Is your logo design phallic?
No beating around the bush. Your logo looks like a penis.
In some cases this is a conscious decision by the designer, such as the KM logo above for the Kegel Male Trainer. In many cases, however, there simply hasn’t been enough thought given to the design process. The logos below can be viewed in full flow on their respective websites, barring the spectacularly bad Institute for Eastern Studies logo — due to an obvious need for a re-think.
See it on the Buty Salon website.
On the Deutschen Volleyball-Verband website.
PTC website.
Perfect Crystal Windows website.
Institute for Eastern Studies (unfortunately, depending on how you look at it, the site is currently down)
The above logos were selected from the Phallic Logo Awards by b3ta.
While we’re on the subject of phallic logo design, have a look at these beauts that really should’ve been given more thought.
Unless this one from Kudawara is supposed to be the Heimlich manoeuvre then great work guys!
Thankfully this design for the non-profit Arlington Pediatric Center has since been scrapped.
How about the wonderfully named Pen Island, for custom pens? All you have to do to order is send an email to sales@penisland.com (not really).
Do you know of any other logos that give the wrong impression?
Related posts on David Airey dot com
82 appreciated comments on “Is your logo design phallic?”
What are your thoughts?
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Sorry – I’m laughing so much there’ll probably be poor spelling in this comment. Exceptional examples.
Reminds me of a business contact I once had. His company dealt with fluid power equipment (mainly valves & fittings) but his logo was unintentionally sexual. The capper was that his name was Hy – and that was short for Hyman (no joke)
lol! Oh, these are classic. Thanks for the laugh.
[...] on the Intertoobz – Is your logo design phallic? The description of the link should give you a heads up of what you’re about to view – [...]
Ha ha! Brilliant post!
I’ve got a funny feeling you could be having fun with Digg again with this post ;)
LMAO!! Absolutely GREAT finds!!! Ah man you’re definitely in for another digging.
Shameless Stumble bait, and I’ve obliged ;-)
You’re all very kind!
I’m glad there were a few laughs and that you enjoyed the post.
absolutely gr8
I remember seeing the Institute for Eastern Studies logo on the now-defunkt TechTV’s Screensavers about 4 or 5 years ago. It’s just as funny now as it was then.
Great logos. Just showed them to the wife and she was laughing so much she was crying.
HAHAHA Those are awesome! Definitely more thought (or perhaps less?) should have been put into the logo designs. I haven’t seen any of those before except the Pen Island one, that’s still hilarious.
That Atherton Car Centre Logo couldn’t be real , could it???
http://goldcoaster.wordpress.com
Fantastic!!!
Too funny. I Dugg the post back at Digg.
Not sure if it counts, but the T.V. ad for some auto maker (can’t remember the name at the moment) where the mom shows up at the beach talking about catching the perfect wave and instead she caught 3. Then her kids jump out of the car and they all grab their surfboards or bodyboards and head to the water. In that ad there is the “rising” phallic suggestion when the one surfer takes notice of the arriving mother and slowly stands up next to his friend. Perhaps not as blatant as the images included in this post but very phallic nonetheless. Thanks for an entertaining post.
This was entertaining. Thanks David! ;)
wow, funny. I hope my logo on my site of my FACE doesn’t have a resemblance of a penis…
[...] View more hilarious phallic logo designs [...]
LOL, excellent!
Thanks for the laugh! My in-laws are visiting, so I really needed that!
What happens if the reverse is true and your phallus looks like a logo?
Sorry – that’s just the way my mind works.
[...] http://www.davidairey.com/blog/is-your-logo-design-phallic/ [...]
OMG this post is so classic, it really made my day!
Haha, hilarious!
(To spot surprises like these -before- you present the logo to the huge, filthy rich company that have hired you, try mirroring the design. Makes it easier to reveal flaws, imbalances and unwanted resemblances.)
I enjoyed the post – here’s another one to add to your list of a bank that I pass frequently:
http://www.centralbankutah.com/
A worthy addition, Bradley!
Thanks for posting that link.
I just read this post the 2nd time and I’m still LOL. I’m going to add a 5th installment (3rd installment coming up soon) to my logo series and link back to your site. Really, designers and clients alike should pick up a thing or two from this post.
Post more.
[...] You Are A Designer, Make Sure Your Logo Doesn’t Look Phallic: Maybe there weren’t enough perverted guys double-checking the design [...]
