Fashion e-commerce giant Myntra’s logo is alleged to be offensive towards women and hence the online retailer has assured that the logo will be changed within a month. The fashion retailer will be putting a new logo on not only its website and app but also on its packaging material. According to Myntra’s statement, the company has already given printing orders for materials with the new logo.  

Today, anyone who doesn’t live under the rock knows the importance of first impressions in brand recognition. In a world where attention spans are decreasing, and competition to grab attention is increasing, designers have the responsibility to create a logo that would communicate what the brand stands for in the shortest amount of time. It’s a victory for those designers when users across the world can immediately recognize the brand by seeing a bluebird, a giant F, or a red-coloured flame.  

A quick glance at a logo can conjure reactions and feelings about the brand. For the most part, it is something that does not pan out to be controversial. But sometimes, a person’s interpretation of a logo can put the brand associated with that logo in trouble.  

Fashion e-commerce brand Myntra too has found itself to be in a situation like that. In December 2020, an NGO worker Naaz Patel lodged a complaint against Myntra alleging how its logo is offensive towards women due to its sexual undertones. After this, the Mumbai Cyber Police met with officials from Myntra’s side. The Mumbai Cyber Police claims that the fashion e-retailer assured them that they will change their logo.  

Rashmi Karandikar, DCP, Cyber Crime Department, Mumbai Police, spoke to a news agency where she said that “We found that the logo was offensive in nature for women. Following the complaint, we sent an email to Myntra and their officials came and met us. The officials said they will change the logo in a month’s time.” 

According to reports, the person who lodged the complaint is Naaz Patel. Naaz is associated with a Mumbai based NGO called Avesta Foundation. Avesta Foundation provides food, shelter and other important aid to senior citizens and other marginalized individuals in society.   

As always, the Twitteratis have been having a field day since the news broke out. Netizens are saying how the decision to change the logo doesn’t make sense and how the original logo reflected the letter M standing for Myntra. 

This is not the first time a brand has faced backlash due to its logo being interpreted in an unintended way. In 2014, the American vacation rental company Airbnb faced severe backlash after they introduced their newly designed logo. People from social media suggested the redesigned logo looked like sexual organs and left a bad impression on the mind.