Inside Abbey Road

Background

Whether visiting the Pyramids of Giza in Google Streetview or getting up close to the brush strokes of Van Gogh in the Google Cultural Institute, Google had a long history in creating the tools that made it easier for people to see and experience other cultures and landmarks around the world.

In the UK music was central to British identity. It was the most discussed topic for young Brits online and British music accounted for 50% of the global top 10 albums in 2014.

Idea

Inside Abbey Road was an online experience that let fans step inside and explore the studios. Accessible via desktop, tablet and phone, every nook and cranny could be explored through more than 150 different 360-degree panoramic images.

As visitors made their way through the studios, they could see YouTube videos and archive images from Abbey Road's history, right where they happened.

They could even play with some of the studio's pioneering equipment in specially designed interactive gadgets, such as the J37 four-track recorder that was used to record the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

There were more than 30 stories to be found embedded in the studios with anecdotes and facts or there were audio tours narrated by producer Giles Martin, engineer and Head of Audio Products Mirek Stiles, and broadcaster Lauren Laverne, which let you see the studios through their eyes.

Results

Over 1.5 million people from all over the world stepped inside Abbey Road in the first week alone.

Our Thoughts

Pretty much the central tenet of Google marketing seems to be ‘show, don’t tell’. And this is a classic of the kind, a gob-smacking demonstration of what the organisation can do when it sets out to do something. This isn’t a website, it is a complete experience and brilliantly supportive of Google’s positioning, to make the inaccessible world accessible, while, at the same time, providing a signpost for the next big thing coming our way in advertising, 360-degree video.

If you haven’t yet, check it out at: http://insideabbeyroad.withgoogle.com/en

Somewhere inside there is an echo chamber. I couldn’t find it. Let me know if you do.