In the wake of COVID's sharp increase in Asian stigmatization, 90% of small Asian-owned businesses lost revenue and faced hate. So when Google asked us to craft a campaign for their new Asian-owned badge, which allows businesses to self-identify and stand out on Google Search and Maps, we saw an opportunity to make an impact within this community.
Our goal was two-fold: Drive awareness within the Asian business community, encouraging business owners to add the label to their profile. And just as importantly, we wanted to highlight real Asian businesses and showcase the diversity of what "Asian" is.
During our conceptual phase, we circled around a variety of ideas that celebrated heritage, the experience of being a first-generation immigrant, and a shared community. The notion of demonstrating the pride these businesses have in their heritage during a time when communities were finding self-expression difficult ultimately became our campaign through-line. But rather than focusing on the past or even the pain of the present, we looked to future-focused businesses with an unapologetic pride in their backgrounds. And that’s how the “Own our Future” campaign was born.
With a clear concept and support from Google, we began our simultaneous search to find talent in front of, and behind, the camera. With this campaign, we weren’t selling a physical product. We were shining a light on a community and we needed to make sure that every frame was authentic. In addition to our internal creative team, this dedication to authenticity resulted in our director, DP, second assistant director, editor and photographer, as well as the hair and makeup team all being of Asian American heritage.
We also made a conscious decision to feature businesses that weren't stereotypically portrayed as Asian in the media, finding six Asian-owned businesses in Los Angeles–each with different geographic backgrounds—all available to film in a three-day window. By networking and reaching into this community, we secured participation from a Thai restaurant, a Vietnamese-owned marketing agency, a Korean-owned clothing store, a Japanese-owned general store, and both a South Asian-owned production studio and dance studio.
The actual shoot went off without a hitch, and there was a palpable sense of pride on set.
In parallel with the editing process on the hero film, we created a variety of ancillary assets to be featured on social channels and the Google blog, with a specific audience focus on the actual small business owners who would want to add the label to their profile.
These assets were designed and written with the sole purpose of educating the business owners on the benefits of having an up-to-date Google Business Profile, driving understanding of how the Asian-owned label could also help drive support by allowing potential customers to find their business more easily. With the acknowledgement that all of the business owners were not digital natives, we created simple explainers that walked owners step-by-step through the profile process.
As a result of the campaign, Asian-owned businesses across the nation added the label to their Google Business profiles while the attribute secured features in TechCrunch, The Verge, CNET and Engadget, among others. The video was viewed thousands of times and launched conversations across social media, driving support for and awareness around Asian-owned businesses—which was exactly what we sought to do
Overall our efforts amounted to more than a simple awareness campaign. It marked a moment when Asian Americans, especially those working on our team, felt like they could be part of a bigger effort to fight back against Asian hate. It's with a true sense of pride that the last spoken line in the film is two generations of Asian business owners proudly staring in the camera, stating "We own our future".
