Covid. Police brutality. A heated election. Climate disasters. 2020 was not exactly a year many people wanted to relive, but with Google’s annual Year in Search campaign, that was exactly our challenge– craft an authentically uplifting piece rooted in Search data that recapped the year while leaving a global audience with a feeling of catharsis and hope for the future.

In 2020, we all felt the impact of crises that will define history. We have the unique brand opportunity to use the world’s search trends to reflect on the year, and honor the positive collective actions the world took to persevere and prosper.

2020 was a year of intense self-reflection and collective action.

According to Google Search trends, ‘Why’ was searched more than ever in 2020. People around the world were asking big questions – about the way we live and work, our institutions, our leaders, roles in society we undervalue. Why are people racist? Why aren’t there more female leaders? Why are people protesting? Why do people dream?

Asking why is a catalyst to change. In a year of isolation, incredible turmoil, and tragic loss at a massive scale, Year in Search 2020 examines how questioning our world enabled people, neighbors and communities to rally together to help one another. The film highlights the heroic feats of healthcare and frontline workers, the scientists who sprinted to find a vaccine, and the millions of people around the world who came together to fight police brutality and racial inequity.

2020 was a year no one wanted to relive anytime soon. We wanted audiences to feel the world-changing potential of collective actions, and feel optimistic about their role in laying the foundation for a better future.

We launched our global film on 9 December 2020, alongside 16 locally-relevant films, and 21 editorial experiences. A robust digital media flight ran from 12/9-1/3, parallel pathing with a 12/14-1/3 broadcast flight. The film showed up in some of the largest end-of-year moments, including: Late Night integrations with Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, and Jimmy Kimmel, a NBA takeover on Christmas Day, and an in-show integration with New Year’s Rockin’ Eve.

Year in Search was Google’s biggest campaign ever.

350M views worldwide, 2x higher than target.

640M total campaign reach

53% engagement rate to Year In Search Interactive Experience

27M Total impressions on organic social

The film garnered more press coverage than ever before, with over 7,000 stories globally.