Abstract

Over the past two decades, Google Doodle has been showcasing iconic Earth Day images on every April 22. This research examines the genealogy of Google Doodle Earth Day images of the past three years through analyzing the visual images and the underlying visual rhetorical techniques. Based on a range of critical theories of visual rhetoric, it is intended to decode these images within the context of certain geopolitical events and initiatives that emerged as symbols, icons, and indexes, together representing each year’s Earth Day theme. By investigating the intentions and ideological implications of Earth Day images through interpretive methods, this research aims to uncover the relationship between the visual rhetoric and ideological implications on the issues of sustainability, examining how Google, as a corporation, uses visual rhetoric to shape their corporate cultural identities as well as impact on the perceptions of audiences. Therefore, it is imperative to understand that visual rhetoric can act as latent and hegemonic cultural forces, influencing audiences unconsciously as part of corporate marketing strategies.