Amazon quietly released a small update to its new app icon that debuted in January, which changes the colored ribbon on the icon that had an unfortunate resemblance to a toothbrush-style mustache.
The toothbrush-shaped mustache was originally popularized by comedians like Charlie Chaplin in the early 1900s, before being forever associated with Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.
Amazon made some changes to the icon after customer feedback of its initial release before launching the final design worldwide. An Amazon spokesman commented that “Amazon is always exploring new ways to delight our customers. We designed the new icon to arouse expectation, enthusiasm and joy when customers begin their shopping journey on their phones, just as they do when they see our boxes at their door. ”
It is a change that makes sense. Amazon’s ads portrayed the arrow from A to Z that adorns its packaging like singing mouths, and in that light, the irregular border and width of the blue ribbon in the design of the previous icon look uncomfortably similar to the tonsorial cut.
The updated icon seems to totally avoid the problem, replacing the mustache-style sticker with a piece of double-tone adhesive tape that alludes to the (presumed) joy of tearing up a package from Amazon instead of one of the most brutal dictators of modern history.
Amazon’s design team can console itself, however, by joining the famous annals of modern companies that were forced to digitally shave controversial mustaches. In addition, the new icon is already getting much more favorable comparisons: apparently, the angled ribbon now makes it look Avatar: The Last Master of the Airit’s Aang instead.
I know that the new amazon app icon should represent your packages, but every time I see it, I see Aang from Avatar smiling at me lololol pic.twitter.com/kIPwneHr2p
– flipboitamidles (DAMN%) (@flipboitamidles) February 26, 2021
Update March 1, 4:18 pm: Added Amazon comment on the updated app icon logo.