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Through the Google lens: Search trends January 30 - February 5
February 6, 2015
From a shark with two left feet to a sequel that has everyone buzzing, here’s what trended on search this week.
Haven’t we been here before?
This past Monday, the U.S. turned to its dirt-dwelling psychic, the groundhog, to determine if it was finally time to put our snow boots back in the closet. Searches for “
Did the groundhog see his shadow?
” hit 100,000+ while other questions like “
What is a groundhog
?” also peaked on February 2. So did little Punxsutawney Phil see his shadow and curse us with another six weeks of winter? In fact, he did. Can we get a do-over?
Sports news 101
Now that the dust has settled from this past Sunday’s
Super Bowl
, there are several things we can take away from the game. First, Tom Brady might be the
best quarterback
in football history after winning his fourth championship—he was also the
most searched
Superbowl quarterback. Second, either Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll made the worst call ever or New England’s victory is all part of a
conspiracy
(you decide). Last but not least,
Left Shark
put on the best half-time performance of all time… with help from Katy Perry. The Internet fell hook, line and sinker for the
choreographically inept
shark. Searchers were also curious about
Missy Elliot
after her appearance in the show.
Model
Ashley Graham
also made a splash this week. Don’t know her? You will soon enough. Graham is set to appear
Sport Illustrated’s famous swimsuit issue
, making her the first plus-size model to be featured in an ad in the magazine.
Back in the headlines
The spotlight is back on Lance Armstrong and it’s not helping the cyclist’s already damaged reputation. Back in December, Armstrong and his girlfriend Anna Hansen were involved in a hit-and-run accident involving parked cars. At the time, Hansen said she was driving the car during the incident—but it turns out Armstrong was actually the
one behind the wheel
, leading to two misdemeanor charges,
rising interest
on trends and more embarrassment for the star.
Iconic and reclusive writer
Harper Lee
topped the
search charts
when news emerged that she will be releasing a new book, a sequel to To Kill A Mockingbird, in July. The book comes 55 years after Lee’s first novel and the writer has a long history of avoiding the spotlight: She hasn’t granted any interviews or public appearances since Mockingbird came out. While many fans are rejoicing, the surprising announcement is leaving others
skeptical
. Lee turns 89 this April and is
reportedly
in ill health, leading some people to feel that the author might be being taken advantage of. We’ll have to wait and see how this story—as well as the one in Go Set A Watchman—unfolds.
Tip of the week
Ready for the long Presidents Day weekend? Look up flights for a last-minute escape. Just say, “Ok Google, show me flights from San Francisco,” to find where you can go to enjoy the day off.
Posted by Jenise Araujo, Communications Associate, who searched this week for [whistle pig] and [a girl named scout]
Google RISE Awards support girls and minorities in tech—from Australia to Mexico
February 2, 2015
(Cross-posted on the
Google for EDU Blog
)
When Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people need support, they turn to their daughters. In a culture whose history goes back 50,000 years, 70 young girls are using technology to give their families a new way to call for help in emergencies. Last year, Engineers Without Borders Australia taught a group of students to build an emergency response beacon using basic hardware and some code to transmit a user’s location and distress message via radio.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people make up less than 3 percent of Australia’s population, and they’ve historically faced discrimination in society, including in education. According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, dropout rates exceed 60 percent in certain regions and Aboriginal students are, on average, 2.5 years behind their peers in scientific and mathematical literacy. The problem is often compounded for girls, who tend to be left out of educational opportunities.
So
Engineers Without Borders Australia
(EWBA) set out to close the educational and digital divide, developing a program which brings together Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal girls to create emergency beacons from scratch by coding a Raspberry Pi to work with an LED, GPS module and FM transmitter. It will also work through issues of stereotyping and discrimination, and help the girls to better understand each other’s worlds.
This is just one example of an organization doing extraordinary work to make computer science (CS) education available to women and other underrepresented minorities. Computer science has tremendous potential to make a real difference in the world—but only when more people can access and harness it.
