‘Amor Fati’ is the new single from US singer Mike Posner and to launch it he has partnered with energy food and drinks company Clif to create a mobile website that lets users hear the track and a series of remixes – as long as they keep moving.

It uses the accelerometer on a user’s smartphone to detect motion, allowing playback of the music as a result. “The more you move, the more music you hear, including a series of exclusive remixes,” explains the press release about the single.

That’s all very interesting and technically clever, you might think. A nice way to hear some exclusive tracks, you might conclude. But – wait! It’s all a lot grander than that, according to Posner.

“With ‘Remix in Motion,’ we are helping people find physical movement when live music experiences are limited, and at the same time, fuelling collective social movements,” he said. “When we move, the world moves with us.”

Clif’s senior brand manager Blaire Woloz raised the stakes. “We see the joy that comes from moving and creating the soundtrack to moments, but not everyone is able to participate in group activities right now,” she said. “‘Remix in Motion’ isn’t just an invitation to move as an individual, but as a collective, so people everywhere can feel connected in movement.”

So there you have it. It’s not just a fancy bit of digital marketing for a pop song – it’s a movement that is powered by movement. See?

Setting sarcasm to one side, it is actually a clever and fun initiative.

It all reminds us of the app created for the Calvin Harris album 18 Months way back in 2012. Developed by We Make Awesome Sh, fans could hear the album in full ahead of release though the app – but only if they were moving, otherwise the accelerometer would cut the audio.

The difference with the Mike Posner use is that: firstly, it does not require an app to be installed (always a barrier to adoption); and, secondly, users have to enter their phone number into the dedicated website for it, so it works as means of data capture.

A movement, indeed.