Iconic Ads: Google – Reunion

Around 2015, Google wanted to interact with users to showcase its different uses through stories that would make them love it even more. 

Google believed that all users are smart and intelligent. So, an engaging film was required to tell users that they can do much more and faster through Google thereby showcasing some of the unique products

The creative team at Ogilvy had to integrate various products from Google into the story without making it forced. And the biggest challenge was integrating search into the story.

Sukesh Nayak, led by Abhijit Avasthi, went through all emotions like friendship, love, etc. before agreeing on the final idea. Also, weaving the Google products suite into the storyline was easier.

Amit Sharma had rejected the film earlier because of prior commitments, but the Google team was willing to wait. For him, it was emotional, as his grandmother was from Pakistan.

The production was made like a feature film. The crux of films like this is casting. Amit’s life serves as an inspiration for both of the main protagonists. His father’s uncle and ‘Amrish Puri ‘-like person—strict, stern, and quiet—became the basis for the Pakistani grandfather. The Indian one was based on his friend’s father. Famous stage and film actors, M.S. Sathyu played the Pakistani role, and Vishwa Mohan Badola, the Indian one, was brilliant.

Most of the ad was shot in Delhi, except for a snippet from Lahore.
Nilesh Jain wrote the lyrics of the song, set to music by Clinton Cerejo and sung by Piyush Mishra.

For Sukesh, it was his biggest award when his father called him for the first time in 15 years (rather than the other way around). He asked him, ‘Is this your work? It’s beautiful. (His father was disappointed with Sukesh, but that’s another story.) Sukesh’s father was disappointed that Sukesh had not gone overseas to study at a premier university. It rankled him that Sukesh left all that for advertising.