Campaigns · India · 2013
Google: Reunion
A grandchild uses Google Search to reunite two friends separated by Partition.
By Maer Media editorial teamPublished 4 October 20263 min readOgilvy & Mather IndiaCampaigns · UI/UX Design · Content & Social
- Brand
- Market
- India
- Year
- 2013
- Category
- Campaigns
- Agency or team
- Ogilvy & Mather India
- Channels
- Online film, TV
The context
Google wanted to show how search helps with meaningful, personal tasks in India and Pakistan.
Search can reconnect people.
The move
Ogilvy & Mather India made a film in which a granddaughter uses search to find her grandfather’s childhood friend in Lahore, then arranges a reunion in Delhi.
How it was executed
- Told a story of friends separated by Partition.
- Showed search as the tool.
- Built to an emotional reunion.
A grandchild uses Google Search to reunite two friends separated by Partition.
What happened Reported facts
The film was viewed millions of times across India and Pakistan, and is remembered as one of the most moving tech ads of its time.
Why it worked Maer’s analysis
Cultural specificity made it universal.
What to take from it Maer’s analysis
- 01Show the product inside a story people care about.
- 02Cultural specificity is what makes ads universal.
- 03Let the interface be a quiet hero.
Indian tech brands can show products inside personal stories.
Where Maer applies this
The same thinking runs through these brand templates:
Sources: Google India; Ogilvy & Mather (2013). Figures are as publicly reported; Maer Media was not involved in this work and is not affiliated with Google.
The Maer Media editorial team studies how brands are built, from positioning and packaging to launches and growth. Figures in each case study come from the public sources listed above; the analysis and the India notes are our own. More about Maer
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