Ad Nut has spent many a peaceful afternoon observing the strange and frantic behaviours of human parents. Some cheer at sports matches. Others attempt “banter” with fellow, equally distraught parents. And every so often, one goes completely feral and decides the best way to bond with their teenager is by launching themselves, headfirst and clueless, into the neon-lit madness of K-pop.
The film features a dad who, rather than taking the traditional route of retreating behind a newspaper or inventing an urgent crisis in the shed, attempts to connect with his daughter by understanding the lore, lingo and high-gloss chaos of K-pop. Specifically, the Le Serrafim fandom, whose synchronisation and sparkle rival even Ad Nut’s most theatrical branch routines.
Naturally, he doesn’t consult TikTok, like any other functioning human in 2025. Instead, he turns to Google’s shiny new arsenal of AI-powered search tools, Lens, Circle to Search, AI Overviews, like a Jedi with a (gentle) mid-life crisis.
He circles. He lenses. He consults AI Overviews, and by the end, he’s still awkward. But less so. Which, for a parent of a teenager, is basically a miracle on par with getting a complete sentence out of one.
Ad Nut will admit to a flicker of envy here, not for the dance moves (which are, frankly, a cry for help), but for the ease of using a machine to untangle the incomprehensible. Back in Ad Nut’s day, if one wanted to understand squirrel mating rituals or distinguish between cashew and almond nut-burying techniques, one had to rely on gut instinct, hearsay, and the occasional very alarming YouTube sidebar.
But credit where it’s due: the plug about Search being more than information and sometimes helping with connections is subtle and effective.
As 72andSunny’s chief creative officer, Wesley Hawes, puts it, “Google Search can empower people to better understand those they care about the most. It’s not about knowing everything—it’s about wanting to know. Search almost becomes an act of love.” (Ad Nut prefers “Search: the love language of the deeply confused,” but fine.)
The film is short, sweet, and well-executed. It doesn’t overpromise on what AI can do (for once), and it gets out before the sparkle becomes saccharine. A tight 60 seconds that even the most sceptical teen might sit through without throwing something.
Of course, Ad Nut remains profoundly grateful to be raising emotionally unavailable squirrel offspring, who require no dance tutorials, no fandom decoding, and no digital tools to feel the connection. Just snacks. Mostly cashews.
The ad is live across Australian TV, online video and sponsorship of The Block.
CREDITS
Client: Google Australia
Agency: 72andSunny Australia
Cast: LE SSERAFIM, Maddy & Charlotte Harry (The Block)
Tech featured: Google Lens, Circle to Search, AI Overviews
 Ad Nut is a surprisingly literate woodland creature that for unknown reasons has an unhealthy obsession with advertising. Ad Nut gathers ads from all over Asia and the world for your viewing pleasure, because Ad Nut loves you. You can also check out Ad Nut's Advertising Hall of Fame, or read about Ad Nut's strange obsession with 'murderous beasts'. |
