Google x Return of NBA

July 2020

The Opportunity

Rising from the ashes of cancelled March Madness and Tokyo Olympics campaigns due to Covid-19, Google’s Helpfulness brand campaign made a comeback with the return of NBA.

Campaign creative platform built around economic recovery, and the role Google tools help small businesses adapt.

What We Did

Custom creative program with Bleacher Report called Food I Miss feature star athletes (Sabrina Ionescu and CJ McCollum) from the NBA and WNBA celebrating their favorite local food spots. Highlighting small restaurants in Texas, Oregon, Ohio and California, this program gave a spotlight to small businesses while showing graphically how Google Business profiles stay up to date so that customers know how to continue ordering from and supporting their local favorites.

Integrating Search Trends

In partnership with Google News Lab, we monitored trending Search data related to basketball leading up to opening night- everything from food, to athletes, to curiosities about life in the bubble. 

During a Coach’s :60 Timeout in the second half of tonight’s LA Lakers v. Clippers game, Search trends will guide discussion around the return of basketball, life in the bubble and the teams people are searching for. Google branding and Search UI will be present throughout.