CHROME EXPERIMENT: RAMAYANA

TitleCHROME EXPERIMENT: RAMAYANA
BrandGOOGLE
Product / ServiceGOOGLE CHROME LAUNCH IN INDONESIA
CategoryA08. Broadcast Design and Graphics & Digital Design
EntrantOGILVY & MATHER SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Entrant Company:OGILVY & MATHER SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE
Design/Advertising Agency:OGILVY & MATHER SINGAPORE, SINGAPORE

Credits

Name Company Position
Steve Back Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Chief Creative Officer
Melvyn Lim Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Executive Creative Officer
Xander Lee Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Senior Art Director
Esther Tan Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Senior Copywriter
Timothy Su Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Designer
Zayed Talib Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Project Manager
Pawan Bahuguna Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Business Director
Stephanie Loo Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Senior Account Manager
Lu Shulin Ogilvy & Mather Singapore Senior Account Manager
Fantasy Interactive Fantasy Interactive Design/Development
Eshan Ponnadurai Google Consumer Marketing

Brief Explanation

Google wanted to reposition Chrome as more than a browser - it's a fundamental improvement to our online experience. It's magical, emotional and inspiring. They wanted to let people realise that Chrome is not just different, it's better, in the way Google search is. The challenge here was that they didn't want to tell people, they wanted to SHOW people that Chrome is better. Google wanted to tell stories THROUGH technology, not ABOUT technology. They wanted the communication to show technical wonders in a way that touches head and hearts and creates an emotional connection to Chrome capabilities.

The Brief

Google wanted to take on the giants (IE, Safari, Firefox) and launch Chrome in Asia. They wanted to show that Chrome is a unique platform for the modern web. Google recognizes that the way people use computers have changed, we don't access information but services and applications. People want to be engaged, not simply view information. In launching Chrome in Asia, Google's ambition was to display the endless possibilities the web can bring through Chrome.

How the final design was conceived

The design for Ramayana was inspired by what captured our imagination in the first place - the traditional tale. Through the ages, Ramayana had been told in various forms. In designing the experience, we stayed true to the ancient Indonesian storytelling art of shadow puppetry, Wayang Golek where characters were brought to life with delicate features. The textures we applied throughout the story were derived from traditional Indonesian Batik fabric, giving the design a layer of intricacy and richness. We also took cues from the story and re-imagined the scenes against a lush tropical landscape to bring the story to life.

Indication of how successful the outcome was in the market

When we revealed the interactive story to Asia, the crowd went wild. Opening with about 170,000 visits in the first 2 weeks, with various mentions from local blogs and news articles. The experience went on to make waves in the rest of the world, even picking up a FWA Site of the Month ribbon along the way, making Chrome a legend.