While the shape of an Apple can make for a pretty benign and neutral corporate image it doesn't mean this is true for every shape.

If you were designing a logo, would you make one that looks like a penis?

Sure. What's wrong with vaginas? Why do we demonize parts of the body?

Yeah, OK, why do we? I agree. It's silly. Does the rest of America agree? No.

Given that this is part of AirBnb transforming to a consumer brand you'd think they'd pay more attention to what their target consumers think. They're a business, after all.

"Hey, let's rent a place. It costs reasonable, the people seem nice, it's going to be fun."

"OMG, no, no we can't. The logo looks like a vagina."

"OMG, this service sucks so much, but I like their logo, so I'm going to pay for it!"

Nobody actually thinks this way, but I think it's been demonstrated countless times that people respond to branding.

I guess the takeaway is that just because it's possible to make something sound silly doesn't mean it doesn't have an impact.

Why yes, you're right, that's exactly how brand perception works.

Actually, brand perception usually works in the reverse order of the uphtread description, where negative reaction to branding prevents consideration of the other qualities of the product rather than be considered as a factor of discussion after consideration of those qualities.

I think you might be projecting with the "demonizing," but it seems obvious that it would serve to limit your audience. You can look at an obvious extreme example for plenty of thought-experiments: do porn companies use sexualized iconography?