Why the Google ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’ button is more than just a button…

Here’s the first in a series of log (not blog) posts where we jot down our raw thinking with little or no editing. Apologies in advance for the typos…

Another night working late

Feeling down and perhaps a little sorry for myself

Mulling over the big news of our very own creative genius being diagnosed with the dreaded C

I opened yet another browser window to do some research

Intent to press on

For the first time in a long time I noticed Google’s ‘I’m feeling lucky’ button

It took me a little by surprise

Strangely it automatically put me in a better mood

It made me think about how many things were going right

Huddle had a new superstar joiner

We received huge praise from a happy client, unprompted

Our processes were really starting to take shape

Things just seemed to be working

Real progress

But why the sudden mood lift?

Surely not because of this silly little button?

Surely not because of three silly little words?

I had no intention of clicking on Google’s ‘I’m feeling lucky’ button

And probably never will

It occurred to me the button has little to do with functionality

It wasn’t there to balance out the page

Neither was it a call to action or conversion mechanism

It had to be an intentional inclusion

It had to be considered as an intrinsic element of Google’s brand

Because it reminds us — almost on a human to human level

That if you can afford a computer

If you are physically able enough to read a screen and click a button

If you can afford to bitch about working late

Then you are very lucky indeed

We’ve always believed that small elements in design can have a profound effect

The nuances, the details, the subliminal messages

These intangibles are what separates a good brand from a great brand

Because it speaks to our hearts, not our minds

Because it reminds us we’re human.