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Airbnb’s odd new logo gets pervy remix treatment on Tumblr

Abstraction has its price.

 

Miles Klee

Internet Culture

Posted on Jul 18, 2014   Updated on May 30, 2021, 10:34 pm CDT

This article contains sexually explicit material that may be NSFW.   

Startups should probably be aware that any fanfare around a new logo can have unintended consequences: In Airbnb’s case, these would include observers crying copyright infringement

Whatever the provenance of Airbnb’s design, though, we can agree on one thing: It’s weird. Some might even argue there’s a Rorschach effect. Do you see a heart, or maybe genitals?

Last night, our San Francisco community shared what #BelongAnywhere means to them. Your turn: https://t.co/E1cxl99bpb https://t.co/AWv2nCHWlp

— Airbnb (@Airbnb) July 17, 2014

Airbnb logo redesign survey: More people see hearts than naughty parts https://t.co/i1hagLnUuA pic.twitter.com/PSNCBJPzlY

— Design UX/UI (@DesignUXUI) July 18, 2014

ok this changes everything @Airbnb pic.twitter.com/soyqm9vwLW

— darth™ (@darth) July 16, 2014

The doodle-like shape is certainly versatile, as evidenced by a new Tumblr account that quickly began to compile the best remixes, most of which are fairly vulgar and probably NSFW.  


Even so, there are some G-rated gems:


But if we had to pick one effort that most accurately conveyed the appeal of this room-sharing, hotel-disrupting, controversy-sparking business, it would obviously be this:


If only all branding were this honest.

Photo via @Airbnb/Twitter

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*First Published: Jul 18, 2014, 6:17 pm CDT