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Case Study

“Exactly the Best” – A High-Stakes Computex Prelude Production

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The Challenge

Computex is Supermicro’s most important event in Taiwan, and with CEO Charles Liang joining NVIDIA’s Jensen Huang on stage, the 2024 keynote prelude needed to make a bold statement. The creative team was challenged to produce a high-impact video that would spotlight Supermicro’s leadership in AI and embody its Application-Optimized Performance philosophy—custom-built solutions delivering the best performance per watt, per dollar, and per square foot. What began as a sketch on a yellow-lined notepad became a striking visual: a circular data center floating on a lake, representing innovation and efficiency in perfect harmony.

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SMCI Computex Proposal 

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The Journey

Building on Liang’s coined phrase, “Exactly the Best,” the team conceptualized a bold narrative featuring the personification of “Data”—a character explaining its role in powering the world’s computing ecosystem and choosing only the best AI infrastructure to serve it. Brent Spiner, known for his role as ‘Data’ in Star Trek, was the preferred talent for the role.

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The production was set to leverage XR (Extended Reality) technology, enabling a real-time, 3D-rendered environment that featured a circular AI server data center floating on water, symbolizing sustainability and energy efficiency. This approach had never been attempted before in a corporate tech keynote.

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Execution & Impact

Challenges & Adaptations:

  • Brent Spiner’s $500K contract was denied → Required a last-minute script rewrite and talent replacement justys before filming.

  • 36 hours before production, Liang requested an additional sustainability scene → Required a new script, two new actors, and a fully rendered digital set overnight.

Final Results:

  • Flawless execution under extreme constraints, maintaining high production value.

  • XR-driven visuals created an immersive, high-tech stage presence.

  • Replacement talent delivered a compelling performance, preserving the integrity of the original vision.

  • Audience feedback confirmed it as Supermicro’s strongest keynote production to date.

  • Successfully reinforced Supermicro’s leadership in AI computing and sustainability.

While it wasn’t exactly the best as originally envisioned, the team’s ability to adapt and innovate under pressure solidified Supermicro’s reputation as an industry leader—not just in technology, but in execution.

Behind-the-scenes production shot featuring large projection screens and live XR setup, highlighting the advanced tech used in the keynote video shoot.

Impact of
'Exactly the Best'

The result was a keynote experience that set a new standard for Supermicro’s brand storytelling. Despite production hurdles, the final campaign delivered both visually and strategically, solidifying the company’s position as a leader in AI computing.

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Key outcomes included:

  • Elevated global brand perception through cinematic storytelling and high-end production

  • Successful alignment with Supermicro’s Application-Optimized Performance philosophy

  • Positive internal and external feedback, calling it the strongest keynote opener to date

  • Reinforced leadership in AI and sustainability, setting the tone for future campaigns

  • Demonstrated agility and creative problem-solving under high-pressure, last-minute changes

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