Young Ones Student Awards
The Young Ones competition is one of the most acclaimed advertising, interactive and design student competitions. It has a tradition of excellence dating back to 1986.
Category
Google / Gaming
Annual ID
YO26_B078M
This campaign repositions Google Gemini from a perceived shortcut to a catalyst for learning, reframing AI as a partner that sparks curiosity rather than replaces critical thinking. Addressing growing concerns among students, parents, and educators about AI’s impact on human creativity and intellectual growth, the project introduces Gemini as a launchpad for exploration, discovery, and imagination. At the core of the campaign is a dual-voice creative strategy that combines an educational narrative with Gemini’s own playful, encouraging personality, making advanced technology feel human, approachable, and inspiring. The hero activation, the Gemini Launch Toy, translates digital intelligence into a tactile, real-world experience that invites students to engage physically with questions that extend into deeper exploration through Gemini. This hands-on approach reinforces the idea that learning begins with curiosity and play. The campaign expands through annual educator kits filled with curated prompts and tools to support evolving classroom experiences, as well as out-of-home installations that transform everyday environments into spaces of discovery. A hero social film follows Francis, a student who uses Gemini as a research partner to design and launch his own rocket, demonstrating how AI enables possibility rather than shortcuts. Ultimately, the project positions Google Gemini as an empowering force that extends learning beyond answers - encouraging people to ask more, think bigger, and launch their potential.
2026 Awards
Total Points: 4
Student Merit
Credits
Editor
Samuel Lackey
Film Director
Brody Van Arnam
Illustrator
Victoria Balda
Producer
Chelsea Nott
College / University
Savannah College of Art and Design / Savannah
Case Study Lead
Morella Niembro
Dolly Grip
Ethan Junko
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