At Hexcode, we live and breathe bold ideas and clever strategy, so when a marketing campaign really hits the mark, we’re going to geek out a little. That being said, we thought it would be fun to share a few of our all-time favorite marketing campaigns with you!
This month, we’re kicking off a new blog series where you will get to hear from us about our favorite campaigns and why we love them. Be sure to check back at the end of each month for a new post in the series! So without further ado, these are the campaigns that inspired us, impressed us, or just made us say, “Damn, that’s good marketing.”
For this first blog in our series, I’ll be spotlighting a long-running annual campaign that I first came across about ten years ago.
Erica, Copywriter
“Year in Search” by Google (2001–Present)
Check It Out:
🔗https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KIViy7L_lo8
Erica’s Thoughts:
Google’s “Year in Search” is a powerful annual campaign that highlights our collective curiosity and concerns by revealing the most Google-searched words across the globe. This campaign began in 2001, but in 2010, Google introduced videos to accompany the data. Through layered visuals and audio clips, these videos highlight the moments that defined each year, always capturing the human experience through a hopeful lens. The 2016 video was my personal favorite. Centered on the theme of love, it beautifully conveyed the message that beneath our differences, we are united by common emotions and experiences.
“Brand Storytelling at Its Finest”
I think “Year in Search” is an example of great marketing because it resonates with an extremely large audience, as it’s created from the world’s real search data. And Google’s not just telling us what happened each year; they’re showing us what we cared about most. This builds our trust and loyalty in the brand. It also subtly reinforces Google’s central role in our lives because, after all, it’s the most used search engine in the world. This campaign aligns Google’s utility with human emotion. It’s brand storytelling at its finest.
The fun is just beginning with this series! Stay tuned for Kaleigh’s thoughts next month on how a well-known breakfast brand turned a viral meme into a full-blown celebrity partnership.
