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The controversial move to rebrand Twitter as “X” is being derided by many as a marketing blunder. Billionaire Elon Musk, who acquired the social media platform last October, insists it’s part of the transformation of Twitter into a “super app” that does much more besides tweeting.
The inspiration for Twitter’s reinvention is believed to come from China-based WeChat, which is used by its 1.3 billion users to do everything from sending text messages, making payments, and playing games to booking flight tickets and hailing cabs.
Musk wrote in a tweet last week, “The Twitter name made sense when it was just 140 character messages going back and forth – like birds tweeting – but now you can post almost anything, including several hours of video. In the months to come, we will add comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world.”
Skeptics of the move, which included getting rid of the bird logo and the “tweet” and “retweet” words, lamented the loss of brand equity.
“The app itself has become a cultural phenomenon in all sorts of ways,” Mike Proulx, VP, research director at Forrester, told The New York Times. “In one fell sweep, Elon Musk has essentially wiped out 15 years of brand value from Twitter and is now essentially starting from scratch.”
Allen Adamson, co-founder of the marketing and brand consulting group Metaforce, called the change an “ego decision” from Musk. He told Ad Age, “To me, it’s going to go down in history as one of the fastest unwinding of a business and brand ever.”
“This is taking a page out of the ‘New Coke’ branding,” Wedbush analyst Daniel Ives told the New York Post. “Musk is ripping the Band-Aid off on the iconic birdie and going toward the super-app ‘X’ brand. It’s a head-scratcher from a timing perspective, but makes sense for the long term given his vision.”
Todd Irwin, founder of brand agency Fazer, believes “The Elon brand” may help many forget the Twitter name. He told Bloomberg, “His personal brand might be more powerful than the Twitter brand.”
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