#GOOGLEADVENTURE - AN EXPERIMENTAL EVENT FROM PR
How do you showcase a series of Google travel-related apps seamlessly and effectively? By equipping people on an adventure, of course. Organized by Google PR in Japan, #GoogleAdventure took 50 top influencers from across Asia and Europe to compete in a day-long race utilising Google apps like Google Maps, Google Translate, Google Search, Google Photos, Google Allo and Google Duo. #GoogleAdventure successfully spurred more than 600 pieces of content on social media and beyond.
We worked with teams across the APAC region, Japan being the base and central focus, to plan an extensive Google Adventure Race from Tokyo to Kanazawa (think: The Amazing Race). We collaborated with a game designer to build the entire structure of this race, including a Ninja Samurai Escape Room. We layered the race with a narrative based on Kanazawa's ancient history.
The story goes like this: The Shogun of Tokugawa based in Tokyo was furious that a block of ice he ordered for did not arrive on time during a most humid time of the year. To make matters worse, no one in his palace can provide a concrete answer as to when the ice would arrive. So, he sent his best Ninjas and Samurais (the influencers) out to hunt for the missing block of ice. On the first day of briefing, the influencers (or Ninjas and Samurais) had no prior knowledge of their next destination. It was only revealed during the briefing in Google's Japan office.
Make it an adventure.
In APAC, Google PR team grouped 50 top social influencers into 12 teams to compete in a day-long race around Kanazawa, an ancient samurai town in Japan. Contestants used Google products to solve seven challenges and puzzles on their #GoogleAdventure, ranging from using Translate to make Wagashi, a traditional dessert from a recipe in Japanese, charades played over Google Duo, OmiCho Market hunt using Google Search, identifying Noh mask with Google Photos to an Escape Room using all of our major products.
To generate social sharing in real time, four photographers were hired to share photos with the participants through Google Photos, made digital versions of the materials that they could share with their followers online, and installed phone holders in the Escape Room for filming. More than 600 posts on social media were generated in the first few days, including posts from influencers such as Kouki, Han Yoo Ra, The Poor Traveler, Mayyr, Travelletes, Thomas and the crew, and many more.
The influencers posted regularly during the event highlighting Google Translate, Contextual Voice Search, Google Maps, Google Duo, Pixel, the YouTube Space Tokyo and more, collectively receiving tens of thousands of interactions.
Top YouTube stars including Kouki, Dee Kosh, Gallucks and Mayy R have already posted extended videos showcasing how Google helped on their adventure, collectively receiving more than 150,000 views. Local Japanese TV and Asahi also covered the event, while travel writers like Pingwest, ifeng, Geekpark, and Stone IP penned detailed multi-product features on Google apps.
Collaterals + Social + Escape Room + Task
This project was conceived in 2011.