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The team works with artists from all over the world to design the different filters. \u201cI start by putting together a content strategy for everything that we want to do for the whole year: What permanent backgrounds and what permanent effects do we want? What older content do we want to replace? What seasonal events do we want to hit?\u201d explains Lauren Morrison, lead designer for Meet\u2019s video effects. \u201cThen we collaborate with artists and agencies on nailing down the designs.\u201d<\/p>\n
For cultural moments, the team often turns to Google\u2019s Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). \u201cIt\u2019s so important to partner with people who really understand all of the symbolic imagery,\u201d says Lauren. \u201cFor this year\u2019s Ramadan effects, I was able to work with Muslims@Google, a chapter of our Inter Belief Network ERG \u2014 they talked about how important street markets are at night during Ramadan, when everybody goes out and breaks their fast together. It\u2019s that kind of energy that we wanted to try to capture with this background.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhatever country you call home, the marketplace represents the central location of community, commerce and culture,\u201d says Malik Elarbi, who leads the Muslims@Google Product Inclusion team that helped design the background. \u201cEvery Ramadan, these places are beautifully decorated around the world as Muslims come together at sunset with friends, family and loved ones for iftar \u2014 the meal eaten after sunset to break fast.\u201d<\/p>\n
This kind of collaboration is part of what Lauren loves about her role. \u201cI get to work with really fantastic artists all over the world on our Meet backgrounds and effects, and get to learn about the imagery from different regions and holidays around the world as we make Meet a more inclusive platform,\u201d says Lauren. \u201cIt’s a joy to get to be inspired by all of these people.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n