SINGAPORE: Taxi operator ComfortDelGro will reassess the use of its mobile app logo following feedback that it may be insensitive in view of the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine.
In a Facebook post on Monday (Apr 25), the taxi giant said it had received “some feedback” regarding its new app, CDG Zig, which used a stylised letter “Z” as its logo.
ComfortDelGro announced last week that CDG Zig would combine its existing taxi booking application and its lifestyle application Zig, which was introduced last year but decommissioned earlier this year.
In addition to taxi and ride-railing booking features, the app would also offer lifestyle options such as restaurant reservation, as well as services like electric vehicle charging.
The company said it would eventually add other ComfortDelGro services, such as car rental and driving lessons, to the app as well.
Checks by CNA on both the Apple App Store as well as the Google Play store on Monday showed the CDG Zig app continued to use the stylised Z logo.
“Unfortunately, the letter Z has also been used by the Russian army on its tanks in the Ukrainian invasion,” said ComfortDelGro.
Used as a marking on Russian military vehicles in the conflict, the letter Z has also been adopted as a symbol by those supporting the war.
Some countries, including Germany, have proposed criminalising displaying the letter Z when used as a symbol of support for Russian aggression in Ukraine.
“We would like to categorically state that we are not in favour of the use of force and acts of aggression against another sovereign state,” said the taxi firm.
“The letter Z has never ever been used as war propaganda before – certainly not when we launched Zig last year.”
ComfortDelGro acknowledged that, in light of the ongoing war, the timing of its app relaunch “may have come across as insensitive”.
“We would like to apologise if we have offended anyone. It was certainly not our intent,” the company said.
“Having heard your feedback, we will reassess the roll-out of our new logo at this point.”
