Despite having significant brand awareness for Google search & web services, many consumers are not aware that Google hardware products existed. We wanted to successfully build mainstream awareness of our products by showcasing them in a way that encouraged consumers to engage with devices hands-on. It was important to create a new retail experience and environment that stood out from the surrounding expected holiday designs.

We designed Winter Wonderlab to be a seasonal playground that invited mall-goers to take a break from the shopping madness and have fun with Google technology. From furniture to robotics, everything was designed from the ground up with a focus on a simple, geometric wintry aesthetic that stood out from staid holiday themes. A giant snow globe delighted people, letting them create a custom video to share with their friends.

Winter Wonderlab’s design was inviting, thoughtful, and brought interactive technology, robotics and physical design to life, creating a way for Google to demo a new lineup of consumer hardware devices.

During its six weeks, over 10 million people saw the Winter Wonderlab in person, while earned media generated 427 million impressions. Over 100,000 people averaged 8 minutes learning about our products, making their own videos, and sharing them with their friends. Most importantly, we successfully enchanted our users, many of whom were surprised to see Google in the physical space and came away better informed about Google’s hardware products.