the slogan, ‘Together we are extraordinary.’
“The film captures this collaborative spirit, visualizing both the cars and customers that drove the company forwards in its formative years," he said.
As the film continues, it focuses on different features of Bentley cars, from the headlights to navigation systems and seats.
“We wanted to create something different from anything Bentley had done before, so the textures seen in the CGI animation were inspired by the materials used in Bentleys today,” Mr. Mustard said.
Automotive anniversaries
Bentley is one of several luxury automakers celebrating milestone years.
Earlier this year, German automaker Porsche released a film to celebrate its 70 years in service online, following a yearlong celebration from Ferrari for a similar feat. The film touts the family of Porsche owners around the while and the series of bold characteristics that bring them together (see story).
Fellow British automaker Land Rover is also celebrating its 70th anniversary with a variety of initiatives, including a special broadcast on its YouTube channel. The broadcast, which aired on April 30, spotlighted models, cars and individuals who are important to Land Rover’s history (see story).
A centennial celebration, however, is an even rarer milestone.
“This is just the very beginning of our campaign," Bentley's Mr. Mustard said. "Over the next year, you will see the centenary come alive through our products, events and partnerships around the world."