Google | 100 Billion Words | 2019
Every day, 100 billion words become someone's "thank you" / Google "100 Billion Words"
The most translated words in the world are "How are you?", "Thank you", and "I love you." Google decided to show that with data.
The problem
During a period when it was facing a lot of criticism, Google spent $5.25 million on a 60-second Super Bowl spot. The star was Google Translate, a 12-year veteran by then.
The insight
While showing the sheer scale of 100 billion words translated every day, the ad focused on the things that connect people: meals, faith, sports. The way it swings from huge data down to human warmth feels very much like something a strategist would come up with.
The idea
The ad is built from vignettes connecting different countries around the world. It doesn't just show voices being translated—it also quietly shows people holding up their cameras to translate signs and menus. It was directed by Aneesh Chaganty, with original music by Ring The Alarm. The Translate logo is never pushed to the front.
What happened
It was made by Google Creative Lab, with media handled by Essence and PHD. Released in the U.S. in February 2019, it was viewed more than 21 million times.
Afterthought
The moment a tool becomes someone's "thank you," there's a story behind it for every single person who used it. Behind those 100 billion words lies 100 billion acts of kindness.
