DVF Through Glass – Google 2012 | Clapboard Ad Archive

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DVF Through Glass - Google | Clapboard Ad Archive

DVF Through Glass marks a watershed collaboration between Google and the world of high fashion, leveraging New York Fashion Week’s global spotlight to debut Google Glass through the immersive lens of Diane von Furstenberg’s Spring 2013 runway show. This digital campaign, launched in the United States in 2012 within the Electronics and Technology market, transforms viewers from passive spectators to embedded insiders by capturing every scene, hairpin turn, and backstage flurry from the points of view of stylists, models, and the designer herself. Every frame is shot exclusively with Google Glass, anchoring the experiential core of the campaign firmly within the Format#1 Demonstration technique as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy: the technology is not an accessory but the narrative engine, with the footage itself comprising the core proof of product utility and creative potential. Eschewing conventional, highly polished catwalk cinematography, DVF Through Glass delivers grainier, more intimate moments—an editorial choice that reinforces authenticity and positions Glass as both disruptor and enabler in live event storytelling. The agency’s approach foregrounds participation and immediacy, allowing Google to sidestep the overused “tech for tech’s sake” trope in favor of real-world application and emotional access, and the result lands at the intersection of cultural relevance and product demonstration. The dynamic use of contemporary tracks from Tame Impala and Rebecca & Fiona, alongside punchy graphics and in-the-moment editing, solidifies this as more than a stunt; it becomes a cultural flashpoint that validates wearable tech as a tool for creativity, not just utility. With more than 2.5 million views and sustained engagement through user comments, the campaign connects with a broad digital audience at a time when the overlap between Silicon Valley and the fashion industry was still emerging as a dominant trend. The bold integration of Google Glass in this setting is as much a statement of intent for the brand as it is a content innovation, mapping a future where cutting-edge electronics amplify, rather than distance, human experience. Clapboard rates this 82/100. DVF Through Glass matters because it signals a new playbook for how technology brands can achieve cultural cachet by embedding genuine innovation directly into the lived moments of creative industries.

Credits

Client

Google

Production House

Greenpoint Pictures

Directors

Michael Kuhn, Niles Roth : Hudson Dusters

Producer

Michael Kuhn, Jacob Lincoln, Willa Borderud

Cinematographer

Christine Ng : Glass Wearer

Editorial

Greenpoint Pictures

Post Production

Logan Roos, Willie Patton, Thomas Zoranski, Tammy Han

Sound Design

Josh Roos

Music

Gabe Hilfer

Category Mind Map

48%

The "DVF Through Glass" campaign by Google, launched in 2012, positions Google Glass as an innovative technology that offers users a distinctly personal and immersive way to experience significant moments. By capturing the DVF Spring 2013 show at New York Fashion Week entirely through Google Glass, the campaign emphasizes the brand’s promise to deliver a new, first-person perspective that merges technology seamlessly with daily life and cultural events—here, the high-profile fashion world. This approach reinforces Google Glass as not just a wearable device but a tool for creative storytelling and authentic engagement, highlighting its potential to transform how events are documented and shared. Strategically, the campaign taps into the intersection between fashion and technology to appeal to early adopters, trendsetters, and culturally savvy consumers who value innovation and insider access. The choice of New York Fashion Week—a global fashion authority—lends credibility and aspirational appeal, while filming exclusively with Glass underlines the product’s unique capabilities rather than relying on traditional filming methods. The campaign’s creative angle centers on experiential authenticity, inviting viewers to see the runway from the perspective of stylists, models, and Diane von Furstenberg herself, thus humanizing both the technology and the fashion event. This immersive storytelling aligns with market insights that consumers increasingly seek genuine, behind-the-scenes content and appreciate technology that enhances personal experiences rather than just functioning as a gadget. In doing so, the campaign bridges two culturally influential domains, reinforcing Google’s position as a driver of innovation that redefines engagement with everyday moments and high-profile spectacles alike.