Brilliant entry!
There are designers who seem focused on carrying out the urgent need of a client that they overlook the integrity as a designer to solve such a problem at the same time.
Hahahah. But you really left me in stitches!
Edroos, thanks for your kind words. I really enjoyed looking through your photos of Phuket!
Takes me back to my days in Thailand.
That was insanely hilarious.
Aww I cant help feeling sorry for them poor designers who made such fatal mistakes
But I also cant helt thinking its funny too
[...] Oh well, at least it’s not too phallic. For a good laugh, check out these logo designs on David Airey’s blog. [...]
These are definitely pieces to keep out of your portfolio. This post really made me laugh.
Some very entertaining pictures!
Pen Island is a fake company deliberatley made for its horrible name. Good call on all the others, though.
OK, what could be phallic about a duck? ;) It did remind me of when I was a kid and someone would call the A & W and ask if Mike Hunt was there. They would send out some poor unsuspecting car hop to yell repeatedly MikeHunt, until the gales of laughter clued her in to what she was actually saying. LOL
No ducks were harmed or phallicated in the making of my blog logo. I have none. Is my avatar my logo? I am so confused. ;)
thanks for the good laugh. i really need that as im stressing out ovr a client of mine who has absolutely no idea abt logo design. i proposed different style of logo and they insist on copying other logos instead of being an individual company.
and the worst part is their company name is not a memorable one.. SQM = maritime company.
keep up the laugh~
you made my day!~
Come to think of it David, your logo kind of looks like an oddly shaped pair of genitals lol
I’m not surprised, as we live in the world where men dominate (no offense). Therefore, one can find phallic symbols anywhere – and logo design is no exception.
Great post! Thanks.
Thanks everyone for the continued comments.
Carol,
Your avatar looks more like a photo than a logo, but I’m sure you could make a logo out of it, as it’s a simple enough shape.
Kean,
I think you’re looking at my logo too closely. ;)
Helen,
Glad you liked the post. Thanks for dropping in.
These are hilarious! This is a good reason to really pay attention to design, and how other people might interpret it. Thanks for the postings!
Ah! Nothing like a little logo porn to end the evening. Pretty funny post David. All the comments are just as amusing.
Sweat dreams.
Ed Roach’s last blog post..What makes a great brand logo?
Ed,
Yes, no logo design website is complete without some logo porn.
I hope everything’s good with you.
Hi David,
Pretty funny stuff, some designers are far too innocent. Here’s another beauty, I call it the limp d**k.
http://www.suncorp.com.au
great post. even for one thats over a year old.. >_<
heres one more phalic logo. heh.
http://www.alrajhibank.com.my/
kyLL’s last blog post…fragile..
A great start to the day – thanks :-)
Nice suggestions, guys. Cheers for those.
And oh.. don’t forget the very famous OGC logo..
http://regmedia.co.uk/2008/04/21/ogc.jpg
You have to tilt your head to appreciate it…
Hi Trish,
I’d like to think that was a clever marketing joke, but I’ve yet to see clarification. If it wasn’t, the design is quite the oversight!
Here’s another one for ya, Al-Rajhi Bank. Hehe.
Good call, Suffian. Ha.
And here is one example from Poland :
http://www.gdyniadesigndays.eu/
:) look how the letters G D D are put together :)
lol..this was awesome, i have a website and am very glad i dont have such logo!!!!lol
thanks for the awesome write!!!
kudos!!
Some ‘interesting’ logo’s here! Nice read too, :)
Made me realise that the emote =D is phallic too!
Amazing, I’m just doing some research at work for logo designs at the office and I had to hold in the laughter.
Great tips by the way, I bookmarked them, it will help me a lot when I go and design a logo and favicon for my blog.
I had to find this article again so I could comment – it’s been a while since I read this (great list BTW). I was driving around town and noticed a very phallic bumper sticker – turns out it is for the University of South Florida – their mascot is the Bulls.
Here are some examples:
http://tinyurl.com/usfbulls
For some reason the main .edu site doesn’t use the logo though.. wonder why” ; )
http://www.usf.edu
Hi Kathleen,
Though you can see that phallic bulls logo in their website favicon. Quite amusing.
