Jeep ducking, also known as Duck Duck Jeep, [1] is a custom among owners of Jeep vehicles in which they leave rubber ducks on other Jeeps, originally Wranglers, but now including all Jeep models. [2]
Jeep ducking, also known as Duck Duck Jeep, [1] is a custom among owners of Jeep vehicles in which they leave rubber ducks on other Jeeps, originally Wranglers, but now including all Jeep models. [2]
The origins of the gesture have been attributed to Allison Parliament, a Canadian resident of Alabama. In 2020, during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, she had purchased rubber ducks to hide at a Canadian friend's house as a way to thank that friend for letting her visit. After having had an unpleasant interaction with another person in the parking lot of a convenience store, she stated that she felt inspired to leave one of the ducks on a Jeep in a store parking lot with a simple note stating "nice Jeep" as an act of kindness. The owner of that Jeep saw Parliament place the duck and suggested that she make a social media post. Parliament made a post, which then went viral and popularized the action of "ducking." [3] [4] [5] [6]
In 2022, it was estimated that Jeep ducking Facebook groups had around half a million members. [7] By 2023, it had become common to see rubber ducks on the dashboard of Jeeps. [8] Some owners only perform the gesture on certain more classic Jeep models, with some limiting it to the Jeep Wrangler model, while others are less selective. [3] [9] Ducking a Jeep is considered a random act of kindness; [9] however, not all Jeep owners are enthusiastic about the practice, because most feel it is a Jeep Wrangler "thing". [10] Drivers who are ducked use the hashtag #DuckDuckJeep to post to social media. [11]
A similar "Moo Moo Subaru" movement Facebook group launched in June 2023, aimed at promoting imitating the gesture with rubber cows on Subarus, garnering 36,000 members in six months. [12] Owners of Mini vehicles engage in the practice of ducking as well, [13] and some Chevrolet owners have developed "sharking". [14] Other copycat trends include "yoda yoda Toyota" and "buck buck Bronco". [15]
Stellantis, the manufacturer of Jeep, rented the World's Largest Rubber Duck for the 2022 North American International Auto Show in celebration of ducking, displaying it outside the Huntington Place convention center. [15] Rubber ducks also feature prominently at the Toledo Jeep Fest.
Allison Parliament's mother announced on Facebook that she had died unexpectedly of natural causes on June 22, 2024. [16] [17]
Duck-themed fundraisers by Jeep owners have raised money for veterans, hearing centers, and St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. [18] [19] [20] BFGoodrich hosted a sweepstakes in which they pledged ten cents to Allison Parliament's "Ducking for Teachers" for every entry. [2] One hospital has utilized a Jeep toy electric car, complete with a duck on the hood, to help put children at ease before surgery. [21]