That’s the idea behind Google’s
RISE Awards
, through which we support organizations in their work to inspire students around the world with CS. Since 2010, more than 200 organizations have received an award, and this year,
37 organizations
are receiving a cumulative $1.5 million to keep this vital effort humming along. Our partners facilitate programs and activities including teaching girls about the
intersection of coding and music production in California
, promoting computational thinking through
game-design in Mexico
, and
inspiring children in Brazil to program alongside their parents
.
This year, three nonprofits will receive a new “RISE Partnership Award”—a grant to work with one or two partner organizations to help grow their CS outreach to a wider scale. One of the three is Engineers Without Borders Australia, which plans to work with MEET—an organization with expertise on how coding skills can build relationships and break down stereotypes—to integrate their curriculum to reach up to 2,000 girls across Australia, including in Aboriginal communities.
With access to hands-on CS education, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander girls are preparing themselves for the digital economy, contributing to the diversity of our future’s technology, and taking concrete steps to rise above the inequities their community has faced for decades. They’re not alone. We hope that through the RISE Awards and
our other efforts
to support diversity in technology, these girls and others like them can have an even greater impact. We can’t wait to see it.
Posted by Roxana Shirkhoda, K12/Pre-University Education Outreach
Shooting stars and puppy ads: How the world watched the big game
February 2, 2015
From a “
super brawl
” to a giant lion, yesterday’s big game was filled with many notable moments. That’s true on YouTube and Google too—people watched more game-day ads and teaser videos on YouTube than ever before, YouTube hosted its first-ever halftime show, and a throwback PSA became a top trending search term. Here’s a look at the top trending searches, videos and more across Google and YouTube:
Battle of the brands
As the battle for football supremacy was taking place on the field, a very different one was raging across the country: Which ad would reign supreme? Whether via smartphone, tablet or laptop, people spent nearly 4 million hours watching game-day ads and teaser videos on YouTube—up from 2.2 million hours from this time last year.
This year’s most popular ads came from a wide range of advertisers—newcomers and veterans alike. But one thing’s for certain—
puppies
,
pranks
, and
Kim Kardashian
continue to “break the Internet.” Here are some of the ads that scored big on YouTube so far:
Tom Brady and Missy Elliott dominate on search
While people turned to YouTube to watch the ads, people turned to Google to search for everything from “how old is Tom Brady” to “buffalo chicken dip recipes” to “Katy Perry Halftime performance.” Before kickoff, people asked Google “Why did John Travolta call Idina ‘Adele'?”—a throwback to John Travolta’s infamous mispronunciation of National Anthem performer Idina Menzel's name at the 2014 Oscars. Searchers were also interested in Menzel’s performance, asking “How long will it take Idina to sing the National Anthem?”
Tom Brady, Marshawn Lynch and Russell Wilson were the top three searched players before, during and after the game. Thanks to some standout in-game performances, by the end they were sharing the spotlight with Rob Gronkowski and Chris Matthews (replacing Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor). And MVP Tom Brady wasn’t just a winner on the field—he captured the title of “Most Searched Quarterback” in every state except for the Seahawks’ home Washington.
Of course, for many people the halftime show is the highlight of the night, and Katy Perry’s performance delivered. She came in on a lion, danced with sharks and went out on a star—one that was, for some, reminiscent of NBC’s old “The More You Know” PSAs. The phrase "the more you know" spiked 190x in search for the 10 minutes after Katy’s starry flight. And although Missy Elliott was a late addition to the halftime lineup, she was a popular topic in search. Top questions related to Missy Elliott included “When was Missy Elliott popular?” and “How does Katy Perry know Missy Elliott?”
A very YouTube halftime show
For the first time ever, this year YouTube hosted a halftime show produced by Collective Digital Studio, with the help of more than 25 YouTube creators including
Epic Meal Time
's Harley Morenstein as host,
Rhett & Link
,
Toby Turner
,
Freddie Wong
and
Tyler Ward
. From
Kurt Hugo Schneider
’s "Epic Patty Cake Song" to the “Elephant’s Toothpaste” science experiment with
Science Bob
, the show delivered a one-of-a-kind experience for YouTube fans.
