Millions love Google for its products which are part of everyday life: search, Gmail, YouTube, Chrome, Android phones and so on. The halo around Google is driven by the many cool, innovative products they experiment with; it helps attract global PR and has a positive rub-off on brand Google. Self-driving cars, Google Glass come to mind in that context. But deep down, Google is an advertising company. Recently, Adweek named Susan Wojcick, SVP of Google’s advertising business as The Most Powerful Person in Advertising, as she runs a $43.7b billion business.It is not just the sheer size of the business in dollar terms, Google impacts advertising in many ways. Google Search, Adwords, the role of YouTube, Adsense – they all are intrinsic to the ‘new’ advertising. However, not all in advertising ‘get’ the ‘new’ advertising. Google has attempted to play a lead role in educating and showing the way. Last year’s ‘Project Re:brief’ kicked off the process. Now, Google has come up with Art Copy & Code, a series of experiments through which Google will collaborate with well-known brands, such as Adidas, Volkswagen, and Burberry, to create software-driven tools to enhance the process of consumer engagement.
The need?
We’re in the midst of a second creative revolution, driven by technology. Code is being added to the core creative process, enabling new forms of brand expression and engagement. Art, copy and code is the creative team for the connected word.
Check out the introductory video on the site – it used your location to ‘customise’ the content.
Google makes it clear though: the need for human insights, breakthrough ideas and emotional stories has not changed in advertising. Only the expressions, media and tools have changed. The project is being kickstarted with the Smileage app in partnership with Volkswagen. Dubbed as the ‘first social app made to maximize fun on every drive’ it is expected to launch soon. Not as jaw-droppingly big & bold as the Project Re:Brief but brings alive the new ways in which brands need to connect with their consumers.
Other projects of Art Copy & Code include the Talking Shoe:
Using an accelerometer, a gyroscope, Bluetooth and some other off the shelf technologies, the Talking Shoe translates the wearer’s movements into funny, motivating and timely commentary. The things it says can be posted to Google+ by the user, sent to real-time ad units, if the user chooses to, and broadcast via onboard speakers. It can talk to the world and to the web.
