For sophomore Mallory Hacker, the Jeep rubber duck tradition represents positivity.
“I think people put ducks on Jeeps to build community and spread kindness to others,” Hacker said. “Every time my Mom or I find a duck, it really brightens our day. It’s really just a way to spread positivity, which I think is especially important in times of need.”
Despite not owning a Jeep herself, senior Taylor Zhuang said she enjoys the tradition and always looks forward to finding rubber ducks on Jeeps.
“I think it’s a cool thing that Jeep owners do. Every time I’m in the (school parking) lot I see a lot of Jeeps with personal rubber duck collections and it always makes me feel good inside,” Zhuang said. “Although I don’t own a Jeep, the rubber duck culture would definitely make me consider buying one in the future.”
The tradition of placing rubber ducks on Jeeps, officially called “Duck, Duck Jeep”, was popularized on TikTok during the pandemic as a way to spread kindness and build community among Jeep owners. The original creator of the trend was a Canadian woman named Allison Parliament who had recently purchased a Jeep and gave a rubber duck to another Jeep as a random act of kindness. After documenting the act, strangers all over the world started giving out rubber ducks to fellow Jeep owners. Now, the trend has become a tradition and most Jeeps have flocks of ducks displayed on their windshield and often exchange ducks with other Jeep owners.
Media Specialist John Love said rubber ducks and the “Jeep wave” have become key aspects of Jeep culture.
“Duck, Duck Jeep’ was something I didn’t know about until I got a duck on my Jeep once and it had a note on it saying ‘pass it on.’ So (over the years) I’ve taken some of the ducks I have and have given those away and my daughter is sometimes with me and she likes doing it too,” Mr. Love said. “There’s also a thing called the ‘Jeep wave’ where you’re supposed to acknowledge and wave when you see another Jeep in public. It’s fun because there are different waves too. I don’t know what the significance (of the waves) is but you got the peace sign and the full wave. Some people say you give the Jeep wave to only other Jeeps but not the new Jeep trucks. Jeep culture is an interesting culture to say the least.”
Zhuang said Jeep owners have built a sense of camaraderie amongst themselves that other cars don’t have.
“I drive a Toyota Prius but there aren’t any fun traditions you can participate in as a Prius driver. I see other Prius’s on the road and recognize them but very rarely is there any interaction between us,” Zhuang said. “I would like to see more trends developed that all car owners can participate in and build community through.”
Hacker said she’s happy she owns a Jeep because it’s a good car and because of the positive culture surrounding Jeeps.
“It does make me really happy having a Jeep. In general, it’s a really nice car and always fun to ride in,” Hacker said. “I like the rubber duck practice because it’s a fun way for Jeep owners to connect. It’s a harmless activity and brings joy to a lot of people’s day. It’s always nice to see how happy Jeep owners get from seeing a rubber duck on their car door handle.”