Google’s new YouTube advertisement examines the lives of two men whom were childhood friends, separated years earlier by the 1947 partition that saw the creation of India and Pakistan.

Google’s marketing in the past has been virtually free of video advertisements, and for a fair reason. I mean, the company’s a household name; all demographics know it, and the vast majority have integrated it into their lifestyle. It’s got it’s own verb for crying out loud.

Maybe because of this absence from video marketing, this ad was somewhat of a shock for me, but a welcome one once I realized the warm message behind it. It made it that much more impactful.

Beena Sarwar, a Pakistani journalist, discusses this article in her blog. She says that the ad has become a hit in both India and Pakistan, tugging at the heart strings of all viewers: “If it doesn’t move you, you’ve got a heart of stone”.

I chose this last creative article to sum up my marketing blog since it successfully touches on so many threads throughout the course. It transcends cultural boundaries by examining the macroenvironment and uniting cultures, not offending them. It insinuates customer excellence by reinforcing Google users’ incredible loyalty. It appeals to consumers’ affective attitudes, and exhibits how “googling” has become a learned skill and a part of our lifestyles. It aligns itself with the social trends of a time-poor, information-at-our-fingertips society. It addresses the theme of globalization and uses this cultural lens and the branding of ‘Google India’ as methods of segmentation, with seamless integration through an undifferentiated targeting strategy. Finally, and most evidently, it transcends the role of a usual corporation and creates a brand personality that make Google and the viewer characters in this warm tale of reunion.

I say well done, Google, yet again.

Sources:
http://beenasarwar.wordpress.com/
http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/emotional-google-ad-a-viral-hit-in-india-and-pakistan-1.2427935
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gHGDN9-oFJE&list=PL-kIBfSqQg3uMx9Z1fOpc7WPw2wDvbhFu