Google asks the UK what they're searching for this summer in new campaign

As we come to the end of restrictions, Uncommon Creative Studio created a campaign for Google centred around the Google search bar.

 

According to Josh Tenser, creative director at Uncommon, the brief was to drive meaning and emotion back into an incredible brand with perhaps the most important product on the planet – because people have started to take the magic of what Google Search can do for granted.

 

So at the start of the ad we’re told that there are 68 million people in the UK, and we’re all searching for something.

 

As searching is what Google is all about, one simple question after another is entered in the search bar – included such things as ‘What is reopening anxiety?’, ‘How to remember dad’, ‘Can we hug now?’ and ‘Is kissing safe?’.

 

What we’ve been missing.

 

We see a series of poignant moments of joy or loss, anxiety, hope and happiness; cameos of normal, everyday life to remind us of things the British public have been missing during the pandemic. The whole thing is held together by a kaleidoscopic backing of UK dance music and ambient SFX.

 

“Making ads for over a year in the pandemic has tuned us in really tightly to the pressure points in the collective psyche,” said Tenser, “and this was the well we drew from – everything we have learned in the past year.”

 

Real life searches. 

 

It seems that once they had the narrative they wanted, they gave the script – in essence a sequence of search queries – to Google’s data insight team. They then cross-referenced what had been written with the most realistic possible live searches, adjusting the script to make it true to what people would actually type into the search bar.

 

A mirror of life.

 

Said Tenser, “Google isn’t just for the small transactions like banana bread recipes and directions to dry cleaners. We often search for the big stuff, too. It was very much intended to be a mirror up to U.K. life, U.K. people. Something that smelled like us – and only us – right now.”

 

Nils Leonard, co-founder, Uncommon Creative Studio added: “Trivial terms tell the story of our hopes and unknowns, the smallest search can mean everything. We find each other there. Uncommon are proud to bring the Google brand story to the UK as we all enter the Summer of our lives.”

 

The campaign premiered Tuesday June 1 during Channel 4’s ‘Great British Bake Off: The Professionals’, going on to cover all channels, accompanied by digital & poster OOH across iconic locations in the UK.

 

Searching for more.

 

Google has really tugged on heartstrings with the latest campaign and it’s clear to see the impact of the use of data to create authenticity. In a time where we’re looking to move on from Covid-19 restrictions, they’ve really managed to embrace the mood of the nation – both the good and the bad – to create an ad that exudes optimism in the time when it’s needed most.

 

If you’re looking to make genuine connections with your customers, why not get in touch with the team at Harrison Carloss? Contact the team on hello@harrisoncarloss.com or read about our latest projects for more inspiration.