BMW
The Escape
How do you bring a cinematic experience to life beyond the screen?
To mark the 15th anniversary of BMW Films' The Hire, BMW introduced The Escape, a new short film starring Clive Owen and directed by Neill Blomkamp.
At Ming, Brad Blondes led the design team responsible for developing the film's visual identity, art direction, and integrated design system. The work translated the film's cinematic character into a cohesive campaign language spanning key art, digital experiences, outdoor advertising, and promotional communications.
Work led by Brad Blondes during his tenure as Partner and Chief Design Officer at Ming, prior to founding 4East.
Building a cinematic identity
A film's visual identity needs to capture its character while creating a recognizable presence beyond the screen.
We developed a series of cinematic key art expressions that combined dramatic photography, layered imagery, typography, and restrained color to reflect the film's tension, energy, and visual atmosphere.
The resulting identity established a creative language that could work independently across different formats while remaining connected to the film itself.
Creating a connected digital experience
The campaign extended into a digital experience designed to introduce audiences to The Escape and the broader BMW Films universe.
We translated the visual identity into a responsive design system, establishing a consistent approach to typography, imagery, composition, and navigation across desktop, tablet, and mobile experiences.
The digital expression balanced the immersive qualities of cinematic storytelling with the clarity and functionality required for an accessible online experience.
Taking the story into the world
The visual system extended into large-scale outdoor advertising, translating the film's key art into high-impact environmental applications.
Across billboards and other promotional formats, the campaign maintained its cinematic character while adapting to different scales, proportions, and viewing contexts.
Extending the creative language
Beyond the primary campaign, we developed additional visual expressions and promotional materials that expanded the identity while remaining connected to its cinematic foundation.
These applications explored different compositions, imagery, and storytelling approaches, allowing the campaign to take on new creative dimensions without losing the visual character established by the film.