Introduction
Google marked its 27th birthday on September 27, 2025, with a nostalgic Google Doodle that brings back the search giant’s very first 1998 logo. The short, playful homepage tribute is part celebration and part reminder: a small visual wink that traces Google’s journey from a garage project to a global platform used by billions.
The Doodle — a quick look
Today’s Doodle restores Google’s original logo artwork and links to a short “story” page that remembers the company’s early days. The Doodle team says the image is meant to “transport you back to the ’90s and teleport into the future,” and to thank users who have searched with Google for nearly three decades.
The Doodle appears on Google’s homepage worldwide and is part of the company’s long-running tradition of marking milestones with artful logo changes.
Why September 27 — the short answer
Although Google was incorporated on Sept. 4, 1998, the company has long chosen Sept. 27 as its symbolic birthday. The date stuck because it became the day Google first used a public Doodle to mark an anniversary, and the tradition has continued.
Over the years Google has used birthday Doodles to celebrate its history and to showcase search features, so today’s throwback is consistent with that custom.
Google at 27 — scale and context
Google is no longer just a search box. It still dominates global search—holding roughly 89% market share worldwide—but now powers maps, email, cloud services, mobile OSes and major AI projects.
The company handles billions of searches every day and remains a central gateway to online information, advertising and local services. That market reach is why a simple Doodle is a global moment: the logo sits on a page that billions of people open daily.
What the throwback Doodle signals
The retro logo is more than nostalgia. It’s a public relations reset that does three things at once:
- Reminds users of roots. It frames Google as a user-first project that started small.
- Shifts attention to new products. Google often pairs birthday Doodles with feature highlights or product pushes — expect blog posts or Search experiments linked from the Doodle.
- Soft PR amid scrutiny. With regulators and rivals probing search and ads, a light-hearted Doodle helps steer the conversation toward brand and utility rather than controversy. Recent probes into Google’s market role mean happy anniversaries carry strategic value.
Quick history note — why Doodles matter
The first Google Doodle was a small “out of office” joke sent by the founders; it evolved into a team of “Doodlers” that designs hundreds of Doodles a year for holidays, anniversaries and cultural figures. Doodles have become a public-facing way for Google to celebrate and educate — from honoring scientists to showcasing interactive games. Today’s retro Doodle is part of that long practice.
What to watch next
- Click the Doodle. It usually links to a curated page with stories, mini-features or search easter eggs.
- Product previews. Google sometimes times announcements with birthdays — watch the official Google blog for posts or product notes.
- Regulatory responses. Keep an eye on reporting about regulators (UK CMA, EU) that continue to examine Google’s market conduct; brand moments don’t erase policy scrutiny.
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