When John joined Google, his team was identified as XPS, short for Cross-Platforms Solutions. The name soon evolved to Sales Department and then to Creative Content Development, or CCD. Wanting to stand out in the sea of “alphabet soup” team and organization names within Google, John’s creative team was charged with developing a new moniker that would cut through the clutter. While brainstorming ideas, the team realized the first video ever posted to YouTube featured a Google founder speaking at a ZOO in front of an elephant exhibit. At a time when the team’s primary canvas was YouTube, the video post seemed fitting and the ZOO brand was born. Shortly after, a logo consisting of an elephant in the YouTube “Lozenge” was created by design partner Elevator, followed by a parade of other ZOO animals.
Next, John’s team created a complete style guide with standards and deck templates. Once the ZOO brand was solidified, other ZOO resources were added and the need for a complete, fully branded internal website became evident. Partnering with their internal producer team and vendor B-Reel, the ZOO team created a beautiful site that serves as the first face of the ZOO that many internal Googlers engage. Since its inception, the site has proven a great virtual ambassador to the ZOO—one that has become so robust it is used by “ZOObers” worldwide everyday to share and research.
DATE
2011-PresentCLIENT
YouTubeCREDITS
ECD: John MilitelloCDs: Kyle Locke, Maria Perazzo, Ali Pulver
Producers: Josh Auffrut, Christine Allen, Matt Lorrain
Designer: Caroline McNeil
Vendor Partner: B-Reel / Elevator / Friends of Mine
