Google Gemini's student-led campaign turns AI into a catalyst for real breakthroughs

In a move that redefines how brands engage with Gen Z audiences, Google Gemini has rolled out a student-led campaign in Indonesia - in collaboration with DDB Group Singapore - one that lets its audience take creative control.

Titled #BikinGebrakanLo (#MakeYourBreakthroughs), the campaign stands out for its real-user approach. Rather than relying on traditional narratives about productivity or efficiency, it places the spotlight on real Indonesian students who are already using Gemini’s AI tools to push boundaries in their academic and personal pursuits.

The stories are diverse and grounded in reality - chemistry students conducting daring experiments, art majors organising music festivals, final-year students acing job interviews, and others transforming their thesis chapters into bite-sized podcasts to make the most of their commute time.

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Far from being a top-down marketing effort, the campaign is built on co-creation. Every element - from its short films and podcasts to its out-of-home (OOH) executions - was crafted using prompts provided by the students themselves, creating a blend of cultural resonance and technological ingenuity.

Its DOOH component takes this further, turning static billboards into live creative canvases by letting students design ads through tools such as Veo 3. A companion student-produced podcast series reframes study material into engaging, conversational audio episodes - a format that speaks directly to the multitasking, mobile-first lifestyle of Indonesia’s youth.

For Google Gemini, the initiative serves as a live demonstration of what AI can achieve when placed in the hands of everyday users.

“We aren’t just talking about AI; we are demonstrating how students are using it right now to fuel their ambitions, and this authentic co-creation proves that the future of innovation isn’t just about the technology - it’s ultimately about the people it empowers,” said Nicha Dhamabutra, product marketing manager for Gemini SEA.

Each campaign film, hosted on YouTube, closes the loop on learning by deep-linking to Gemini with the same prompts used by the featured students - allowing peers to replicate, remix, and experiment instantly.

“This is less a campaign and more a student-driven ecosystem,” said Vinod Savio, chief creative officer at DDB Singapore. “We have proven that when you empower users, they become your most effective creative department. By deep linking the student’s prompts from a YouTube ad directly into Gemini, we turned consumption into participation. It’s the full-circle realisation of an AI-powered creative loop.”

By letting students take the lead, DDB and Google Gemini have transformed the AI narrative from a lecture on tools into a living proof of creativity in action - positioning Gemini not as a passive study companion, but as an active partner in discovery and innovation.

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