700 Bike Commercial

Summary

n 2017, JL DESIGN and W teamed up with emerging Taiwanese director Hsieh Yu-en to create an attention-grabbing product promotional video for 700 Bike entitled "Being a Wild Dog". The video used storytelling techniques to turn the existing binary notion of human nature being either good or evil on its head and to invite reflection, while also embodying the "wildness" and "bravery" necessary to challenge these mainstream views. By bringing taboo topics directly to viewers’ screens, the spotlight is cast on the brand and its products, drawing the curiosity of viewers and turning it into a topic of discussion.

Mission

JL DESIGN was behind the collaboration between W and emerging Taiwanese director Hsieh Yu-en as the two worked together to create an attention-grabbing promotional video for 700 Bike entitled "Being a Wild Dog". Hsieh’s trademark avant-garde sub-culture visual style preached spiritual lessons to the audience, highlighting the unique brand spirit of 700 Bike and emphasised the distinctive features of their products.

Solution

The video deliberately used bold colours and gritty glitch aesthetics throughout in order to create a sense of contrast. The artistic direction resulted in a strongly retro-futuristic art style, from the scenes and costume designs, to the game-animation interface featuring life simulation. The story’s protagonist works in a love hotel and detachedly observes the lives of guests as an outsider. Everyone has to find a way to survive under the society’s game system of a "Life Bidding Network". In order for people to obtain their desires, they have to become someone else’s pet dog. The protagonist subsequently succumbed to the pressure of real life and chose to immerse himself in the game world, but after getting everything he ever wanted, he was struck by an epiphany, and chose to abandon fame and fortune, releasing the spirit of the wild dog within. By doing so, he remembered his original purpose, which is also the spirit behind 700 Bike’s product: Go wherever you want to go but didn’t go. Become whoever you want to be but didn’t try to become.

Impact

The video used storytelling techniques to turn existing notions on their head and to invite reflection of the mainstream view that sees human nature as only either good or bad, while also embodying the "wildness" and "bravery" that many urban dwellers dream about. The director built a unique world based on his own experiences and social observations, and boldly brought the taboo topic of naked primal desire to viewers’ screens. Casting the spotlight on the brand and its products, the video managed to draw the curiosity of viewers and turn it into a topic of discussion, which in turn, prompted viewers to explore the concept and essence of the products.