GoSee CREATIVES TO WATCH : Marco Lemcke, Creative Director Art at Anomaly Berlin, presents the ASTON MARTIN ‘Veni. Vidi. Vanquish.’ campaign in an interview on GoSee
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Marco Lemcke, Creative Director Art at Anomaly Berlin, and his colleagues Sebastian Lyman (ECD), Henrik Edelbring (GCD), and Elizabeth Asselin (Business Director) have developed the campaign for ASTON MARTIN’s new flagship – the Vanquish. It made its debut on 2 September at the Venice International Film Festival – an extremely proud moment for the team as Marco Lemcke tells us. We are delighted to introduce the creative and present you the campaign here on GoSee.
Can you tell us a bit about the core concept of the ‘Veni. Vidi. Vanquish.’ launch campaign?
The idea behind the ‘Veni. Vidi. Vanquish.’ campaign came to us out of the need to break the mold of the conventional, predictable luxury car ad. What makes the Vanquish so special is its breathtaking design and the unrivaled V12 driving experience – something that literally sends shivers down your spine.
How did you come up with the idea of elevating the Vanquish to a godlike status?
Exactly. We didn’t want to portray the Vanquish as merely another supercar; instead, we wanted to elevate it into something bigger – a cultural symbol of luxury and a work of art that stands for both the past and future. For us, the Vanquish represents a new definition of power and almost godlike supremacy, surpassing everything that came before – and that’s precisely the story we want to tell with the visuals.
The campaign combines avant-garde futurism and ancient architecture. What inspired you to combine these elements?
It was important to us to create a space where the Vanquish wasn’t seen only as a car, but as a work of art. We wanted to design an environment that feels both familiar and futuristic. The landscape, a surreal version of the English countryside, is grassy and hilly but rendered in neutral tones and bathed in soft Zenith Blue, which allows the car’s Supernova Red paint job to stand out quite strikingly. Ancient architecture, with its columns and monumental structures, represents strength, endurance, and godlike power, while glass, mirrors, and abstract elements add a modern, futuristic twist. Placing the Vanquish on a pedestal in the key visuals enabled us to show the car from unexpected angles, underscoring its undeniable presence and dominance in no uncertain terms.
Can you tell us a bit more about the ‘Tableaus of Triumph’?
At the heart of the campaign are the ‘Tableaus of Triumph’, key visuals designed to artistically stage the Vanquish. Inspired by contemporary artists, such as Frederik Heyman or Theater Director Robert Wilson, we tried to portray all key aspects of the car, i.e., its impressive performance, the level of bespoke customization, and Aston Martin’s 111-year history in individual, powerful images.
In the words of Victor Burgin: ‘A tableau is an image that captures, in a single visual statement, the essence of an event which would otherwise take many words to describe.’ Advertising often underestimates its audience, but to us, it was important to give viewers room for their own interpretations. Sure, some scenes might make you think ‘What’s this about?’ – but that’s precisely the point. It’s about leaving viewers with a sense that the Vanquish is indeed something special, something you can’t quite put into words.
Can you describe how the various teams (CGI, film, photography) collaborated to achieve such an impressive result?
Like every great journey, our’s had its twists and turns. We knew from the very beginning that we needed a unified vision – particularly for a campaign as visual as this, where everyone, or course, has a head full of their own ideas at first.
Day after day, Director Felix Aaron, photographer Steve Harries, and the creative team with Lina Rode, Fabiot von Falkenhayn, and Niclas Moos kept exchanging ideas and sharing thousands of moods while putting each idea to the test again and again to keep pushing the visuals to perfection. I think you can really feel how tight-knit this team is in every scene.
What was the greatest challenge you faced while developing and producing the campaign?
The biggest challenge we faced was combining the multitude of visual elements at this level while remaining true to our vision – despite the usual limited time and resources we are meanwhile all used to in this industry.
Creating a world that not only feels familiar but also new and surreal, and making it all fit together harmoniously – from the landscape and architecture to how the Vanquish is staged – has been a great challenge for everyone on the team. Which demands creativity and mutual trust you can absolutely rely on. I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who went above and beyond to bring this vision to life.
How does this campaign reflect what’s up ahead alignment-wise for the Aston Martin brand?
Sure, with its ‘otherworldly’ look and artistic tableau approach, the campaign demonstrates that Aston Martin is ready to make bold statements that stand out from traditional car campaigns. But that doesn’t mean every future campaign has to be like this. Similar to consumers, modern brands are multilayered, and there will always be room for different conceptual and visual approaches.
One thing is certain, though: we won’t get far in our day and age if we keep selling the old cliché dream of an endless, winding road along the French Riviera to advertise luxury cars. Consumers expect more. It’s about creating bold, extraordinary and unique concepts to remember.
How did you start working for Anomaly, and what do you love most about your job?
Before joining Anomaly, I worked as an art director in London for eight years – at both small local agencies and large network agencies. After a brief sojourn in Beijing with Serviceplan and BMW, I moved to Berlin in 2017 to broaden my experience in the automotive segment, working at DBB for the client Volkswagen. In 2021, I felt it was time for something new and moved to Anomaly, where I’ve had the opportunity to work on a wide range of projects – and can now put all of my experience into Aston Martin.
It might sound a bit cheesy, but what I’ve always loved about my job and this line of work is the opportunity it gives me to combine my passion for design, storytelling, and pop culture in a way that allows brands to develop their own personality – one that people can’t help but fall in love with. I believe we’re on the right track at Aston Martin. 🙂
See further exciting campaigns and projects at marcolemcke.de.
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