Creative content studio The Collective @ LAIR and Shanghai-based agency We Are Social’s new campaign for tech brand Acer’s Swift 7 laptop entitled #DareToBeSwift, features a series of spots running web and across all social platforms.
The three spots mirror the elegant moves of dancers with the sleek styling of the Acer’s Swift laptop were directed by Steven Weinzierl.
“Acer’s agency We Are Social approached me after seeing previous work of mine that incorporated dance and movement,” Weinzierl told DIVERGE. “I think they were attracted to my experience with professional dancers and performers and believed that together we could fuse the elegant physicality of the body and the product together in a unique and captivating way.”
The ads use the performers’ movements to bring life to the themes of lightness, balance, and strength; matching those of the laptop, further emphasizing their role in leading trends and style.
“One of the best and most memorable components of directing this spot was being able to work with the dancers themselves,” Weinzierl explained. “I was bowled over by their staggering abilities, professionalism and physical creativity.”
“Some were just beginning their careers, others were months from retirement, and still they each breathed new life into the spot,” he added. “It gave me a whole new respect for the medium.”
Weinzierl’s bold and polished aesthetic is heightened by the intricate camera work of the Phantom Flex High-Speed Digital Camera: extreme slow motion is captured 500 frames per second to enhance the movement of the dancers.
DIVERGE talked to Weinzierl to find out more about the ads:
Where did the idea for this campaign come from?
The idea for the campaign was to explore the revolutionary strength, lightness, and balance of the Acer Swift through the stunning visuals of performance artists. We wanted to mime the idea of pushing past expectations through both Acer and the dancers, thus celebrating the unity and fusion of human and abstract components.
Why did you choose ballet and dance to reflect creativity?
The theme of the spots are to actualize the idea of pushing an audience to the height of their excellence and recognizing what bravery and innovation can look like. By juxtaposing these shots together, we convey that both performance artists and the Acer Swift can excel in dramatic and graceful conditions.
Why is the camera work in this unique?
The most notable part of this project was that we used the Phantom Flex High-Speed Digital Camera, which was capable of shooting 500 frames per second. The motion was rendered 20 times slower than typical slow motion, heightening both the movement and light sensitivity. Other techniques include extreme close-ups to emphasize the dramatic nature of the spots and bold lighting to add another design element, which were employed to reject conventional narratives and push towards a creative direction that defies expectations.
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