GOOGLE → The Most Searched Songwriter
2023 was Taylor Swift’s year. She launched a record breaking tour, was named Time’s Person of the Year, and was crowned the Most Searched Songwriter in Google history.
To honor this historic achievement, we ignited a fandom obsessed with cryptic puzzles and easter eggs, with the mother of all Swiftie treasure hunts hidden inside a special Google Doodle.
On Google’s 25th Anniversary, a special Google Doodle led users to The Most Searched Playground—an interactive scavenger hunt where people could seek and find 25 of the most searched things… and most specifically, discover a hidden Taylor Swift-centric treasure hunt.
The 25 most searched icons spanned multiple categories and topics—from music, to sports, to pop culture.
Hidden within the playground were 10 easter eggs, each representing Taylor’s 10 different eras. Finding all 10 easter eggs earned you a letter.
However, upon solving Taylor’s Hidden Treasure Hunt, each Swiftie would get a different letter. This made the game more challenging, and incentivized them to work together and decipher the hidden message these letters spelled out.
When unscrambled, the letters spelled out a URL.
The URL led Swifties to a secret website, which required a password to enter.
Inside Google’s annual ‘Year in Search’ film, we hid a barely noticeable constellation, which only the most perceptive Swifties would recognize.
The constellation is Sagittarius, which is Taylor’s star sign. Entering that as the password unlocked the website.
The hidden website contained a treasure trove of never-before-seen, most searched moments from Taylor’s 10 eras.
At the top of the website, we included a mini-film (Taylor’s version) of the most searched moments throughout her life and career.
Made with Annalie Juan, John Dwight, Ryan Coopersmith, Charles Muzard, Kelsey O'Callaghan, KK Walker, Chuck Carlson, Eli Block, and other hard-working folks at Google Brand Studio.