Creative “Companions:” Android Lights Up Times Square

The holiday season is here and New York City’s Times Square is bustling with people from all over the world. What do they all have in common? They’re carrying a mobile phone. The new “Be together. Not the same.” campaign for Android uses those devices to create shared experiences with people right around them—and around the world.

Essentially, the campaign uses digital to re-imagine out of home advertising. The week of November 24, people were invited by on-the-ground ambassadors to Androidify themselves using Android devices. Each visitor’s character then made a larger-than-life appearance on North America’s largest billboard and could be used to play a game on the big screen.

The campaign promotes Android, but what I like about it so much is that it doesn’t focus on the technology. It’s all about people—connecting them in the real world, creating a delightful experience, and giving them a way to participate.

Connecting in the Real World
We used to “go online.” Now, we never really leave. The web is part of the world, and mobile devices let us interact with our surroundings—in this case an eight stories tall billboard. It’s a fun way to connect people in the moment in a shared public space—all through digital. At launch, an estimated 660k people visiting Times Square (45% of whom are visiting from around the world) were welcomed by over 85 brand ambassadors.

Delighting Customers
It’s hard to get people’s attention, especially in New York City. Everyone is walking around looking down at their phones. This caused them to look up. To stop in their tracks and marvel, along with many others, bringing home the “be together” message. People have come to NYC for decades with dreams of seeing their name in lights—this made it as easy as pulling out their mobile phone.

Enabling Participation
Unlike the one-way media of the 20th century, the web lets us interact and participate, sharing our creativity with the world. The ethos of Android is based on this very idea of participation, that’s why we licensed the little green robot under Creative Commons, essentially open-sourcing the brand. The Times Square experience took this a step further, letting people insert themselves into—and interact with—an “ad.” Advertising doesn’t get more engaging.