CreativityGoogle Just Made One of the Most Compelling Ads Yet About Gender TransitionMeet Jake, and the gym where he belongedBy Tim Nudd|June 16, 2015 ShareBy Tim Nudd|June 16, 2015 Share Transgender issues have been front-page news all summer, though brands have clearly had a hard time knowing what their role should be in the conversation. But now Google—one of the world's most powerfully visible corporate LGBT advocates—is out with a new spot for Pride Month that tells the deeply poignant story of a transgender man and the small business that helped him during his transition. The first half of the spot below focuses on Jake, who was born female but identified as male from a young age. The second half introduces City Gym in Kansas City, Mo., which has given Jake a place where he can feel comfortable getting to know his changing body and find support for him and his friends. (Another gym's tagline, "No judgments," would be pretty apt at this place.) The spot, by Venables Bell & Partners, is wonderfully made. The story is skillfully and evocatively told, and never feels exploitative. The inclusion of YouTube videos in which Jake shows his transition are particularly resonant in describing his journey (and yes, Google's ongoing behind-the-scenes role in it). It's also unapologetic about the business tie-in—the spot promotes the Google My Business tools for small businesses—which is a good thing, as it doesn't feign disinterested altruism and presents a tangible case for supporting LGBT-friendly companies. Google has done meaningful work in this space for years. Once again, it's leading by example. CREDITS Client: Google Brand: My Business Spot: "City Gym" Agency: Venables Bell & Partners Chairman: Paul Venables Executive Creative Director: Will McGinness Creative Director: Lee Einhorn Art Director: Avery Oldfield Copywriter: Adam Wolinsky Director of Integrated Production: Craig Allen Agency Producer: Amy Gatzert Production Company: Uber Content Director: Eliot Rausch Director of Photography: Chayse Irvin Executive Producer: Preston Lee Producer: Micki Poklar Editing, Visual Effects: Lumberyard Editor: Kevin Bagley Visual Effects Producer: Zoe Zaitzeff Sound Design: 740 Sound Sound Designer: Rommel Molina Music: Songs for Film and TV Mix: Lime Business Lead: Colleen McGee Account Director: Robert Woods Account Supervisor: Brenda Pyles Account Manager: Ariel Rosen Senior Project Manager: Shannon Duncan Adweek Adweek