At Google, the customer is the hero of every story they tell, whether they’re ghostwritten first-person accounts or reportage. The challenge becomes how to showcase Google’s transformational technology while telling compelling stories about clients who are themselves doing important, transformational work, all while hewing to Google’s strict format guidelines and word limits. I begin with carefully structured interviews—supplemented with old-fashioned gumshoe research—that yield quotes suitable for video clips or blog posts.
At Google, the customer is the hero of every story they tell, whether they’re ghostwritten first-person accounts or reportage. The challenge becomes how to showcase Google’s transformational technology while telling compelling stories about clients who are themselves doing important, transformational work, all while hewing to Google’s strict format guidelines and word limits. I begin with carefully structured interviews—supplemented with old-fashioned gumshoe research—that yield quotes suitable for video clips or blog posts.
Customer Stories
Google puts a premium on good storytelling, and the customer is the hero of every story they tell. The challenge becomes how to showcase Google’s complex and transformational technologies while telling compelling stories about clients who are themselves doing important, transformational work, all while hewing to Google’s strict format and SEO guidelines, content requirements, and word limits.
I begin with carefully structured interviews that yield quotes suitable for video clips or blog posts. Find a hook, do some old-fashioned gumshoe research, corral some compelling before-and-after stats . . . and an engaging narrative begins to take shape.
(And check out these customer stories I’ve written for GrowthLoop and Okta.)
After interviewing the founder of AI startup Perennial, I was asked to create twin stories: a reportage-style case study and a ghostwritten first-person blog post. While the two pieces use the same source material, I varied the tone, style, and content to engage different audiences while remaining true to the voice of the interviewee/“author.“
Perennial: Harnessing geospatial soil data for sustainable agriculture and climate resilience
One day David Schurman was looking for life on Mars when he thought of a way to combat climate change here on Earth. Shortly thereafter he co-founded Perennial, whose AI-enabled, Google Cloud–based datasets on soil health enable climate-smart agriculture at a global scale.
A native of Denver, Colorado, Schurman grew up in the shadow of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) located in nearby Boulder, Colorado, and spent his high school summers interning at these world-famous scientific research institutes.
“I was working in an atmosphere lab at NOAA, analyzing air samples,” he recalls, “when we crossed the threshold of 400 parts per million of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere”—a key indicator of the seriousness of global warming. The experience was both seminal and visceral. “I knew then that I wanted to help find a way to heal the planet,” Schurman says. Continue reading on the Google Cloud Blog >>
Combating climate change by mapping global soil carbon levels with Google Earth Engine
by David Schurmann
Four hundred parts per million.
Climate scientists had been warning us for years: Breaching that threshold of atmospheric carbon meant the planet was on the path toward overheating. And I remember exactly where I was when it happened.
As an intern at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, I was analyzing air samples in an atmosphere lab in Colorado when the news came through from the Mauna Loa Observatory, a sister institution in Hawaii where the 400 ppm carbon level was first measured. It was then that I knew I wanted to help find a way to heal the planet.
But the more research I did, the more frustrated I became. Human beings generate 50 gigatons of carbon emissions every year. I was looking for a climate remediation solution that was both fast and scalable. But the geoengineering techniques (we called them “planet hacks”) I was studying—from light-reflecting aerosols to carbon-sucking machines—either came with dangerous side effects, like drying up the monsoons on which billions rely for water, or would take too long to start making a difference. Continue reading on the Google Maps Platform Blog >>
AssemblyAI: Building complex speech-to-text models faster by upscaling to Google Cloud and Vertex AI
At AssemblyAI, there was no lack of ingenuity—just a lack of computing resources.
The artificial intelligence company builds speech-to-text and speech understanding models, accessible through their API, to help product and development teams turn speech into meaning. Going far beyond speech-to-text transcription, AssemblyAI solves complex problems in audio intelligence like summarization, personally identifiable information redaction, and sentiment analysis.
"We’re democratizing access to AI-based speech understanding and unlocking new use cases for conversational intelligence by training and packaging speech-to-text models," says Ahmed Etefy, the lead engineer on AssemblyAI’s data infrastructure team in Vienna.
