I was the tech lead for this project, bringing these animals to millions worldwide via direct integration to Google Search. Additionally, we had a particular marketing focus on Japan due to the cultural and educational significance of bugs there.
I personally oversaw the technical side of the project, interfacing both with the production teams as well as the core Search engineering teams.
In the words of Cassie Hamilton, executive producer at the Creative Lab:
”This project was sparked from the insight that summer in Japan is synonymous with 昆虫 (insects). Many elementary schools keep a beetle as a class pet and the appreciation of seasonal insects can be found in anime, popular toys, TV Shows, and art.
For Google Japan, this launch presents an opportunity to surprise and delight users with a feature that is deeply culturally resonant. The Japan team has launched an AR photo contest that invites users to submit photos that will be judged by a panel of bug-loving experts. [blog post] [contest site].”
Try it out, Google Search “hercules beetle” on your phone!