Google doodles

[9A]

30 August 1998

Burning Man Festival



The first doodle: Burning Man 1998


The concept of the Google Doodle was born on Aug. 30, 1998, when company co-founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin placed a simple stick-figure drawing behind the second "o" in the word Google. This first Google logo art was intended as a message to the site's users that the founders were "out of office" at the Burning Man festival.

While this first doodle was a relatively simple sketch, the idea of decorating the Google logo to celebrate notable events was born -- a tradition which is today stronger than ever. As the doodles have continued to grow, new technologies have led to more complex, entertaining, and creative artistic concepts. Today, Google employs a team of illustrators and engineers known as "Doodlers" to brighten up the Google home page.