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Okay, so we all know what the biggest fail of this year’s Olympics was; Australia’s entry in the brand new competitive discipline of breakdancing. But “Raygun” — with her caricature facial expressions, hilarious bunny hops, and dying fish impressions — was so bad she unintentionally became an internet sensation and the highlight of the games for many. So, she was only really a failure if rated her purely on her breakdancing prowess, which the Olympic judges did for us when they cruelly awarded her with a big fat nul points.
The legend that is Ragun doing her thing
What was undeniably a failure from all angles was Google’s attempt to harness the spirit and emotion of the Games in order to promote its Gemini AI tool. The search engine giant rolled out a TV advertisement that was meant to showcase the intersection of technology and heartfelt gestures. Made in-house, it followed the journey of a young black girl who, at the suggestion of her father, used Gemini AI to craft a letter to her Olympic icon, American track star Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone.
According to Google, the ad showcased how technology, when coupled with human emotion, can create moments of connection and inspiration. At its launch, CMO Lorraine Twohill called it a “beautiful example of how technology can bring us closer to turning dreams into reality.” However, what was intended as a heartwarming portrayal of youthful admiration ended up igniting an ethical firestorm that left marketers and viewers rolling their debased eyes in disbelief.
The offending Dear Sydney ad
Critics were swift to denounce the ad, labelling it as "tone-deaf" and questioning the underlying message it conveyed. Some took issue with the portrayal of a father seemingly outsourcing his daughter's creative endeavour to AI rather than nurturing her own artistic skills. Marketing consultant Shelly Palmer wrote in a blog post that “Google should be ashamed” of the message it sent. The company’s attempt to portray diversity also bit Google on its lily-white behind. “Just to fuel the flames—why did Google reinforce the stereotype of a minority parent being undereducated and insecure about their communicative skills?,” she wrote.
Others took umbrage at the implicit suggestion that AI could replace human interaction and authenticity, particularly in the realm of a child's sincere expressions. Talking to Marketing Brew, Ellie Bamford, chief strategy officer at VML, said, “People want to live in a world where they use AI to supercharge, to amplify, to enhance their human skills, not in a world where AI is pretending to be a human.” She added that the ad is particularly grating as it suggests children’s letters, “one of the most innocent expressions of admiration and joy,” should be assigned to a machine. #WWSS (What Would Santa Say?).
Amy Chen, director of experience at Siegel+Gale, told Marketing Brew that the ad made her worried about the future of self-expression and creative development in children. The goal of AI shouldn’t be to “accelerate perfection,” she said. “There’s so much beauty in imperfection, especially when it comes from a kid... The imperfection is a charm.”
Despite spending an estimated USD2.7 million on TV advertising spots, Google has since pulled the so-called “Dear Sydney” ad from the air and turned off comments on the YouTube video. The misstep is somewhat reminiscent of Apple’s recent “Crush!” advertisement, in which a hydraulic press was seen slowly destroying art supplies, musical instruments and vinyl to reveal a new iPad. While the spot was intended to be the sensory treat we’ve grown to expect from the tech giant, many viewers saw it as cynical and sinister — technology literally crushing the tools of creativity.
Both debacles have sparked a broader conversation about the evolving landscape of marketing and the need for brands to tread carefully when incorporating and promoting emerging technologies into their messaging. It’s a delicate dance between innovation and authenticity, but no software will (we hope) ever be a replacement for genuine human connection and creativity.
If Raygun’s Olympic fame has taught us anything, it’s than individual artistic expression – nul points or not – is worth its weight in gold.
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