But when AssemblyAI’s growing research team, which Etefy's team supports, embarked on their next generation of AI speech models, they hit a wall that they literally could not scale. Continue reading on the Google Cloud Blog >>
Infinite Reality: Powering immersive, 3D ecommerce with compute, storage, and AI in Google Cloud
When Karina Kogan describes the culture at Infinite Reality, she uses adjectives like “audacious,“ “tenacious,“ and “fearless.“ And her words are well-chosen, because her company's mission is nothing short of transformational.
“The future of the internet is three-dimensional and conversational,“ she states. “We aim to be a key part of the power behind the immersive web, and you need those qualities when you're doing something hard that's never been done before.“
Kogan, Chief Marketing Officer of Infinite Reality and president of Infinite Reality Studio, a no-code platform for building and deploying immersive projects, acknowledges that the roots of three-dimensional computing are in gaming: “Think of all those Gen Zers and Gen Alphas playing Roblox, Minecraft, and Fortnite,“ she comments, rattling off the names of some of the most popular console and massive multiplayer online games.
But it’s 3D use cases like ecommerce and enhanced data—enabled by advances in computing power, extended reality technologies, and AI—to which Infinite Reality aspires. Continue reading on the Google Coud Blog >>
Radisson: Personalizing ads in multiple languages automatically with Vertex AI
Every moment matters. Chaque instant compte. Jeder Moment zählt. Cada momento importa. Kila wakati ni muhimu.
That’s Radisson Hotel Group’s brand promise. And with over 1,460 hotels in more than 100 countries, keeping that promise means speaking many, many languages. (That last one is Swahili.)
“We strive to deliver memorable moments in every interaction our customers have with our brand,“ explains Velit Dundar, Vice President for Global Ecommerce at the Radisson Hotel Group, “and our ’Yes I can’ service philosophy means we strive to speak to our customers in their own language,“ he adds, noting that the Radisson website is available in multiple tongues. “Ad personalization is at the heart of Radisson's mission because it demonstrates that we've anticipated and met each of our guest’s unique needs.“ Continue reading on the Google Cloud Blog >>
Beyond builds new client relationships faster with Gemini for Workspace
Generative AI is now everywhere, a source of both digital bullishness and angst for C-suite execs, nearly two-thirds of whom believe they should leverage its power but are unsure how to do so.
That’s where Beyond comes in.
"We guide our clients through transformational journeys to unlock the potential of AI and cloud-based technology, whether that means launching new products and services, modernizing IT infrastructure, or expanding into new markets," says Daniel Jakeman, who, as group delivery director, oversees project management at tech consultancy Beyond.
So it’s no surprise that the team at Beyond has put Gemini to work for themselves. Continue reading on the Google Workspace Blog >>
BLADE takes air travel to new heights with Google Workspace
If you need to fly from San Jose to Shenzhen, Dallas to Dubai, or Columbus to Kinshasa, BLADE’s chartered private jets will get you there. Have a shorter trip in mind? Take a seaplane from Manhattan to your summer getaway in the Hamptons, or a five-minute BLADE helicopter ride from Manhattan to JFK airport. BLADE will even fly you from New York to MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, or to the rooftop of an Atlantic City casino if you’re feeling lucky at roulette.
And Google Workspace has become the backbone for BLADE’s operations, which are often mission-critical: BLADE is also the largest American transporter of human organs for transplant, serving 40 hospitals in 20 states coast to coast.
“Aviation is time-sensitive and relies on accurate logistics—especially when patient care is involved—so we all need access to the same critical information in real time,” explains Lee Gold, chief of staff at BLADE. The BLADE team uses Google Docs, Sheets, Calendar, and Chat to coordinate flights, manage staff schedules, and discuss the needs of passengers awaiting flights in BLADE lounges. Continue reading on the Google Workspace Blog >>
Dutch Bamboo Foundation: Reversing climate change with a Gem of a grant writer and research assistant
If you had to choose one tactic for combating climate change, what would it be? For an American living in the Netherlands, the answer is planting bamboo.
