From hardship to hope: New Google campaign via Colenso BBDO and The Hallway shares the inspirational stories of Aussie small businesses
Google Australia is recognising the resilience of Aussie small businesses and the tools available to help them, as the community focuses on recovery from COVID-19. A new campaign developed with Colenso BBDO and The Hallway focuses on some inspirational businesses that have pivoted what they do to stay accessible and open for their customers — and where Google’s free services and tools are helping them.
There are millions of small businesses in Australia that are the lifeblood of local communities and the economy. As new Google Search insights show, Australians are keen to support their local businesses. Searches for supporting local and small business are the highest they have been in a decade (1).
The campaign features a series of videos with businesses sharing their inspirational stories of adapting and growing, despite significant challenges.
The hero spot (60 & 30”) features a children’s multilingual bookstore in the western suburbs of Sydney, where the owner and storyteller share their remarkable story of how they’ve used digital tools to continue connecting with their loyal customers through this time. It will run across TV, cinema, and digital.
These are supported by mid funnel focused spots (30 & 15”) that show a variety of businesses — including a fitness and yoga studio, bookstore, and restaurant — and celebrates the many ways Aussies can support their local businesses.
Finally, the lower funnel product focused videos show the tools available to business owners and people to help them through these times. This includes Google My Business, which helps businesses connect with customers through Google services including Search and Maps — and Grow with Google, which provides free online digital skills training to all Australians.
Research by Ipsos has found that while COVID-19 has dealt a heavy blow to small businesses across the country, those that already had strong online engagement have been less affected (2). It found 85 percent of small business owners claimed to have had revenue negatively impacted by the pandemic. But those that did have digital tools and strategies in place (such as online profiles, mobile friendly websites, online ads) at least six months prior to the crisis fared better – with these businesses 13 per cent less likely to report a negative impact compared to businesses that implemented these from the start of the pandemic.
In addition to the films, a print layer of the campaign showcasing a range of small businesses will launch from 7 November across a range of metro and regional news titles, alongside social sharing on Google Australia handles.
Says Simon Vicars, executive creative director at Colenso BBDO: “It’s a hard time for businesses, but it’s also an inspiring one. When we see Aussie resilience and ingenuity pair with Google products, together we will find ways through the challenges of Covid.”
Says Simon Lee, ECD and partner at The Hallway: “In the five years that we’ve been working with Google to support Australian SMB’s there’s never been a more urgent need to help businesses stay connected to their customers. This campaign bears witness to the human capacity to face up to and overcome challenges, and the power of Google technology to help us on our way.”
Says Aisling Finch, director of marketing at Google: “This year, Aussies have rallied their support behind local businesses more than ever. These businesses have been incredible in finding new ways to connect with their customers, using Google’s free tools to adapt. Colenso and The Hallway have beautifully captured some hero examples in this campaign.”
Client: Google Australia
Creative Agency [Film]: Colenso BBDO
Creative Agency [Print]: The Hallway
Influencer Agency: Emotive
Production Company: Scoundrel
Director: Lucy Knox
Executive Producer: Adrian Shapiro
Producer: Holly Winter
DOP: Campbell Brown
Editor: Laurence Van Camp
Colourist: Fergus Rotherham
Post-Production: Blockhead Sydney
Music & Sound Design: Franklin Road
Composer: Mahuia Bridgman-Cooper
Sound Engineer: Brendon Morrow
Music Supervisor: Jonathan Mihaljevich
Media Agencies: PHD & Essence
1. Google Trends, Oct, 2010-Oct, 2020; Web search, Australia
2. Ipsos/AANA, “Australian Business COVID-19 Insights”, Australia, total sample n=442; SMB n= 307; Large Businesses n=135, July 2020
1 Comment
Perhaps google could have supported Aussie small businesses by briefing an Australian independent agency on the TV. Instead of creating an ad that is just lip service.