Since 2018 we’ve been fortunate to partner with Google on some of their most iconic brands — reimagining the experience they offer across Search, the Play Store, Maps, Merchant and more.
Our work includes repositioning Google Maps from a mere mapping utility into a planning tool, and transitioning Google Play from a search tool to a destination for exploration and discovery.
On the B2B side, we developed a local shopping narrative that explains to retailers how local is a valuable part of an omnichannel sales strategy, defined a unified, simple value proposition for Google Small Business, and simplified the hierarchy of Google’s entire B2B portfolio under Google for Work.
Google was transforming Maps from a mere mapping utility into a planning tool. But people’s behaviors around Google Maps were deeply ingrained and focused strictly on getting from A to B. They turned to other apps to choose their destinations and optimize their experiences.
Long conversations with the engineers on the project unlocked their vision: a fundamental shift in how we use maps to navigate our lives. Together we flipped the meaning of ‘map’ from a noun to a verb — a way of exploring time rather than space. Discovering life, rather than merely navigating it. From here we built a persona of Maps’ most demanding users, defining the target audience, brand story, and creative platform for Google Maps as it evolved into a more discovery-led experience.
To bring the purpose to life, we developed robust tone of voice guidelines and creative samples that helped align multiple stakeholder groups. We also defined critical features on the product roadmap that would bring Maps to life in new ways through in-app surprise and delight moments. Finally, we created internal and external communications that helped relaunch Google Maps during Google’s iconic I/O keynote.
”Map every moment” was the creative idea used to crystallize a new, ambitious vision for the product in a simple, powerful rallying cry. This reframed the product’s entire purpose, shifting ‘map’ from a noun to a verb and turning a navigation utility into an indispensable companion for life.
revenue growth in 2020
billion in revenue estimated for 2023
The “hustle” and “enjoy” modes have become fundamental to how Google engineers think about users