With the last touchdown scored, we’re taking votes for your favorite ad, so visit our
AdBlitz channel
to cast your ballot before voting ends on February 9 at 11:59pm ET.
Whether you’re a loyal 12th man or a Boston fan for life, chances are you turned to YouTube and Google to watch your favorite ads, answer your questions or witness a new generation of halftime entertainment. We’re happy we could be a part of your game.
Posted by Riki Nakasuji, Sports & Gaming Sponsorships Manager, YouTube
Through the Google lens: Search trends January 23-29
January 30, 2015
Between a spookily resilient cat, and a new bunch of ghostbusters, there was a lot of (paranormal) activity in search this week:
“It’s a great day for a ball game…”
People across the country are gearing up for this weekend’s Super Bowl, starting with the basics: “
When is the Super Bowl
?” They’re also researching some of the major characters of Sunday’s face-off—namely Seahawks running back
Marshawn Lynch
and Patriots coach
Bill Belichick
—and getting the jump on the ads on YouTube (you’ve already watched more than 100 million minutes’ worth!), including a controversial
GoDaddy ad
. Plus, no game day is complete without the food: top recipes searched this week include [easy chili], [fajitas], [baked chicken wings] and [barbacoa]. Don’t forget to tune in to
@Google
over the weekend for more trends!
With all the football hubbub, people still found time to search for other sports happenings. Last Friday, baseball fans mourned the death of
Ernie Banks
, a.k.a. Mr. Cub, a beloved shortstop and Hall of Famer. And that same night,
Klay Thompson
of the Golden State Warriors scored a record-breaking 37 points in one quarter.
Who you gonna call?
An all-female
Ghostbusters
, that’s who. Rumors about next year’s reboot of the 80’s classic have been looming over us like the Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man for a while now, but now it’s all but confirmed that the 2016 film will feature Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon. Searches for each of the actresses spiked faster than you could say “proton pack,” and
Kate McKinnon
was the #2 search overall on Tuesday. In other leading-lady casting news,
Harry Potter
alum
Emma Watson
announced that she’ll play Belle in Disney’s forthcoming live-action
Beauty and the Beast
.
Tempest in a teacup
Headed into this week, the weather was on everyone’s mind, at least on the East Coast. Searches for terms like [
weather
], [
blizzard 2015
], [
juno
], [
National Weather Service
] and [
weather NYC
] were all hot—or, cold, as the case may be. People were also looking for info on the [
mta
], [
nj transit
] and [
school closings
]. Though the storm in New York amounted to little more than an excuse for a snow day, it dumped up to three feet of snow in parts of New England. Definitely enough to merit all those pre-storm searches!
And moving from the blizzard to the desert, Michelle Obama made headlines when she appeared in Riyadh to mark the death of King Abdullah—without a veil or headscarf. Searches spiked as people tried to find out if the First Lady intended her attire as a political statement. Others noted that she’s certainly not the first to go bareheaded: Hillary Clinton, Angela Merkel, Laura Bush and Condoleezza Rice have, too.
One down, eight to go
File under “stranger than fiction”: [zombie cat] was trending in search this week after a 23-month old kitten in Florida seemingly came back from the dead. After being hit by a car and buried, Bart proved the old “nine lives” adage true when he reappeared in a neighbor’s yard five days later. We’d say that after his trials, Bart deserves a cozy new bed at home, like a
Serenity Cat Pod
from
Skymall
, but, well…
Tip of the week
Don’t show up empty-handed on Sunday: say “Ok Google, remind me to pick up guacamole when I’m at Safeway” and the Google app will help you be a good guest.
