A CODA Story

In 2021 the world was still learning how to live in the mid-pandemic reality of isolation and distance, which made only accessibility issues more profound and communication increasingly challenging, especially for those in the deaf and hard of hearing communities. With this in mind, for the 93rd Academy Awards, we set out to tell stories that would bring much needed visibility to these and other issues people were facing, while also bringing the best of Google’s helpfulness to life.

A CODA Story features the true story of Googler Tony Lee and his family, who, during a year apart, found new ways to stay close.

Making history alongside

those making history.

2021 was a landmark year for disability representation at the Academy Awards, with three disability- and Deaf-centered films nominated. In a magical moment of serendipity (and media planning), we launched A CODA Story in the moments after The Sound of Metal took home their Oscar for Best Sound.

To reinforce the importance of — and our commitment to — accessible tech, we partnered with ABC and the Academy of Arts and Sciences to sponsor ASL interpreters, closed captions and, for the first time ever, audio descriptions for the show’s blind and low vision viewers, making that night the most-accessible Oscars event in the show's 93-year history.

Creative Team: Andy Dao / Drew Stalker / Marcin Markiewicz
Editor: Nate Gross
Asst. Editor: Erin Offenhauser
Creative Strategy: James Thorpe
Group Creative Lead: KK Walker, Aaron Allen
Executive Creative Director: Michael Tabtabai

extensions + ecosystem

An Octopus Story

That same night, we launched another
story close to our hearts—the story of a fellow Googler's son Arlo, whose love of octopuses helped his dad find new ways to bond in pandemic times. And of course, in another moment of stars (and media plans) aligning, An Octopus Story aired just moments after My Octopus Teacher won their Oscar for Best Documentary.

Creative Team: Drew Stalker / Marcin Markiewicz
Editor: Aaron Leichter
Creative Strategy: James Thorpe
Group Creative Lead: KK Walker, Aaron Allen
Executive Creative Director: Michael Tabtabai

Olga's Story

And while not nearly as star-studded as the Academy Awards, we later launched Olga’s Story to a much smaller audience (but with just as much heart) as part of our sponsorship of the Leadership Conference for Civil and Human Rights.

Creative Team: Andy Dao / Aleja Araujo
Director: Marcus Ubungen
Editor: Nate Gross
Creative Strategy: Gabriela Avila Schonenberg
Group Creative Lead: Rebecca Sills
Executive Creative Director: Michael Tabtabai

Case Study + Honors

2022 D&AD Awards
Gold Pencil – Inclusive Product Design
Wood Pencil – Film / Commercials

2022 Webbys Winner
Best Music Supervision

2022 Webbys People's Voice Winner
Branded Content

2022 Art Directors Club
Gold: In-House: Design for Good
Silver – In-House: Advertising / Television / Film / Online Video
Bronze – In-House: Motion / Film Craft / Editing
Bronze – In-House: Integrated / Series

2021 Anthem Awards
Gold – Responsible Technology Campaign
Gold – Responsible Technology Special Projects
Gold – Responsible Technology Innovation

AdColor
2021 Ad of the Year Nominee