“No Simple Code”: Google and the Exploitation of Altruism M A RY C OL L I NS
A Google ad appears on the TV screen. The scene is set with a contemplative piano chord as a combination of numbers and letters printed on cream-colored paper appears in frame. As audiences across the US prepare to be mesmerized between chips and dip and football-related small talk, the chord changes and the advertisement cuts to another picture of a similar code. It is not obvious what context the codes are in or what they mean—they are simply there. Then the narrator begins to speak in a calm, soothing voice. He reassures the consumers by telling them that for most people, these codes won’t mean anything. As he speaks, the soft piano chords continue in the background, and with each chord shift another picture of a code shows up. Some are typewritten, some are printed, some are red, some are black. In many of them the grainy texture of the paper is evident, while in others the background is smooth. The narrator slowly reveals the significance of the codes, explaining that only 7% of viewers will understand what they mean. He describes how this 7% of people will have made big sacrifices in their lives, spending time away from loved ones and putting themselves in difficult and dangerous situations. Images of soldiers from different ethnic backgrounds can be glimpsed as the narrator states that this 7% does what they do to keep “the rest of us” safe. As the montage comes to an end, the ad’s branding is revealed for the first time: a Google search bar pops up, and the phrase “job search for veterans 12B” is typed into it before our eyes. Immediately, three well-paying jobs pop up below the search term, showing off Google’s search capabilities—all redeemed through the conveniently-placed caveat that “no simple code can define who you are.” But what message is this ad really conveying? This advertisement was created by Google in partnership with ad agencies Essence and PHD to be aired during the 2019 Super Bowl. The agencies pride themselves on their revolutionary advertising approaches which attempt to extend the limits of what an advertisement can do and be—Essence claims
42
EXIT 11
