Google has been the most popular place to search for over a decade, and ranks highly amongst consumers for its functional attributes. However, as new and more visually stimulating platforms have emerged, younger generations started looking for inspiration elsewhere. So, Google wanted to launch a campaign to get young people to see a whole new side of search that’s much more fun and engaging.

Combining Google Trends data, social listening and research, we identified the top fashion trends to younger generations. Then, we used all the data we collected to determine every single material to be used to create custom-billboards made with the most popular fabrics and patterns of the moment.

From the materials used to make the hand cut typography and Google logo to the graphics that were sewn to the fabrics, every design decision was informed by the data we have acquired.

As a result, over 20 scannable billboards were handcrafted using trending fabrics, patterns and materials.

To ensure we brought the most relevant trends to life, we used a combination of Google Trends data, social listening, and research, to find what was relevant to younger audiences in the US.

We started by selecting the trends with the highest search volume on Google, then partnered with research agency OnRoad to find what aesthetics were rising to the surface for consumers in the US. Finally, we validated those with social listening to confirm their popularity.

To maximize the effectiveness of the campaign, we identified locations that were highly trafficked by a younger audience, and then placed the billboards in these locations based on their relevance to the community. For example, we placed the Y2K puffer billboard in the city at the heart of 2000s pandemonium, Los Angeles. While in the windy city of Chicago, we placed the warm faux fur covered billboard.

Trending Billboards was an outdoor campaign that brought the most searched trends into the streets with scannable billboards made with real iconic fabrics and patterns.

To maximize effectiveness, we selected the most relevant fashion trends for a younger generation using Google Trends, social listening and research.

Then, using unprecedented materials to represent each trend like nylon, cotton, faux fur and pearl beads, we handcrafted over 20 billboards of all shapes and sizes, including a huge building wall completely covered with soft, pink faux fur, bus shelter ads made with crochet, and traditional billboards dressed in plaid.

Every element of the designs was custom-made using trending materials, from the hand cut typography and Google logo to the graphics that were sewn to the fabrics.

By simply scanning the billboards with the Google app, users could find items featuring the same patterns and fabrics, and even shop the looks that they found.

We placed 20+ handcrafted trending billboards in 3 different cities highly trafficked by younger audiences such as LA, Chicago, and NYC. With over 25 million impressions, our custom-made billboards were seen and enjoyed by millions of users, who had the chance to scan them using the Google app to search for the most trending fabrics and patterns of the moment in a much more fun and engaging way.