“Like all plants, bamboo reduces atmospheric carbon, the main cause of global warming,“ explains Brian Wennersten, the founder—and sole employee—of the Dutch Bamboo Foundation. “But bamboo has a big advantage: It’s the fastest-growing plant in the world, and therefore absorbs more carbon more quickly.“
While most people associate bamboo with Chinese pandas, not Dutch environmentalists, that’s about to change if Wennersten is successful. His organization’s mission is to sow carbon-hungry bamboo plantations wherever they’ll grow on European soil, reduce carbon one vigorous stick of bamboo at a time, and put that woody fiber to myriad green uses worldwide. Continue reading on the Google Workspace Blog >>
Newsweek: Boosting user engagement with generative AI search, translation, and recommendations
Even while the rallying cry of “digital first“ continues to echo in the ears of executives at other legacy media companies, Newsweek's Bharat Krish has tuned in to a more resonant solution: artificial intelligence.
When he joined as chief product officer, Newsweek had already completed the transition from a print-first to a digital-first model. “The challenge for digital-first publications is finding diverse and sustainable revenue streams beyond digital advertising,“ Krish, a seasoned media executive, observes. “Our content has to be readily accessible, and we have to keep readers engaged with it so we can monetize it in multiple ways.“
But maintaining and growing a strong digital presence has traditionally required significant resources and increased operational overhead. Krish sees AI as a powerful solution to streamline and enhance these efforts. “The next big challenge for media companies will be shifting from a digital-first to an AI-first mindset,“ he predicts.
At Newsweek, that shift has begun with the search function. Continue reading on the Google Cloud Blog >>
How Vimeo uses Gemini and Google Workspace to help customers create videos that move the needle
Vimeo understands the power of storytelling.
That’s why Vimeo is on a mission to simplify how the 287 million creatives, entrepreneurs, and businesses that use its platform can edit, manage, share, and monetize high-quality video content.
“Video is the best way for people—and companies—to tell and share their stories,” notes Vimeo’s Yael Burla, who leads go-to-market strategy for AI products. “Video has transformed the way people live, work, learn, shop, and see themselves and others.”
Indeed, more than 350,000 videos are uploaded to Vimeo every day, and collectively, those videos have been watched more than 100 billion times, streamed live and on demand in more than 190 countries. And marketers of all types have long known that video is a powerful channel for building brand engagement.
But simplifying video-making and putting its power in the hands of the broadest range of customers takes intensive behind-the-scenes collaboration among Vimeo team members. Continue reading on the Google Workspace Blog >>
Adwise: Unlocking the power of remote & online work with Google Meet, Gemini, and Logitech
“With freedom comes responsibility.“
While Eleanor Roosevelt penned this pronouncement from the world stage more than six decades ago, Leonie Kranenberg, Director of People and Culture at the Dutch marketing agency Adwise, still finds it relevant, fondly quoting her in the context of today’s hybrid workplaces.
“We offer our people the freedom to work where and when they want because that flexibility enables them to do their best work," explains Kranenberg. “But,“ she cautions, “collaboration is the anchor of our corporate culture and a key to our success.“
To help its team balance freedom and flexibility with their responsibilities to clients and one another, Adwise uses Google Meet with Logitech hardware under the Google Workspace ecosystem to provide seamless collaboration among team members, whether they’re in the office, working from home, or on a “workcation“ abroad. Continue reading on the Google Workspace Blog >>
Humana cuts IT costs and tightens security with 13,000-user Google Workspace migration
At Humana, taking care of business means taking care of people—and that’s not done sitting behind a desk.
“Most of our team are care workers out in the field, in customers’ homes or in designated care facilities,” explains Adam Nerell, the CIO of Humana, which is a leader in care provision services for families, the elderly, and the disabled in Sweden, Finland, and Norway. “Their focus is people, not computers, and they need easy-to-use software that lets them concentrate on caring for their clients.”
But instead of intuitive tools, the Humana team was bogged down by a suite of desktop-based office applications overstuffed with unused features. Worse still, 70% of IT’s time was spent maintaining and securing these memory-intensive applications on laptops and desktop computers.
The Humana team could collaborate on documents, spreadsheets, and presentations—but not easily. “Working on the same documents offline and online led to syncing errors and version control nightmares,” Nerell recalls. Continue reading on the Google Workspace Blog >>