Here’s another one
http://www.bullmoosetube.com
notice the “head” of the bull
I laughed till I cried. I know I’m going to triple-check every logo I design from now on. And I am so sorry to point this out, I hope you can see the humor in it, but in Arabic “Airey” means… “my c*ck”.
Joumana,
No need to apologise. It’s actually quite funny.
lmao..
The HEAD logo as well as brand name has always made me wonder. It looks like the head of a penis, and the name can be in reference to a sexual act. Hmm..
Dear David –
Subject ‘Male Exercise Device’
US Patent No. 7,448,989
And US Patent No. 7,086,998
Thank you for your honest opinion regarding my phallic Km logo design – the fact is I did design the Km logo myself – I was not sure people would understand this logo art at the time of it’s inception however I went ahead with my decision based on my own opinion and used the Km logo on my website – either way this patented Kegel Male Trainer device is equal in quality as the results are visible to the quality of the logo design this has a great deal to do with the logo design itself even more to the point – it was a must to have the appropriate design for what I call my own Da Vinci of an invention for men’s health whereas this invention has already given amazing results as many thousands of men can attest to world wide that have purchased this/my invention and currently use it which ‘truly does deliver on it’s promise’ as explained in the text on the Kegel Male website – Yes I am the inventor of other famous patented products of mine one you may already know is/was my lighted athletic shoe aka the ‘922’ patent used by LA Gear and other majors brands sold in department stores and it is still being sold worldwide even after the ‘922’ patent has long since expired – I am the sole inventor all my patented products – if you have any questions kindly convey them to me and if you are ever in Ft. Lauderdale, FL please let me know so we can possible meet in person over lunch to discuss new non related logos for their intended purposes in person I find the art of the logo is essential to the success of their intended purpose provided it is the finest quality invention/product of it’s kind – ‘remember it is impossible to turn a sow into a successful brand without the proper seed’. I think your know what I mean. If anyone else would like to contact me directly feel free to do so at kegelmale@gmail.com
Sincerely,
AL DANA
VIP TECH, INC.
Ian Poulter, the flamboyant golfer has the most ridiculous logo on his clothing. You’d think someone who seems to care about clothing and image so much would realise. Or maybe he does and likes to look like a nob. Who knows?
http://www.ianpoulterdesign.com/
Andy
People just find whatever they want to see, like for example your logo look like a pair of tits with erected nipples pointing outwards…
That’s some pretty funny stuff there David. I kind of have a stigma about designing, so many things could look phallic. It’s weird, I can’t even eat popsicles in public…. :P
Haha. You really shouldn’t worry about those popsicles, but hey, I’m sure I had similar thoughts at one point.
Here’s another beauty (move the cursor over the image!)
http://www.xinergia.cl/
I never thought of a Head logo as being phallic.. until I saw the eyes of the lady huh…
hilarious!!!
Thank you for this laugh. I am working with a group now on a logo and I’m quite embarrassed by what they “like.” I had to escape to the Internet to see if it was just me or them. it’s them.
Another phallic logo. Scroll down.
http://harrisburg.craigslist.org/mat/1437962007.html
What a laugh…. is it just me, or does this qualify?
Arlington Pediatric Center – If I was a kid, i’d sue them.
Nice collection david.
Sorry I guess I forgot the link. Again is it just me, or would this qualify?
http://www.seeklogo.com/images/C/Castle_Rock_Entertainment-logo-068635484D-seeklogo.com.gif
Hi Caroline, I think any logo showing a lighthouse could be considered phallic, depending on the mind of the onlooker.
ah gotta love the NFL. their new (standardized) logo for the superbowl certainly could be considered phallic.
http://sports.espn.go.com/dallas/nfl/news/story?id=4886793
Perhaps to appeal to the masculine side of the audience, Paul? You’re not wrong. Used to love watching American Football when I was a kid, but can’t get into it now. Too long, too much standing around.
These are very good especially the brazillian. but has anyone seen the randywood.co.uk website? the name is one thing but then take a double look at the name. boy that has to be the best disguised penis yet. and it’s a genuine clothing brand !!
Haha, funny stuff. Come on people…are you really that naive?
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1901656/OGC-unveils-new-logo-to-red-faces.html
I enjoyed this one.
I stumbled across this post while looking for logo design tips (graphic design experience, I don’t have it). Thank you for bringing up the point–I’ll certainly keep an eye out for it in my own work now.