Happy Father’s Day to Dads everywhere! Just as it has done since 2000, Google has posted a special logo for that special third Sunday every June dedicated to honoring fathers. The Google Doodle appears in numerous countries today around the world, including the United States, South Africa, Ireland, United Kingdom, France, among others.
The logo may look a bit familiar to those who saw Google’s Mother’s Day Doodle earlier this year. Google used the same font, but has changed the purple letters to a much manlier blue, and the flower for a tie (replacing Google’s “l”) – a traditional gift for dads (though, hopefully you won’t be giving your dad a tie of the hideous orange polka dot variety).
Father’s Day: Bigger Than Mother’s Day?
Real world behavior often mirrors online searches. So when Google learned that Father’s Day 2011 consumer spending is expected to reach an all-time high, Google examined its search data, and found that searches for Father’s Day have surpassed searches for Mother’s Day for the first time this year.
As the graph above shows, Google searches for Mother’s Day (the red line) and Father’s Day (the blue line) both reached new heights this year, but there were indeed more searches for Father’s Day than Mother’s Day.
Hot U.S. Father’s Day Google Searches
Google highlighted some interesting Father’s Day search trends in the U.S.:
- #1 Dad Shirt: Up 65 percent since June 2010
- Father’s Day Ties: Up 22 percent since 2010, and 26 percent since 2009
- Father’s Day ipad: Up 46 percent from 2010
- Father’s Day Kindle: Up 38 percent from 2010, and 49 percent from 2009
- Zoo Father’s Day: Up 9 percent this week compared to the same week last year
- Father’s Day Trip: Up 45 percent vs. last year
- Father’s Day Spa: Up 19 percent from June 2010
- Father’s Day Massage: Up 27 percent from June 2010
More Father’s Day Google Search Trends
Just as with Mother’s Day, two of the top three searches were about finding out the data of Father’s Day (“fathers date when” and “date fathers day”).
Gifts and ideas are also hot topics. Father’s Day gift searches on Google are up 70 percent in the past 30 days.
Many are also looking for Father’s Day sales – up 200 percent in the U.S. (up 140 percent worldwide). Whether it’s a gadget, clothing, hardware, or something else, hopefully Google helped you find that perfect gift.
Father’s Day cards are another rising search. In the past 30 days, searches have climbed 170 percent. Ecards, free printable cards, greeting cards, and Hallmark are four of Google’s breakout searches, and other searches for poems (up 60 percent), quotes (up 70 percent), and sayings (breakout search) may give dads a hint of what to expect.
Though “fathers day usa” searches are up 300 percent in the last 30 days and “uk fathers day” was sixth on Google’s list of top 10 Father’s Day searches, South Africa actually led the world in search volume for Father’s Day, followed by the United States, Ireland, Canada, United Kingdom, Philippines, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, India, and Hong Kong.
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