Bridgestone Enliten Technology //
Passion That Drives People.
Clutch was invited to explore the visual identity of Enliten. As we dove deep into this exercise, we took away an optimistic message; Enliten was not just a technology, but a harmony between science and engineering, a commitment to sustainability and safety, and an uncompromising level of performance that instills a sense of passion that drives people.
Treatment //
After our initial call with the client, the Clutch team had a week to put together a cohesive treatment illustrating our vision for how this execution would look and feel. Beyond defining the visual makeup of the particles, we considered their personality; would they glow, twinkle, bounce, dissolve, spread, or stay tight with an invisible force? We reflected on the branding and ensured the editorial pacing, transitions, and graphic elements were unified. To tie it all together we guided the role sound design and music would play in bringing the spot to life.
Initial Styleframes //
For developing our treatment, we had minimal supplied assets to work with. We sourced a tire model and photo assets, and we utilized drawn elements along with intentional AI prompting to create individual elements that would be further refined, layered, and designed in compositing.
Enliten Look Development //
After aligning on look and feel, we began to develop the look of the particles and other design elements of the story. It was critical to not only create in a repeatable and scalable method, but also have the control to fine tune color, aligning to the brand, while not losing detail in a light environment.
Asset Build //
Clutch built four tires and wheels, using a combination of supplied CAD, 2D artwork, and photo reference. We are no strangers to complex builds, but the Dueler AT Ascent challenged the team with its unique design and complex tessellation. Upon first glance the pattern looked repeatable, but given a more critical review, it was evident a copy/paste solution for the tread pattern wouldn’t do.
Getting a clean mesh was essential for the simulation work. We came up with a solution using six similar but unique treads which were placed around the tire using a color-coded legend. From there, we made lower polygon models for Houdini simulations including the Enliten particle build and environmental water sims.
We pride ourselves in the engineering skills of our artists, and representing the accuracy of our client’s products, so the end result was an asset that passed through creative, product, and legal reviews as smoothly as it rode.
FX Development //
After blocking out our edit, we explored how the particles would move. Whether needing to form a logo, a tire, or a road, we developed a cohesive visual language and personality for the particles. They would pulse with an organic energy, a collective consciousness, balancing the tension of attraction and wanting to break free. To achieve this, multiple simulations, materials, and wireframes were exported from Houdini to Maya and rendered separately to control each element in compositing. Through the look development process, multiple passes were incorporated, removed, exaggerated, or pulled back, until the building blocks of the language, and our technical workflow, were determined. While much of the spot focused on design-driven VFX, our expertise with photo-real CG still played a significant role. A realistic environment was built to feature the tire, and rain plus water sprays were simulated to go from high-speed, to slow-mo.
Final Spot //
After two months of dedication from our team, Enliten was launched with a strong visual identity and a product story that went beyond the technical.
The result was a polished spot that brought the brand’s purpose, our client’s vision, and our treatment to life.