FORMAT#1 DEMONSTRATION — Directly shows how a product works and highlights its benefits. This campaign fits the Demonstration format because the central idea is "experiencing the DVF Spring 2013 show... through the eyes of the people who made it happen," with all footage captured using Google Glass. The narrative positions the technology itself as the creative lens—not just figuratively but literally—putting its use and unique first-person perspective at the center. Rather than focusing on a character-driven story or a dramatic problem/solution structure, the campaign functions as a real-world showcase of Google Glass’s core benefit: enabling users to capture and share their own point of view. The creative device is a pure product demonstration woven into live, user-generated content, proving how fashion and technology merge to unlock a novel experience. ADVERTISING FORMATS EXPLAINED: https://www.clapboard.com/blog/branding-and-advertising/brand-strategy/12-advertising-creative-formats

1. Apple – Market Positioning Apple positions itself as a premium technology innovator emphasizing sleek design, user-friendly interfaces, and an integrated ecosystem. It leads in mobile devices, wearables, and software services, focusing on seamless experiences that blend hardware, software, and content, appealing strongly to creative and fashion-forward consumers. 2. Samsung – Market Positioning Samsung competes as a global leader in consumer electronics by offering a wide range of products from affordable to high-end. It emphasizes cutting-edge innovation, advanced display technologies, and device versatility, targeting diverse market segments while aggressively expanding its smart device ecosystem. 3. Microsoft – Market Positioning Microsoft centers on productivity and enterprise solutions alongside consumer technology, integrating hardware and software products with its Windows OS and cloud services. It differentiates itself by focusing on cross-platform compatibility and services that connect professionals and consumers alike. 4. Sony – Market Positioning Sony combines entertainment, electronics, and high-quality imaging technology, positioning itself as a premium brand in consumer electronics. Its strength lies in audiovisual performance, imaging expertise, and a broad entertainment ecosystem that includes gaming, music, and movies. 5. Fitbit (now part of Google) – Market Positioning Before acquisition, Fitbit positioned itself as a leader in health-focused wearable devices, promoting fitness tracking, wellness insights, and community engagement. It targeted health-conscious consumers with accessible, easy-to-use products emphasizing lifestyle improvement through data-driven motivation.

Q: What is DVF Through Glass about? A: DVF Through Glass is a digital campaign created for Google in 2012, set in the United States and centered on the intersection of fashion and technology. The campaign documents the DVF Spring 2013 show at New York Fashion Week, capturing the event entirely through Google Glass, the brand’s then-new wearable technology. With creative contributions from editor David Etkin, graphics by Rich Pernice, and music licensed by MAS Music and Strategy, the campaign offers viewers an immersive, behind-the-scenes look through the eyes of stylists, models, and Diane von Furstenberg herself. It showcases Google Glass’s ability to deliver a unique, first-person perspective on high-profile cultural moments. Q: What creative device does DVF Through Glass use? A: DVF Through Glass employs the Demonstration format, as classified by Clapboard’s 12-format taxonomy. The campaign’s central creative device is a real-world product demonstration: all footage is captured exclusively with Google Glass, allowing audiences to experience the DVF Spring 2013 show from the direct point of view of those involved. This approach puts the technology itself at the heart of the narrative, highlighting its core benefit—enabling users to document and share their own perspective. The campaign eschews traditional storytelling in favor of immersive, user-generated content that foregrounds the product’s capabilities. Q: What is the campaign proposition for DVF Through Glass? A: The campaign proposition for DVF Through Glass positions Google Glass as an innovative tool that delivers a distinctly personal and immersive way to experience significant moments. By capturing the DVF Spring 2013 show entirely through the device, Google communicates its promise to merge technology seamlessly with daily life and cultural events, particularly within the high-profile world of fashion. This strategy targets early adopters, trendsetters, and culturally attuned consumers who value both innovation and insider access, reinforcing Google Glass as a vehicle for authentic storytelling and engagement in the Electronics and Technology market. Q: How does DVF Through Glass rank in Clapboard's archive? A: DVF Through Glass holds a Clapboard Campaign Score of 82/100 in Clapboard’s global ad archive. This score reflects the campaign’s creative ambition, execution quality, and cultural relevance as assessed by Clapboard’s curatorial standards. Q: Who are the competitors in Google’s category? A: In the Electronics and Technology market, Google faces competition from Apple, which is known for premium innovation and a seamless, design-led ecosystem appealing to creative and fashion-forward consumers; Samsung, which offers a broad range of advanced, versatile devices targeting diverse segments; Microsoft, which emphasizes productivity and cross-platform compatibility for both professionals and consumers; Sony, which leverages its expertise in imaging and entertainment to position itself as a premium electronics brand; and Fitbit, which, prior to its acquisition by Google, focused on health-driven wearable technology and lifestyle improvement.