What do you see when you look at the Tesla logo? It's a subject that's recently caught the imagination of the Twittersphere, and for good reason. Most would probably take a well-meaning stab at a 'T' for Tesla, but for others, the design's form contains a comparison that's hard to unsee, once you've seen it.
Though many standout logos (including our pick of the best logos) have dual meanings of some sort, it's safe to say that any design team is probably not aiming for a visual comparison to a product in a totally different field (see our detailed exploration of the Tesla logo history). But unfortunately for Tesla, there has been an outpouring of some pretty spot-on declarations about the form and shape of the Tesla logo.
design opinion: the tesla logo looks too much like an IUDJune 13, 2020
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Yup, the Tesla logo truly does look like an IUD and, frankly, we're surprised we never saw the ambiguous imagery before. A wealth of Twitter users agreed, with comments ranging from The Cathinator's "Yess!! This has bothered me for years!", to Medusa sans Frontières believing the similarity is so obvious "it's how you know no-one on the design team had a uterus".
What do you see? (Image credit: Tesla)
We can't comment on the biology of the Tesla design team, of course, but it is certainly an image now burned into our brains that we will probably see whenever we look at a Tesla emblem.
One Twitter user had a different, but equally as amusing, take on the Tesla logo situation when he tweeted Elon Musk to ask about his moustache design, which could show some next-level commitment to the brand:
hey @elonmusk my friend told me dude your moustache is Tesla's logo man I laughed hardcore definitely something I thought of keep it up I'l own one of them Teslas #love pic.twitter.com/AeYxoOhkw3June 13, 2020
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In reality, the design actually does contain a deeper meaning, one that only those with an expertise in mechanics are likely to guess. According to a tweet from Elon Musk, the T shape is a cross section of the Tesla engine – one of the many design Easter Eggs Tesla is known for.
We haven't seen this much Tesla-based controversy since the launch of the Cybertruck, which left people both flabbergasted and awestruck (with a similar level of mocking as the logo has provoked). We do appreciate the clever design of the logo though, even if it takes a little bit of niche mechanical knowledge to appreciate. For more logos with hidden meanings, see these iconic examples.
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Georgia has worked on Creative Bloq since 2018, and has been the site's Editor since 2022. With a specialism in branding and design, Georgia is also Programme Director of CB's award scheme – the Brand Impact Awards. As well as immersing herself with the industry through attending events like Adobe Max and the D&AD Awards and steering the site's content streams, Georgia has an eye on new commercial opportunities and ensuring they reflect the needs and interests of creatives.
