Searching for Syria
Google x UNHCR
Over 5.6 million people have fled Syria since 2011. It’s been called the biggest humanitarian and refugee crisis of our time. In 2016 alone, there were 16 million search Google queries about the crisis.
Searching for Syria explores the top five questions the world was asking, using insights and data from Google and UNHCR, to provide a simple and informative immersive documentary.
I worked within the Google Brand Studio team, alongside our partners at RGA and UNHCR, as the lead content copywriter on the project. I was responsible for research, crafting the overall narrative, writing editorial content, writing and directing all film narrations, social content, and working closely with the design lead on the site UX and UI copy.
Simple headlines and short form editorial, supported by interactive data visualisations, allowed us to take a complex topic and creating a digestible experience that users could scroll through in five minutes.
The site also includes a deeper layer of content to explore - including 360 degree guides of six UNESCO heritage sites before they were destroyed, aerial footage of the largest refugee camp in Jordan, and longer editorial and video pieces to share the heartbreaking, and humanising stories of real Syrians.
Nearly 10% of the over 2 million people who visited the site took action by either donating, joining or sharing. The average time people spent on the site was 2:43 minutes, with some investing more than 45 mins.
Agency: Google Brand Studio / RGA
Client: UNHCR
Creative Director: Andre Le Mausier
Creative/Writer: Lisa Berenson
Design Director/UX: Natalie Deeble
Awards: D&AD Impact, Webby Awards, AICP Next Awards Eurobest Awards, FWA, Awwwards Site of the Day, Lovie Awards, Creative Tech Awards