China PR Campaign for Google DeepMind Challenge Match: Lee Sedol vs AlphaGo Submitted by SPRG

1. China PR Campaign for Google DeepMind Challenge Match: Lee Sedol vs AlphaGo Submitted by SPRG

2. Entry Details Please provide the following information: 1. Entry Category: 12 Best PR Campaign – Public Awareness 2. Name of Campaign:China PR Campaign for Google DeepMind Challenge Match: Lee Sedol vs AlphaGo 3. Name of Organisation:GoogleChina 4. Name of Brand:GoogleChina 5. Name of PR Agency:Strategic Public Relations Group

3. Entry Video No matter if (AlphaGo) it wins or loses, the machine is designed and made by humans. On-message comment by Li Keqiang, Premier of China, during China’s Two Sessions press conference *Watch entry video HERE:

4. Challenge • Event Period: March 9-15, 2016, a five-game Go tournament • Players: Google’s AlphaGo and world’s Go champion, Lee • Sedol • PR Objective: • Establish Google’s leadership in artificial intelligence (AI) • Increase Google’s awareness among people in China, especially the young generation (Background: Since the ‘withdrawal announcement’ in Jan 2010, Google’s search product has been inaccessible to Chinese users. Its awareness among users, esp. the young, consequently declined in the past five years.) • Enhance Google’s image as a technology leader that continuously strives for innovations that benefit people around the world • Budget: HKD500K (not for disclosure) • Challenges: • Event is not held in China, but client expects to have nationwide impact despite only having a handful of Chinese reporters brought to the event • Public anxiety about machines eventually gaining control over humanity • AI is not an easy topic for the general public to understand and appreciate

5. Strategy • Social media is the engine • Use popular local social platforms (China’s Twitter – SINA Weibo, China’s Facebook + WhatsApp – Tencent WeChat) to overcome geographic boundaries and achieve nationwide coverage • Use popular social tools, such as live streams and bullet screens to attract attention and engage audiences, esp. the young • Create #Go Competition between Human and Machine# hashtag to consolidate all social media posts and discussions under one topic • Use Google’s official social accounts as key platforms for disseminating information to audiences and the media • Use Google’s official social accounts to interact with influencers and KOLs, leveraging their impact to enhance key messages and their further dissemination

6. Strategy • Go multiscreen • If the discussion is conducted only through social platforms, the reach and impact is inadequate. The correct route is to integrate social media with traditional media! • By leveraging multiple platforms, we can amplify the spread of information and capitalise on the ripple effect. Influence the influencers (KOLs) • Use well-defined angles to pitch to influencers in order to receive their recognition and responses, paving the way for discussions about how AI can benefit the whole of humanity.

7. Execution– Social Media is the Engine Three main tools to promote every game Wave 1 - Live stream attracts attention Wave 2 - Weibo raises and leads discussions Wave 3 - WeChat drives intense discussions Public Youth segment Sports fans • Pre-tournament promotion to attract attention • Invite top Go players (i.e. Go master Nie Weiping and No.1 Go player Ke Jie) to join livestream programs to raise awareness • Use popular tools like bullet screens (弹幕) to attract and engage audiences • Start every post with the same hashtag #Go Competition between Human and Machine# • Simultaneous result announcements on Google’s official Weibo account • Select on-message comments from the media and KOL accounts to encourage interaction • Distribute press releases through Google’s official WeChat account at the end of every game • Repost on-message articles from media and influences at friends’ circle (朋友圈) to enhance key messages and further influence the media Increase discussions with step-by-step messages Game 1 & 2 Human Finally Wins Game 3 & 4 Art of Go & Art of Technology Game 5 AI to Benefit Humanity in the Future

8. Execution– Go Multiscreen • We pitched to 400 media members nationwide to ensure that we had at least three contacts from each media source – one contact from traditional media (print, online or TV) and two contacts from new media (social media and app) • Whenever there is an article from traditional media, we would immediately pitch for its repost on their own social media accounts or apps How the AlphaGo match is going? Execution– Influence the Influencers Ke Jie, China’s No.1 Go player “I would like to express my utmost respect to AlphaGo and to Go!” “AlphaGo was powerful, perfect and impeccable today!” Professional Go Player Nie Weiping, China’s Go grandmaster “Hats off to AlphaGo!” EMOTIONAL Why AlphaGo is outstanding? • Use well-defined angles to pitch to influencers to earn their recognition and encourage interaction, driving discussions upward on how AI can ultimately benefit the whole of humanity Wang Shuo, Chief Editor of Caixin, one of the most influential business media in China  “Today can be regarded as the most glorious, competitive and significant point in the history of Go. Although it’s a little sad to meet AlphaGo at this period in time, it is still the most appropriate point for Lee Sedol – he meets his rival at its strongest. Go ahead! Play again, in a beautiful manner.” Tech Savvy Go Fan How AI benefits humanity? RATIONAL Lei June, CEO of Xiaomi Inc.  “AlphaGo’s victory is a technological breakthrough and meets the desires of this era. We are entering into a new period where humanity needs strong support from artificial intelligence. For all practitioners in the IT industry, this is a huge motivation. And let’s not asperse technology taking control over humanity, as it is through continuous exploration that mankind can further advance.” Tech Influencer

9. Results • 280+ million live stream pageviewsduring the five-day tournament. • 300+ million social pageviews and 180,000+ discussions on Sina Weibo. And according to Sina’s statistics, 40% of participants are in the youth segment (university students). • 5 clips on CCTV1News Broadcast, China’s No.1 TV news program with 100+ million daily viewers nationwideand 178 rolling reports on all CCTV channels. • 18,000+ reports from nationwide and provincial media, covering nearly all of China’s 30 provinces. • 100% of articles expressed appreciation for Google’s innovative spirit. • 98%of articles expressed recognition for Google’s leadership in AI. • 80% of articles recognized that AI would eventually benefit humanity. • 30-page coverage, including cover story from Sanlian Lifeweek, a top lifestyle magazine in China, on the evolution of AI, AlphaGo’s innovative approach and AI’s benefits to humanity in the future. Nationwide coverage raises awareness of Google, esp. among the young generation Immense recognition of Google’s leadership in AI and their innovative spirit

10. Results (Cont.) Recognition from the highest levels of government for the campaign’s positive impact on the whole of society • Google’s AlphaGo is a source of energy positively affecting the society according to a commentary by Xinhua News Agency, the official press agency of China. • “No matter if (AlphaGo) it wins or loses, the machine is designed and made by humans”, said Li Keqiang, Premier of China. He also gave a very on-message and positive comment about Google’s AlphaGo during China’s Two Sessions press conference. In addition to the direct impact of the campaign, the campaign also has a long-term and lasting influence on the IT industry • In May, China regulators released a three-year guide on Internet Plus Artificial Intelligence development, placing AI development as a national-level priority, and part of the country’s Internet Plus strategy, triggering an entrepreneurship and investment boom in AI. • Key tech industry players in China, including Baidu, Alibaba and Tencent have released their development plans regarding AI.

11. SupportingVisuals 420 print outlets Top three news apps 500+ media and KOL Weibo accounts 4,000+ media and KOL WeChat accounts 770+ general and vertical portals 32 central and satellite TV channels