Okto the Octopus Waltzes Across the Sea Bed for BMW

In BMW’s new brand campaign from Jung Von Matt, an octopus performs an impressive underwater waltz - powered by a central nervous system. A metaphor for the unique performance of BMW’s new central control unit: the BMW Heart of Joy.

BMW first unveiled this innovative control computer - which calculates all driving dynamics functions = back in April. During its first major test at Auto Shanghai, the Heart of Joy took centre stage as part of the BMW Vision Driving Experience.

Now, BMW showcases the unique performance potential of the Heart of Joy in an incredible film: Octowaltz.

The thought experiment: The octopus is a fascinating creature. Its decentralised nervous system allows it to coordinate individual parts of its body independently - much like a conventional car, where acceleration, braking, steering, and other functions are controlled by separate units.

Directed by Diarmid out of Untold Studios, and co-produced by Untold Studios and Berlin-based creative studio Parasol, the commercial pushes creative and technical boundaries. The centrepiece: a completely CGI octopus, crafted by Untold Studios’ award-winning VFX team, which delivers a jaw-dropping dance performance with striking realism and character.

But what if the octopus could channel its power through one central nervous system — the way BMW's Heart of Joy control unit unites drive, braking, energy regeneration, and partial steering functions?

The result: an unbelievable, perfectly coordinated underwater performance.

“I find the best ideas are rarely the easy ones.” says director Diarmid out of Untold Studios, “This project was no exception! From day one, this film demanded, and received, an unwavering A-game from everyone involved. Daunting, inspiring, exhausting and energising in equal measure. Every day new creative challenges arose and every day we found a way forward. None of this would have been achievable without the amazingly tight collaborative partnership we established between client, agency, production and post production. Kudos to BMW, Jung von Matt, Parasol Island and Untold studios for the creativity to come up with the idea, the bravery to believe in the idea, and the experience and craft to bring it to life in such a great way.”

Tom Raynor, VFX creative director added, “This was, without a doubt, one of our most ambitious animation projects to date. The brief - make an octopus dance a waltz - immediately sparked excitement across the team. From the outset, we knew this would be a wild, creative ride.

“We began with extensive animation R&D, exploring how to reinterpret human dance movements for a character with eight limbs. Initially, we aimed to preserve as much authentic octopus behaviour as possible. However, we quickly realised that this made the performance come across as creepy rather than fun and entertaining. To strike the right tone, we gradually dialled up the human qualities, retaining just a hint of cephalopod charm. That shift brought the performance to life with the comedic flair we were after. Midway through, the request came in for the octopus to moonwalk, pushing the absurdity - and the fun - even further.”

The campaign draws a poetic parallel between the fluid movements of the octopus and the driving experience delivered by the Heart of Joy. 'Okto the Octopus' waltzes with masterful control, exceptional precision, and effortless agility - while maintaining safety in every situation.