To celebrate fathers today, Google is featuring a new animated, interactive Doodle. Replacing the search engine’s official logo on its homepage, the Doodle initially has the L from Google wearing glasses, seated in an arm chair reading a newspaper. Then a robot carrying a mug suddenly zooms out from behind the chair.
The father, who is surprised by the robot’s appearance, gets up from his chair to investigate. The robot then extends the mug, which has a #1 on the side. Then the father’s child, the e in Google, is revealed to have been controlling the robot via a remote control.
After a high-five, the father and child hug, which triggers the remaining gray letters of Goog to fade in. When Google users scroll over the Doodle, the message “Happy Father’s Day!” appears. When the Doodle is clicked, multiple websites detailing the history of Father’s Day appear.
The U.S. officially began to honor fathers on the third Sunday in 1966, when President Lyndon B. Johnson officially designated the day. A petition began to have an official day to honor fathers in 1908. Grace Golden Clayton wanted to mark the deaths of 210 fathers in a mining disaster in Monogah, West Virginia. She chose the third Sunday in June because it was the closest to the birthday of her recently deceased father.
Written by: Karen Benardello
Watch the 2012 Father’s Day Google Doodle below.