Posted by Emily Wood, Managing Editor, who searched this week for [garden district walking tour new orleans] and [kitten ducklings]
Google Fiber is coming to Atlanta, Charlotte, Nashville and Raleigh-Durham
January 27, 2015
It’s been nearly five years since we
offered to build a fiber-optic network in one U.S. city as an experiment
— and were met with
overwhelming enthusiasm
. Now, Google Fiber is live in Kansas City, Provo and Austin, and we've started to see how gigabit Internet, with speeds up to 100 times faster than today’s basic broadband, can transform cities. It can give them new platforms for economic development and new ways of using technology to improve life for their citizens. And, around the country, it seems to be catching on.
Check out the
Kansas City Startup Village
and Provo learn-how-to-code hub
DevMountain
. Take a look at the
work of a geneticist
whose speedy connection could one day help newborns in intensive care, or how one city's network is connecting a high school classroom to an underwater microscope so students can study oceanic life in the Pacific... from Chattanooga, Tenn. There are many more stories like this—stories about how people are using gigabit internet to spark innovation, inspire creativity, and collaborate in ways they simply couldn't before. And we want to see even more.
So, today, we’re happy to announce that Google Fiber is coming to 18 cities across four
new metro areas
:
Atlanta
,
Charlotte
,
Nashville
, and
Raleigh-Durham
. We can’t wait to see what people and businesses across the Southeast U.S. do with gigabit speeds.
Bringing Google Fiber to these cities is a long-term investment. We’ve been working closely with city leaders over the past year on a
joint planning process
to get their communities ready for Google Fiber—and now the really hard work begins. Our next step is to work with cities to create a detailed map of where we can put our thousands of miles of fiber, using existing infrastructure such as utility poles and underground conduit, and making sure to avoid things like gas and water lines. Then a team of surveyors and engineers will hit the streets to fill in missing details. Once we’re done designing the network (which we expect to wrap up in a few months), we’ll start construction.
We’re also continuing to explore
bringing fiber to five additional metro areas
—Phoenix, Portland, Salt Lake City, San Antonio and San Jose, and will have updates on these potential Fiber cities later this year.
Today, we aren't the only ones talking about gigabit broadband. From the White House to main street, a chorus of new voices is standing up for speed. Just last week during the
State of the Union
, the President called for faster networks so that innovators and entrepreneurs can build the next big idea. New research from the Fiber to the Home Council
shows
gigabit networks are contributing billions of dollars in economic growth. Communities across America are demanding more speed for their own homes and businesses, and we’re going to keep doing our part to help.
Posted by Dennis Kish, Vice President, Google Fiber
Through the Google lens: Search trends January 16-22
January 23, 2015
Here’s a side of search trends to go along with your Friday. Read on to find out what got people talking–and searching–this week.
Deflate-gate and other scandals
Super Bowl drama is already here, and it’s not even February 1. After the
New England Patriots
dominated the Indianapolis Colts 45-7 to win the AFC Championship, news broke out that 11 out of the 12 balls used by New England quarterback
Tom Brady
were
under inflated
, which is a no-no in the NFL. The league has strict rules about the air pressure in game day balls since alterations could give one team an advantage. Both Brady and head coach Bill Belichick are singing Shaggy's greatest hit “It Wasn’t Me,” so we’ll all have to wait and see how the mystery unfolds.
On the other “football” field, U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team goalkeeper
Hope Solo
is back in trouble with the law after she and her husband, Jerramy Stevens, were pulled over for suspicions of driving under the influence. The kicker? This all happened while Stevens was driving the U.S. team van, which promptly resulted in a 30-day suspension for Solo. This event comes just seven days after charges of domestic violence were dropped against the athlete.
The last laugh
On Tuesday, President Obama delivered his sixth
State of the Union
address to outline his legislative agenda for the year ahead. Then, on Thursday, the President took
questions
about his remarks from YouTube Creators. While topics like education, the economy and foreign relations got people searching, the Internet had a
field day
after Obama dropped the proverbial mic at the expense of his Republican counterparts during his speech. In the midst of his talk, Obama stated “
I have no more campaigns to run
,” generating applause from some of his opponents. But Obama -- not one to be the butt of a joke -- responded as smooth as butter: “I know because I won both of them.” Burn.
