In Bentley’s latest work for the Continental GT & GTC ‘S’, directors Ben Adler and Chris Saunders, known under the moniker Ben&Chris, create a symphony for the senses highlighting a younger generation of luxury car owners and experience-seekers. Produced by Believe Media, the spot unites premium legacy with the profound and euphoric dopamine rush of driving this new bespoke variation of the fabled Bentley Continental.
The Bentley creative team brought Ben&Chris into the concepting process early on, inviting the duo to tour the factory, absorb and learn more about the company’s heritage.
“We saw first-hand these are meticulously built couture cars,” shares Saunders. “We wanted to take that intricate technique and legacy to tell a story about how a car crafted with such revere hosts an environment beyond the surface and journey into the science of the driver experience.”
A spectacle among the cityscape of Toronto woven to a soundscape of power, pursuit, and intrigue, the ads bring audiences from the driver’s seat through neuropathways as the driver takes us on a metropolitan voyage. A 180o shot takes us from daylight to twilight where the Continental glimmers across the tunnel lights and we’re thwarted into an adrenalin-fueled ride among the evening glow.
“Our incredible camera team and DP Justin Henning were integral to helping us achieve the ambitious visual plan we set out to create,” comments Adler. “Not to mention our precision driver who completely reverse-tracked that gorgeous final shot at high speed against the clock – the entire process from concept to delivery has been fantastic.”
“Ben&Chris really married two intense crafts in this piece,” notes Believe Media EP James Covill. “As filmmakers, Ben’s background in cinema combined with Chris’ work in high-end fashion, I felt, aligned beautifully with the brand and the methodically precise craftsmanship of a Bentley."
Sonic Branding For Social Media: Engage, Align, Connect
By Chad Cook -- With more than five billion people accessing social media daily, savvy brands understand the importance of cultivating a strong social identity. They devote massive resources toward brand awareness, audience targeting, content strategy and community engagement. Yet, while they know that social platforms are critical to boosting sales and attracting new customers, many neglect one of the most effective tools for connecting with consumers: sonic branding. Marketers often associate sonic branding with catchy mnemonics used by big brands like McDonald’s, Netflix and Intel in their advertising. But that is a very limited view of what sonic branding is and what it can do. Sonic branding is a way to build awareness and stimulate engagement across all touch points, from advertising to broadcast digital, in-person and social. And it’s not limited to members of the Fortune 500. Brands at all levels can benefit from a sonic identity that is memorable, engaging and reflective of its core values. Sound has been scientifically proven to be deeply tied to memory and emotion. There’s a reason that certain songs stick in your head and bring back memories formed years or even decades earlier. So, it’s surprising that sonic branding is often an afterthought in marketing plans. That is especially true in social media marketing. Faced with tight deadlines and strained budgets, creative teams are often tempted to select music for their content simply because it “fits.” Unfortunately, that may result in content that is in tune with what’s trending but is out of tune with brand identity. Effective sonic branding, by contrast, requires thoughtful strategic planning,... Read More