Google and YouTube Originals

YouTube was looking for a way to measure fan engagement for their launch of subscription-based original kids and family programming to its 2.8 million subscribers. Google wanted to test their investment thesis that positive portrayals of underrepresented groups in computer science could push fans towards it as a career. I led a team at Thicket Labs to design and execute an audience impact research study to accomplish these goals.

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Role

Client and project lead as the Founder and CEO of Thicket Labs

Project Focus

  • Audience Research

  • Impact Evaluation

  • Investment Strategy

Client

  • Google

  • YouTube

Deliverables

  • Audience Quiz

  • Career Quiz

  • Ad Campaign

  • Research Brief

  • Full-Length Report

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In 2012, women made up just 18% of Computer Science professionals in the United States – down from a 37% peak in the mid-1980s. Google began studying the problem of how to reverse the negative trends around women in Computer Science. By 2017, the CS Education in Media team at Google had started working directly with media industry decision makers to create TV content that dispels stereotypes and showcases positive portrayals of underrepresented minorities in tech.

In an innovative approach to combat the gender disparity in tech, Google financed "Hyperlinked," a web series that aired on YouTube Premium that was aimed at young audiences, particularly girls. Needing empirical evidence to gauge the impact of "their investment, Google partnered with Thicket Labs to evaluate the series' effectiveness in changing perceptions and inspiring interest in computer science among its viewers.

I led a team of designers, developers, data scientists, and strategists at Thicket Labs to devise a targeted research study to measure the show's influence on its audience. The project included:

  • Survey Design: Developing two quizzes that assessed viewers' attitudes towards computer science before and after watching "Hyperlinked" and provided fan engagement data that helped show creators and marketers know more about their audience behaviors and preferences.

  • Viewer Engagement Analysis: Utilizing data analytics to understand how engagement with the show correlated with changes in interest in tech careers.

  • Demographic Insights: Breaking down the data by gender, age, and background to identify specific impacts on underrepresented groups.

  • Impact Assessment: Quantitatively and qualitatively measuring the shift in perception and interest in STEM fields attributable to the series.

Findings

“Hyperlinked” features a diverse group of girls who use their coding skills to solve problems and make a difference in their community. The study provided compelling evidence that the had a positive effect on viewers, particularly among girls and diverse audiences:

  • An 11% increase in interest in computer science careers among girls who watched the series, compared to those who had not.

  • Notable improvement in perceptions of computer science as a welcoming field for women and minorities.

  • Enhanced understanding among viewers of how computer science can be applied to solve real-world problems, fostering a sense of empowerment and possibility.

  • We also predicted the percentage of show viewers who were likely to go on to choose to study computer science in college because of having watched “Hyperlinked.”

Impact

Thicket Labs' findings underscored the significant role of media in shaping career aspirations and breaking down gender stereotypes in STEM. For Google, the study:

  • Validated the approach of using media to inspire future generations, informing future content creation and outreach strategies.

  • Highlighted the importance of representation in media, leading to increased efforts to support and produce content that portrays a diverse range of tech professionals.

  • Strengthened partnerships with content creators, educational institutions, and community organizations to promote diversity in tech.

  • Gave them valuable data to be able to measure whether their investment would be moving the needle on diversifying the talent pipeline and by how much.

  • "The positive messages reinforced throughout the series are resonating with the audience and it is our hope that anyone watching ‘Hyperlinked’ leaves inspired by the power of technology and the ways it can make a difference."

    - Nadine Zylstra, Head of Kids and Learning, YouTube Originals

  • "It’s crucial for us to work with subject matter experts and leverage various perspectives in order to break down stereotypes and allow underrepresented groups to see themselves reflected in mainstream media."

    - Daraiha Greene, Head of Multicultural Engagement, CS in Media team, Google

Results

Teams at both YouTube and Google used the study insights (research brief) to support investment and planning decisions regarding additional shows and to promote two launches that earned 5 million and 26.8 million views respectively for the first episode of each show (blog post). Insights from our study were featured in USA Today along with findings from a second study conducted by Nielsen and USC that was part of the same research program commissioned by Google. The project marked a key milestone in Google's ongoing commitment to fostering diversity and inclusion within the tech industry, providing a scalable model for future endeavors aimed at bridging the gender and diversity gap in STEM fields.

Team

  • Sam Hutch

  • Jacob Hernandez

  • Yunfei Yan

  • Bearies Li

  • Nadia Chilmonik

  • Valerie Evering

  • Eland Ward

  • Taylor Corbett

  • Deepthi Welaratna

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