Not what you expected
Search left people salivating after news that milk’s favorite cookie, the Oreo, was getting a new flavor inspired by Valentine’s Day. Confection-maker Nabisco decided to bring cupcake and cookie together in holy matrimony with the launch of a red velvet version of their snack on February 2. And as some people tried to satisfy their sweet tooth, it looks like Tiger Woods may have lost his...literally. The famed golfer made an appearance at his girlfriend
Lindsey Vonn’s
World Cup skiing race in Italy sporting a
missing tooth
, causing a stir on the web as people tried to find an explanation for his gap-toothed smile.
Meanwhile, things took a turn for the worse at the happiest place on earth. Disneyland was
linked
to an outbreak of more than 50 cases of the measles. Health officials are declaring the park safe for those who have their immunizations, but the situation has drummed up more controversy around the anti-vaccination movement.
Tip of the Week
Still sticking to your diet resolution? If you need a little help knowing the number of calories you’re eating just ask, “Ok Google, how many calories are in an avocado?” to stay in tip-top shape.
Posted by Jenise Araujo, Communications Associate, who searched for [hope for hope] and [all scandals that end in -gate]
Through the Google lens: Search trends January 9-15
January 16, 2015
This time of year may be cold and dark, but there was plenty to brighten our days—and keep us searching—this week.
Top of the pack
El Capitan is a stunning sight on a normal day—the sheer granite face rising above the valley in Yosemite National Park is hard to miss. But this week, people around the world had an extra reason to keep their eyes on El Cap: two mountain climbers, Tommy Caldwell and Kevin Jorgeson, made history on Wednesday when they completed the first ever free climb of the 3,000-foot wall. Searches for [el capitan climb] went up
more than 1,000%
as people looked to learn more about the feat.
Back on firm ground, Ohio State beat #2-ranked Oregon in an upset victory in the College Football Playoff championship. Though the Buckeyes may have won on the field, the
Ducks
still held the top of the search charts, with more than 2 million searches on Monday. People were also searching for the teams’ top players, especially Ohio State quarterback
Cardale Jones
, who announced this week that he had decided to stay with the team for another year, passing on the NFL draft. (His Oregon counterpart in Monday’s game, Marcus Mariota, made the opposite call.)
Glitter and glamour
We’re officially in peak entertainment awards season. The “
72nd and final
”
Golden Globes
took place on Sunday with hosts Amy Poehler and Tina Fey. Of particular interest on search were
Jane the Virgin
and its star Gina Rodriguez, whose win was considered a surprise and whose speech was considered a win, and
The Honourable Woman
’s
Maggie Gyllenhaal
, who gave a quietly passionate speech about women in Hollywood. And
Michael Keaton
, who won best actor in a drama for the film
Birdman
, brought some company with him to search, as well as the ceremony: his son and “best friend,” Sean Douglas, who
spiked
in search after Keaton sang his praises in his acceptance speech.
Then just when we’d finished analyzing the Globes’ winners and losers, the
Oscar nominations
were announced, meaning we officially have just over a month to catch up on all the films before the ceremony on February 22. Top nominees include
Birdman
,
The Grand Budapest Hotel
, and
Boyhood
. (Someone get Sean Douglas a tux rental for February.) Want help with your Oscar pool? There’s no telling which film will win, but over the past year, the title of
top film in Search
is a close race between
Boyhood
and
The Grand Budapest Hotel
.
Finally, in addition to all the glitz on the red carpet, there was a different kind of glitter in search this week. A start-up business that lets you “
ship your enemies glitter
” went viral, giving you a new way to show that special (un)loved one how you feel. Millions of clicks and a website crash later, the founder is now saying he wants to quit. All that glitters is, apparently, not gold.
Tip of the week
Time to catch up on all those movies you haven’t seen. Just say “Ok Google” then “movie times” or “Selma movies times” and you’ll get a list of theaters and films playing near you.
Posted by Emily Wood, Managing Editor, who searched for [lucy parks and rec] and [spanish homophones]
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