The Challenger Brand
Business leaders have a vision for where they want to go but, as the cloud (and Software as a Service industry) start to reach a level of maturity, making it a reality can be both daunting and difficult.
Google is well known for its consumer products but was late to the party for enterprise class cloud solutions. The brand is competing with the two main incumbents that dominate the space that have already been there for a decade. To become a contender, Cloud needed to find its own voice and a fresh value proposition that that positioned it as a credible contender to the status quo.
In the enterprise and SMB spaces, Google is a challenger brand. Being born of the digital generation, it represents an alternative to the establishment that can help organisations create their new way forward. In a world faced with a different set of challenges than we were dealing with even 5-8 years ago in healthcare, manufacturing, media, sustainability, sovereignty, security and even AI, businesses and organisations need a different kind of help, a different kind of partner.
So we leaned into our challenger mindset and set about inspiring businesses and organisations to question their expectations for their current providers. We wanted to separate the old from the new.
At launch, the brand platform focused in three areas. Establishing the global brand position as ‘The New Way To Cloud’. Highlighting product claims that demonstrate reasons to believe Google Cloud can offer more than the traditional incumbents. While doing this, we celebrate customers that have discovered The New Way To Cloud and are already transforming their business and customer experiences.
It’s early days for the brand platform but Google Cloud now has a differentiated brand position and a unified, highly scalable way to tell the stories of how Cloud products are solving issues for customers in new and exciting ways.
The feedback from our audiences has been very encouraging. Below are just a few of the campaign elements so far.
“New way positioning, product claims that only Google can make, and proof points of how Google Cloud partnerships are already delivering value - and revenue - for customers.
Germany
For key markets, like Germany, the whole campaign has been delivered in German. More than just translation, this wording of the campaign line is intentionally provocative and plays with German grammar to make the point of ‘how you cloud’ becoming a verb.
Not just showing up as Google Cloud in Germany, but as Google Cloud Germany - locally significant businesses and public sector services like the fire department.
India
Establishing the position and territory in major commercial hubs across India …
… with follow through on differentiating product claims.
The idea is getting some attention. Run by our US based colleagues, this is Google Cloud Next 2024 in Las Vegas. Opening keynote attended by over 33,000 people in person.
Customer Reference
What’s better than having a company tell you about the power of their solutions? Having the customers that are seeing the benefits do it for you. Here, separating the hype around AI and all the speculation of what will be possible tomorrow from real world delivery already happening today.
The Pack - thought leadership with industry leaders
A new series of interviews in which we speak with industry luminaries on the hot topics of the industry across four key areas - Security, Sustainability, Sovereignty, and Smart Data & AI - the 4 Ss. The format is built around a deck of cards, with three rounds of questions covering everything from nation state bad actors in cyber, to how you eat your Hobnobs.
The campaign is delivered through social channels that invite viewers to find out more on a dedicated ‘4S’ website.
12 and 30 second teasers on social. Full length films (approx 5mins) on the landing page experience.
UK - England FA Partnership
Before developing and launching 'The New Way To Cloud: The data and analytics that informs the choices the managers, coaches and players make in the England football teams - revealed within St. George’s cross - is provided by Google Cloud.
Broadcast coverage at Wembley. Right alongside support for the England Lionesses in the World Cup final that leans into fan culture around the Neil Diamond classic ‘Sweet Caroline'“.
In Asia, better begins with Google Cloud.
How Google Cloud is providing a foundation on which their customers can deliver everyday value to their customers. With 19.6M views in the first 6 months, the most successful film in the history of Google Cloud.