While Google (Search) is the home-base of the internet, only 13% of consumers are aware of the ability to Shop with Google, so we set out to drive awareness and usage of Shop with Google during one of the most popular shopping seasons - back-to-school.
We wanted to be relevant to a younger, GenZ audience and position Shop with Google as the go-to platform for their back-to-school needs by highlighting the diverse, personalized shopping features.
Given these trends, we focused on film and TV IP that we could partner with, that had strong main characters and social clout. Ultimately, we landed on Netflix’s hit show Emily in Paris, giving the campaign a relevant and stylish feel.
Tapping into the show’s themes of fashion, we inspired audiences to use Google’s Lens technology to shop products directly from the show and the surrounding ecosystem. We worked with Netflix and MTV Studios to create multiple pieces of custom content featuring different “main characters” including Lily Collins (Emily), Ashley Park (Mindy) and more.
We were intentional about our media placements, building an integrated media plan surrounding the show’s season 4 release, that spanned OLV, digital, social and even an activation at the world premiere in LA.
First, we introduced our partnership with Netflix’s Emily in Paris at its world premiere in LA where guests went on a style journey with Google, utilizing Lens on looks inspired by the main character, Emily, to unlock a gift card to purchase a similar outfit and enter into a sweepstake for a trip to Paris.
Then, we created custom :15 second videos with actress Lily Collins, in character as Emily, showcasing how she uses Lens to quickly find what she needed - like a chic pair of shoes to compliment her outfit. These spots aired before the show for Netflix ad-tier users, across YouTube and as social collab posts with Lily Collins and Emily in Paris accounts.
We also took over Netflix and YouTube pause breaks with ads encouraging viewers to Lens Emily’s outfits from the show to inspire their back-to-school shopping.
Anticipating social conversations would spike near the premiere, we then launched Trending Social Ads, responding to conversations in real time around how to shop your favorite outfits from the show. We featured Emily in specific fashion items from the newly released episodes, prompting users to use Shop with Google and the Lens feature to shop similar outfits.
Lastly, we centered on a partnership with The Cut, for a custom editorial program featuring actress Ashley Park in character as Mindy Chen, providing style advice.
Emily in Paris Season 4 amassed 20 million views in the first four days of its release, cementing it in the top 10 most popular shows on the platform globally. Building off the show’s widespread appeal, our partnership gave viewers not only more Emily in Paris content but linking the show’s content directly to the functionality of Lens and Shop with Google technology increased viewers’ consideration +91% to use Shop with Google for future purchases (according to Netflix’s Latitude 2024 study).
Overall, our campaign garnered 540M impressions, 161M video views across social, OLV and CTV and drove 3x higher usage than our goal.
These achievements not only exceeded performance benchmarks but also solidified Shop with Google’s cultural relevance and utility among Gen Z shoppers, delivering measurable value and driving impactful brand awareness for the client.
