Log in
A+ A A-

Google's Vranakis Plans Cretan Research Aid

A Cretan is among the top executives at Google. Steve Vranakis, born in Canada, hails from Sfakia and is considered one of the brightest minds in modern software technology in the creative domain. Despite his great success abroad, he is a person that doesn't forget where his heart lies. He often comes to Greece for holidays and for business, but this time he is coming to help the island and the island's youth.

 

Steve Vranakis has undertaken together with 8 other Greeks to “build” the 'corporate identity' of Greece from scratch. As noted by cretalive.gr the Global Council of Cretans and the Region of Crete are organizing a meeting of representatives of academic/research institutions of Crete with Steve Vranakis on Friday, July 25, 2014 at the Foundation for Research and Technology, Heraklion.

Some of the campaigns, platforms and hacks that he’s most recently been involved with include: Chrome Web Lab, a series of interactive experiments connected to the web live from the Science Museum in London, Jam with Chrome, a web based music platform that lets you play music live with your friends from anywhere, Super Sync Sports, where you can turn your mobile into a games controller and sync it with your computer to play games and Google Science Fair which invites youth to put their ideas forward to change the world. Other notable projects include: The World Wonders Project, which gives access to the world’s heritage sites through Street View, the launch of Google+, the Vs. g+ debates series featuring Richard Branson and Russell Brand and the YouTube Space Lab Channel and launch video which invited teens from all over the world to send their science experiments to space in partnership with NASA and judged by Stephen Hawking. To date it has received over 50 million channel views.

Previously he was one of the original partners and Creative Director at VCCP London. His approach is simple: to create famous work that gets talked about. Things that people will want to interact with and continue to do so with over time. Stuff that people chat about over a pint, communications with cultural currency. Campaigns that contribute to popular culture. Platforms that provide utility, content, entertainment and much more value to people’s lives than just a broadcast message. Stuff that gives back to society.

Mr Vranakis has worked at some of the biggest and best creative agencies in the world including: VCCP London, Foote Cone & Belding San Francisco, WCRS Arnold Worldwide Partners in London, Modem Media UK and DDB in his native Vancouver.

Some of the brands that Steve has worked on during his career include: Google, YouTube, Chrome, Android, G+, Compare the Market, McDonalds, Dyson, Jordans, O2, Coca Cola, London 2012 Olympics, Taco Bell, AT&T, Levis, Microsoft, BMW, Canon, First Direct, Orange, Land Rover, Mini, PlayStation, Lynx, IBM, Apple iPhone and amazon.com.

Steve was named the number 1 New Media Creative in Campaign’s "10 Hottest Digital Creatives of 2000 and 2009" as well as making their ‘A List’ in 2003, 2008 - 2010. In 2005, Steve made Campaign magazine’s ‘Top 15 digital creatives list’ being the only one from an ‘advertising’ agency as well as making Revolution’s 50 Power List in 2007. In 2008 he made their top ten. In December 2012 Steve was honoured to speak at TEDx in Athens about 'Making technology matter'.