Google LLC - Best Tech Event

Company: Google, Shanghai, China
Entry Submitted By: Essence China
Company Description: Google LLC is an American multinational technology company that specializes in Internet-related services and products, which include online advertising technologies, a search engine, cloud computing, software, and hardware. Google was founded in September 1998 by Larry Page and Sergey Brin while they were Ph.D. students at Stanford University in California.
Nomination Category: Event Categories
Nomination Sub Category: Conferences & Meetings - Tech Event

Nomination Title: Google Developer Summit China

The date on which this nominated event took place: 2020/11/16 – 2020/11/21

The COVID-19 pandemic has in many ways reshaped our social lives. Regular events transitioned to online which often led to unattractive one-way communication.

In 2020, Google held its first-ever fully virtual event ‘Google Developer Summit China’. From a usual 2-day offline event to a 6-day online event, apart from its general goal that is to empower developers and brands in China with digital products and tools, Google faced a greater challenge - optimizing audience engagement of an online event by transforming one-way communication to meaningful conversations.

Google brought a new way of looking at the online event form by catalyzing an internal to external reborn. Internally, Google redesigned the contents to ensure the content itself was highly interesting with great interactive capability. Externally, Google reconstructed and diversified the ways of the communications with its fans for a more comprehensive interconnection.

Reimagining the content engagement

Google partnered with the artist Sougwen Chung to co-create art with AI robotics powered by TensorFlow as the keynote open and interstitials to promote digital wellbeing.

In addition, Google created ‘Noodling’, an interactive program using TensorFlow to let fans create the longest noodles by interacting with the screen. It was to promote Google’s own tech and generate better engagement experience in a more creative way.

Making online events more tangible

Google delivered a set of physical swags to 90+ KOFs to their doors prior to the event. A big surprise turned to massive online buzz and greater participation rate. Meanwhile, GDS video content was played in KOF’s mobile in sync with online live events for creating a sense of neutral participation.

Providing actual offline events to elevate the engagement level

Google advocates organized a total of 18 offline community events during the GDS week. From tech-driven workshops to empowering women global events, Google made the engagement more grounded and collaborative.

Among the various events with each focusing on a different mission, Google localized some global events designed to particularly support women. Google hosted ‘I’m Remarkable Workshop’ events to empower women and other underrepresented groups to celebrate their achievements in the workplace and beyond. Google also organized ‘Women Techmakers’. This was not simply a program but a community that brought Chinese female developers, designers, entrepreneurs who have a passion for technology.

Effective digital media solutions

Google also developed Additional digital media touch points to increase audience retention. By collaborating with Weibo and Zhihu, Google was able to notify the participants with a daily event agenda as well as online discussion platform to enable engagement during and after the event.

Despite facing Covid-19 restrictions, with its first fully interactive virtual event, Google kept its promise of always playing a helpful role to developers and promoted new learning agendas for online events.

List the appropriate creative and production credits for this entry: Advertising Agency/City: Client: Art Director: Cinematographer: Creative Director: Designer: Director: Illustrator/City: Music Producer/City: Photographer/City: Printer/City: Producer: Production Company/City: Programmer: Writer: Web Development Firm/City:

Campaign/Award Credits:

Contributing Client: Google China
Contributing Agency Details:
*Google APAC Brand Studio
*MANNING SELVAGE&LEE PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANCY BEIJING CO., LTD SHANGHAI BRANCH
北京明思力公关顾问有限公司上海分公司
*R/GA Shanghai and R/GA Tokyo
R/GA 上海 & R/GA 东京
*George P. Johnson
GPJ市场顾问有限公司
*Essence China (Award Entry)