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Today is St. Patrick's Day and for the first time that I can remember, Google and Yahoo are missing special logos on their main US sites. Google and Yahoo have always had special logos for the day, so why is today different? Maybe out of respect for the events in Japan? I am not sure.
But just see our archives of logos for St. Patrick's Day, including the 2010, 2009, 2008, 2007, 2006, 2005 and 2004 archives.
That is not to say that Google doesn't have a logo for St. Patrick's Day on Google Ireland, they do and it looks like this:
But Yahoo UK & Ireland does not have a special logo. I hope their logo designer is feeling well.
Update: I am wrong, I just don't see the logo because I am in the U.S. but they do have a logo. Thanks @beyondcontent for the hat tip.
DuckDuckGo!
Microsoft Bing has a theme:
Ask.com's theme:
DogPile:
Search Engine Roundtable:
Why do you think Google and Yahoo are missing logos?
Forum discussion at Google Web Search Help and Google Blogoscoped Forums and Search Engine Roundtable Forums.
Comments:
Moosa Hemani
03/17/2011 12:13 pm
Yap i think this is because of the Japan Tsunami and if it is really like this this is a good decision and i respect it!
sfcooper
03/17/2011 12:53 pm
It's probably because its only relevant to the Irish, and not the rest of the world.
Barry Schwartz
03/17/2011 12:53 pm
I know in the US, it is celebrated big time.
sfcooper
03/17/2011 12:56 pm
And that's because there's a good number of Irish in the US. But if you're not Irish, it doesnt mean much.
Liam Shepherd
03/17/2011 01:36 pm
I disagree, I'm not Irish but it means something to me. For me it's an excuse to go out and get battered on a week day ;)
Patrick9e
03/17/2011 01:38 pm
A friend from inside Google tells me it is for religious reasons. In the United States they didn't want to promote a Christian holiday for fear of offending non-Christians and because the U.S. is a secular nation, unlike the U.K. and Ireland which still have official Christian status in government.
Liam Shepherd
03/17/2011 01:41 pm
But Google UK doesn't have one either?
Sean Skipton
03/17/2011 01:49 pm
In which case it sounds like it's part of Google's regionalisation strategy - making SERPS geographically relevant etc (with the Google Brain deciding what is relevant).
Lee Friedman
03/17/2011 01:54 pm
That makes the most sense. Actually, I'd like to see a Google SERP linked to Japan relief fund sites search.
Patrick9e
03/17/2011 01:55 pm
I got back to that "insider" and he tells me they didn't want to put the logo in all the Commonwealth countries because that would have risen more suspicion about why the logo wasn't erected in the United States specifically, out of all western countries. I know what you're thinking — it's like they sit down for weeks and think of this stuff. Very strange. Either way, apparently they decided to only put it up on Ireland's local site because of the holiday's specific association with that country. A shame really, Google is waaayy too politically correct.
Smoran200
03/17/2011 01:57 pm
gay as shit if you ask me because im not a christian and i sure as hell like to get hella drunk on the 17th im actually offended as a non-christian that they would think that we are so emotional about that stuff, honestly its the christians that would be offended because they are the only people that selfish
Punchermuffin
03/17/2011 02:01 pm
so true ^_^
Liam Shepherd
03/17/2011 02:17 pm
Thanks for the reply. I can understand not putting the logo up on all commonwealth countries, but still don't understand why they haven't put it on Google UK at least though, since Northern Ireland is part of the UK.
Leahray400
03/17/2011 02:33 pm
just about everybody and the mother celebrates St Patricks Day here in the US
Barry Schwartz
03/17/2011 03:21 pm
So does anyone like this site's theme for St. Patty's Day?
butlerpcnet
03/17/2011 03:24 pm
Love the site theme for St. Patrick's Day! someone is a really good designer.
CloudhostingUK
03/17/2011 03:47 pm
Hmmmm, Google will have some another plan for it.
Mspwright
03/17/2011 04:23 pm
I am so sick of the political correctness. So why now, after having the St. Pat logo in years past? My husband's great grandfather had a thick Irish brogue, died in a hurricane on the coast of Texas, with his pension papers from the Tennessee Volunteers. We deserve to have his and our heritage celebrated. Why can't Google be fair and balanced? Google was my home page until today.
foilrose
03/17/2011 10:25 pm
Sad really ... I like when Google changes out their logo, most designs are very creative.
Anna Bourland
03/17/2011 10:26 pm
Mentioned on Twitter already, but your design for SERoundtable is very good. My fave holiday theme so far. It was implemented well.
Julius
03/17/2011 11:06 pm
Why do you think Google and Yahoo are missing logos? Here are some possible reasons - the graphic artist is out sick. - they failed to roll out the new image in production on time, decided to cancel it. - they never received their pot of gold this year.
Aleeacerix
03/18/2011 05:51 am
So, in Japan, Korea and even China, some people celebrate St. Patrick's Day, but not much this year since there was a major earthquake. St. Patrick's Day nowadays is more of a celebrating Irish culture day.
Sujanna
03/24/2011 01:51 pm
google not putting up St. Patrick's day logo because their politacally correct? yet they post hanukkah icons........