Fabulous International Women's Day Google Doodles

Have you noticed the spontaneous and delightful changes often made to the Google logo?

Known as Doodles, these designs celebrate a range of local and international topics in various formats, from static illustrations and animations to videos and interactive games.

What started as a simple out-of-office message made by Google's co-founders has now become a global phenomenon of 5,000 Doodles spanning decades. 

Among these Doodles are designs created by international female artists and women-led creative studios to annually celebrate International Women's Day. 

Google's IWD 2024 Doodle [pictured above] highlights a group of women sharing wisdom across generations within a quilt embroidered with symbols of progress made over the years.

This Doodle was illustrated by artist, Sophie Diao, who shared her thoughts behind the making of this fabulous design: "My mom's side of the family is mostly women, so whenever we go back to visit family in China, we would spend the entire summer together as a big multi-generational group. I wanted to capture that cozy, comforting feeling of older generations sharing wisdom and precious quality time with younger folks. I hope people will inspire people to spend more time with people from different generations. There’s so much to learn from the experiences of those who came before us, as well as the wonder of those who are experiencing life for the first time."

Now, let's take a trip down memory lane - check out these past IWD Doodles and meet some of their talented creators.

Celebrating ways women support women

Last year's IWD Doodle, illustrated by artist Alyssa Winans, celebrated many ways in which women support women. The vignettes within each “GOOGLE” letter highlighted just a few of the many areas in which women around the world support each other to progress and improve each other's quality of life.

Spotlighting every day lives of women worldwide

The year before saw Google animate its International Women’s Day Doodle, transporting Google users around the world to give a glimpse into the everyday lives of women across different cultures. From a mother working from home to a motorcycle mechanic teaching her skills to the next generation, each illustration depicted in the Doodle was connected by the common thread of how women show up for themselves, their families, and their communities. 

Doodle Art Director, Thoka Maer, who created this 2022 design, shared her thoughts behind the artistic process: "I want all women to be able to truly choose the lives they want to live and receive all the respect they deserve. A stay at home mom makes the whole world for her children. A CEO makes for innovation and keeps her employees motivated and happy. The vagabond artist delights strangers and indulges in her freedom. Driving a truck, fighting for women’s rights, going to school, or making a meal. We all wake up in the morning and we all have a purpose, big or small. It all matters."

Taking a journey through women's history

In 2021, under the theme of Women Firsts, Google's video Doodle took a journey through a series of firsts in women’s history, highlighting female pioneers who have challenged the status quo and paved the way in education, civil rights, science, art, and so much more. Specifically, we pay homage to these SHEroes by depicting the hands that have opened the doors for generations of women.

Discussing her design, Doodler Helene Leroux said: “IWD has always been a great moment to reflect on everything women have done in the past, and the influence that is carried on to this day!"

Watch the video below.

Bringing together women around the world

Google's 2020 International Women’s Day design celebrated women coming together throughout the world and generations with a special animated video. The multilayered 3D paper mandala animation, illustrated by New York and London-based guest artists Julie Wilkinson and Joyanne Horscroft from Makerie Studio, and animated by Zurich-based guest animators Marion Willam & Daphne Abderhalden from DRASTIK GmbH, represented both the history of this powerful celebration and the significance it has for women across generations.

Quoting international female trailblazers

2019 saw Google go interactive with its Doodle, told by and made by women. In the design, Google showcased inspirational quotes across various languages by thirteen international female trailblazers - both past and present. Connecting to the larger theme of Women Empowering Women, the quotes were also designed by a talented group of female guest artists from around the globe.

Sharing personal stories via visual narratives

In 2018, Google reached out to 12 female artists of all backgrounds to share their personal stories in a series of visual narratives. Specifically, each story represents a moment, person, or event that has impacted their lives as women. While each artist told a unique story, the themes were universal, reminding us of how much we often have in common. 

Celebrating female pioneers who have paved the way

Google chose to look to the past in 2017 to celebrate some of the female pioneers who paved the way to where we are today. In a slideshow format, the Doodle featured a little girl whose grandmother told the best bedtime of her favorite historical heroine. The little girl then visited 13 remarkable women in her imagination, taking Google visitors along on a journey that spanned centuries and circled the globe.

Sharing aspirations with the world

2016's International Women's Day Doodle looked to the future, celebrating the next generation of women - the engineers, educators, leaders, movers and shakers of tomorrow. Google visited 13 cities around the world and asked 337 girls and women to complete the sentence “One Day I Will...” and, from their responses, made a video. From San Francisco, Rio de Janeiro, Mexico City, Lagos, Moscow, Cairo, Berlin, London, Paris, Jakarta, Bangkok, New Delhi and Tokyo, the women Google met made up a diverse mosaic of personalities, ages and backgrounds. And their aspirations were just as varied, ranging from the global to the very personal, from discovering more digits of pi to becoming a mother to giving a voice to those who can’t speak. 

Highlighting women who are changing the world

This collage-like 2015 International Women's Day Doodle celebrated the many ways women scientists, engineers, athletes, doctors, artists, explorers and more are changing the world.

Featuring inspiring women from around the globe

2014 saw Google's continued effort for Doodle diversity and inclusion. This truly International Women’s Day Doodle featured a host of over 100 inspiring women from around the world.

Representing a diverse range of women

Betsy Bauer, who created Google's 2013 International Women's Day Doodle, shared her design process: "Creating this Doodle, while lots of fun, was quite a challenge.  After all, women make up more than half of the population.  How can they be fairly represented in just one illustration?  While no attempt is perfect, it took a number of tries to arrive at the final concept that you see on the homepage. The idea for the final illustration came to me while I was doing one of my favorite things -- sketching in a coffee shop.  When drawing from life, you really observe how each human face is unique. People come in all shapes and sizes!"

Google Doodle 2012

Cleverly integrating the female symbol into this 2012 design, Google managed to incorporate the International Women's Day purple alongside the colours of its own logo.

Celebrating IWD's centennial anniversary

This Doodle marked an important milestone for the IWD campaign - its centennial anniversary, or 100 years of appreciation for the social, political, economic, and cultural contributions of women worldwide. 

A watercolour design with flowers

2010's Google Doodle was simple yet impactful, featuring a soft watercolor style and a beautiful bunch of flowers. 

Google Doodle 2009

Finally, here's Google's 2009 Doodle to wrap up this extraordinary portfolio of International Women's Day designs. Each with different styles, artists, topics, and typography, it's fascinating to see how the IWD Doodles have transformed across the years. 

What will the coming years bring?