Made by Google
Win the Moment
How to reinvent the tech marketing playbook to launch a new hardware brand for one of the world’s biggest companies.
THE BRIEF
Google entered the smart tech category in 2017. This was their first time selling hardware instead of giving away free software like Gmail and Google Maps.
Our brief was to build and establish Made by Google as a tech-lifestyle brand while simultaneously create a global launch campaign for the new Google Home Mini smart speaker. But first, we had to explain what a smart speaker actually was.
THE SOLUTION
Google’s audience is Joyfully Hectic Families. For them, small things are high stakes: a good day hinges on packing an umbrella or kids wearing matching shoes.
We identified relatable moments in the day where Google Home Mini could be a genuine difference maker in their lives.
But instead of “Tech Bros” unveiling the Google Home Mini in a lavish auditorium, we opted for a more authentic approach: putting it in the homes of real families.
WIN THE MOMENT
The Google Home Mini was an entry level speaker to compete directly with Amazon. To launch it in social, we spent a week with real families, documenting how the Mini helped them to ‘win’ relatable, real-life scenarios.
The action was unscripted and shot entirely on the Google Pixel 2 phone to create an intimate and authentic vibe, that allowed the Mini to flex its helpful muscles.
WINNING SOCIAL
The @madebygoogle social accounts were Launched in parallel with ‘Win the Moment’, the @madebygoogle social accounts showcased products in a playful, “Googley” way.
With my Copywriting team, we developed a whimsical yet educational tone of voice that differentiated Google from every other tech brand. Wordplay and irreverence was essential and always delivered what we referred to as “the Google wink”.
@madebygoogle Spike, meet Google Home Mini. Mini, meet Spike. Your new roommate comes in coral, chalk and charcoal to match any room in your house.
@madebygoogle Who's a good dog owner? You're a good dog owner! "Hey Google, play clips of the dog show on my TV".
@madebygoogle "Hey Google, talk to Coachella". Listen to #Coachella from home (flower crown not included).
@madebygoogle A new audiobook and a warm bath. Soak it all up. "Hey Google, read my book".
29 REASONS
The Google Home Mini was reduced to $29 for Black Friday and Cyber Monday. We developed ‘29 Reasons’, a striking paid digital campaign that playfully listed 29 ways that Mini could help people ‘win’ during Thanksgiving. The campaign contributed to 2million Minis being sold during the sales period.
MEET THE GOOGLERS
Google asked us to recreate ‘Win the Moment’ but this time for the entire Google Home ecosystem.
Again, we filmed with real families. We developed the narrative for 4 films but the dialogue was unscripted, allowing families to interact with the products on their terms.
The films were more detailed and practical too, with in-film cards taking viewers to webpages with instructions on how to set up specific features. Best of all, these films became resources for Google’s Customer Service team when helping customers.
THE RESULTS
During the first year of launch, Google sold 7 million Minis.
Our ‘Win the Moment’ campaign and ‘always on’ social content helped to deliver a 24% in unaided awareness and Google Home’s share of the smart speaker market grew to 31%.
But perhaps the biggest win was winning the business and building a team of 20 awesome Creatives from the ground up. Challenging? Yes. Rewarding? Absolutely.
Credits
WINNERS
Chase Stevens
Kim Daley
Greg Dalsby
Otis Rubottom
Kate ‘Rizzo’ Digilio
Bowen Ames
Shayla Lawson
Michelle Wardle
Michelle Konar
Amanda Bao
Erin Lima
Morgan Rose
Kimi Peterson
Paul Bjork
Andrew Peet
Ted Zahn
Sarah Murray
Mike Houston
Will Paugh
Richard Ramirez
Chrissy Wamsher
Meredith Chase
Deb Welch
Alex Cecala
Krissy Brunsmann
Adrienne Hudspeth
Kate Dumbrell
Maki Katsumoto
Madeline Byers
Britta Larson
Danica Borges
Frank Normandin
Kate McElroy
Nathan Lattanzi
Patrick Wu
(Everyone I forgot - Sorry!)
Swift
Portland, OR
2017-19
AGENCY
Creative Direction
Concepting (Social, Film, Digital)
Copywriting (Scripts, Social, Web)
Production
Strategy
Recruitment
ROLE
BACK TO THE WORK •
BACK TO THE WORK •