Mobley

The Mobile Ads Android

Introduction

Android was growing, the company I was working (AdMob) for got acquired by Google in May 2010 and we had moved past the merging stage and were starting to become a unified Google devision. Madmen was also in high gear, and working in ads it seemed natural to create a Googley token of the group and the mobile ecosystem.

Process

I worked to get executive and team support, because these aren’t free. Once I had the general go-ahead I reached out to Andrew Bell of Dead Zebra to workout logistics. With cost ideas, minimums and templates, I got final approval and proceeded to work on the design.

I know that my skills, or rather experience, productionizing a three-dimensional figure was limited, I used his templates and sketched out the idea, and he got it ready for production.

He is inspired by a Madison Avenue Ad executive of the 50/60’s, sleeve’s rolled up, fedora and sporting a Galaxy Nexus (which was the new Google phone that year.)

Do a turn

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When starting this project I didn't know I was going to be able to do the packaging. It was simple and taking nodes from Google's brand style at the time.

A good idea in hindsight, was not to put my name on the box. I originally made it from the team, even though I designed it, because it was about the team. Someone who designed another version of these internally put their name on the box, and apparently got very aggressive messages demanding one.

Outcomes

There were about 10,000 of these guys produced. We distributed them to the Mobile Ads team, the Ads UX team and some friends and family. After that the marketing team took them to Spain for the Mobile World Congress 2011 (I think).

One thing that I am sort of proud of is I didn’t put my name on him. Apparently someone designed a team Android and people harassed them for them. This is over 12 years old, I don’t have any more nor is there a supply some where, eBay has had some sell for over $300 USD.