KATE ROSS | ASSOCIATE DESIGN DIRECTOR
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GOOGLE HARDWARE STORE

EXPERIENTIAL MARKETING
CD: KEITH MANNING
CW: ZACH DELUCA

BACKGROUND

For the rollout of Google’s 2019 suite of hardware products, Google wanted to launch two retail pop-up shops for the holiday season - one in New York and one in Chicago. Taking the classic symbol of hardware, a place for solving rational problems, we helped reinterpret their stores as a space for discovering tools of a different kind, making every day an opportunity for customers to explore new things, participate in creative projects and providing them an ever-changing environment for sociable content.

THE ASK

Develop a 10-week marketing narrative and in-store programming that captures the magic of Google hardware, driving foot traffic, product sales and brand love. With a small, agile creative and strategy team, we developed a robust marketing and programming strategy that extended the Hardware Store thematic in a way that allowed the products a clear role in all programming activities. And it was all anchored by an active, inviting and resonant call to action - What will you make today?

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PROGRAMMING:

TOOLBOX SHOW AND TELL

True makers know that tools are more than objects. They’re extensions of themselves, vehicles for delivering their craft. To kick off the programming and help engage Google’s social community, we invited some of Google’s featured creators to bring their most cherished tools to the Google Hardware Store for a light-hearted “show and tell” content series.

Director Cristine Santo | Production by New Leaf

Illustrator Hiller Goodspeed shares the tools he uses create his art. Hiller partnered with us to design elements of our Google Hardware Store pop up shop, in Chicago's Bucktown and New York's SoHo neighborhoods. The Google Hardware Store has the tools you need to make your life easier at home, at work, and on-the-go.

Artist Heather Day shares the tools she uses to create her art. Heather designed some amazing Pixel 3 cases and a wall take over mural in the Google Hardware Store, in Chicago's Bucktown and New York's SoHo neighborhoods. The Google Hardware Store has the tools you need to make your life easier at home, at work, and on-the-go.

STORE TAKEOVERS

To engage the space, we created monthly large-scale themed takeovers of the Hardware Store, setting the tone for all monthly programming, partnerships and workshops. From a Haunted takeover in October, to artist Heather Day takeover in November, which included a Studio Table Dinner Event and the Not-Pink (Black Friday) Weekend, to a Gingerbread Treehouse holiday takeover in December, the Google Hardware Store was transformed every few weeks, keeping the space unexpectedly current and socially relevant.

Halloween Swing Takeover | Illustrator Hiller Goodspeed

Halloween Swing Takeover | Illustrator Hiller Goodspeed

Heather Day Takeover 

Heather Day Takeover 

Not-Pink Friday Takeover

Not-Pink Friday Takeover

Holiday Store Takeover

HARDWARE HOW-TOS

To engage both the community and the customers, we designed hands-on, in-store workshops with local makers and micro-influencers. From creating hand-painted signs with Heart & Bone Signs, to Squish Marshmallows decorating featuring their pumpkin spice marshmallows, to James Beard Award winning chef and cronut-inventor Dominique Ansel lead workshop on how to prepare his world-renowned, signature Chocolate Chunk Cookie dough, there was something new every week for customers to look forward to.

Squish Marshmallow Workshop

Squish Marshmallow Workshop

Heart & Bone Hand-Lettered Sign Workshop

Heart & Bone Hand-Lettered Sign Workshop

Dominique Ansel Cookie Dough Workshop

Dominique Ansel Cookie Dough Workshop

TREEHOUSE TRACKS

Every two weeks, an artist from Google’s YouTube Music “Foundry” group of local up-and-comers, like Cautious Clay, Jamila Woods, Spencer Ludwig and Joseph Chilliams, performed a short, live set, during store hours to generate local excitement and social buzz. All artists were filmed and shared through social channels and featured on the YouTube Music platform.

Cautious Clay Live in SoHo

Cautious Clay Live in SoHo

Jamila Woods Live in Bucktown

Jamila Woods Live in Bucktown

Spencer Ludwig Live in SoHo

Spencer Ludwig Live in SoHo

PIXEL WALKS

Twice a month, we gave guests a chance to take the Pixel 3 out of the store and capture real moments together throughout the city on #teampixel walks. Local #teampixel influencers lead the walks in each city, capturing shareable content and making new pixel believers.

#teampixel walk with @ryanmcmahil

#teampixel walk with @ryanmcmahil

#teampixel walk with @ananewyork

#teampixel walk with @ananewyork

#teampixel walk with @rach.bires

#teampixel walk with @rach.bires

MINI STORYTIME

In partnership with Disney and Little Golden Books, we created a series of live, Google Home Mini-enhanced storytelling experiences read by influential moms and dads in both NYC and CHI, ensuring that even mini-humans would be excited to visit the Google Hardware Store.

Storytime with @queenofthelandoftwigsandberries

Storytime with @queenofthelandoftwigsandberries

Storytime with @secondcitymom

Storytime with @secondcitymom

CD: KEITH MANNING
CW: ZACH DELUCA