Emotionally Charged Google Ad Chronicles COVID-19 Search Terms, Ends With Vaccine Call-to-Action
Did Google's new advertisement get you all up in your feels?
An unexpectedly powerful, minute-long video from Google uploaded to YouTube and shown during the NCAA Final Four games over the weekend, titled "get back to what you love," showed how search results have changed since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic to today.
In the commercial, the search engine shows "sweat pants" changing to just "pants" and a scheduled "virtual happy hour" edited to an in-real-life "happy hour" calendar notice, illustrating how the world is beginning to open back up again due to the roll-out of the COVID-19 vaccines.
"While there’s still uncertainty ahead, the vaccine gives us reason for hope," Google writes in the video's description. "As the vaccine becomes more available, you may have questions. Search 'covid vaccine' to get the facts."
The ad encourages viewers to search the phrase "covid vaccine near me" to schedule their appointment, as well as to visit the website for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for additional information about the vaccine.
Despite the ad's optimistic outlook, some did not like how Google portrayed the current state of the coronavirus pandemic.
“Google is acting like the pandemic is over? I’d say it’s well from over personally,” one user wrote on Twitter. “Plenty of people still don’t have the vaccine and continue to fight the pandemic every day. Hopeful outlook but slightly insensitive in my opinion”
“I love the creative for @Google's #advert for life returning to normal. However I can't help feel it's a little premature; it's not normal yet. Am I missing the point? Is it just about hope for the future? It certainly evoked an emotional response in me,” another added.
Others couldn’t help but find the video to be incredibly heartwarming and hopeful.
“This commercial gave me feels I wasn’t prepared for… I’m so hopeful that normal is on its way back to us,” a Twitter user shared.
“Wow. This is good. Why isn't the CDC using this!?!?!? Maybe I teared up a little....” another added.
Some folks who pay attention to detail, however, are simply not having the extra leading space in the search engine and clicks used in the video, though.
“Love this ad, but my OCD is making me mad: 1) The extra leading space on the 'new' search terms 2) Ad should have ended with a solid "click" as the user hit enter Otherwise, awesome," a Twitter user pointed out.
Regardless, the advert has surely stirred up all sorts of emotional responses from viewers.
Watch the commercial, below.