Elon Musk Shakes Twitter with Name and Logo Change
Late on Sunday, Elon Musk, the tech billionaire who bought Twitter last year, made a bold move by renaming the social media platform and replacing its iconic bird logo with a stylized version of the letter ‘X’. The change was swift and visible, as X logos were projected in Twitter’s cafeteria and conference rooms at its San Francisco headquarters.
Mr. Musk had previously hinted at a name change for Twitter, but he hastened the process with a tweet on Sunday morning, stating that “soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds.” He envisions turning Twitter into an “everything app” called X, encompassing social networking, banking, and shopping.
This latest move is the most significant change that Mr. Musk has implemented since acquiring Twitter in October. Behind the scenes, he has already made a series of changes, including layoffs, modifications to the platform’s features, and updating the rules for user engagement.
However, the name and logo change caught the attention of many. The original Twitter brand, with its recognizable blue bird, has been a part of popular culture since its inception in 2006. Users and celebrities alike expressed their discomfort with the new logo, with some insisting they would continue to call the site Twitter and would still “tweet.” The actor Mark Hamill tweeted his disapproval of the change, using the hashtag #ByeByeBirdie.
Forrester’s Vice President and Research Director, Mike Proulx, explained that when a brand becomes a verb, it signifies that it has entered popular culture. By getting rid of the Twitter brand, Mr. Musk is essentially starting from scratch, erasing 15 years of its brand value.
While some users criticized the new logo, branding experts suggested it could help differentiate the platform and leave Twitter’s baggage behind. Mike Carr, co-founder of the branding company NameStormers, described the X logo as giving off an “ominous ‘Big Brother’ tech overlord vibe.”
It is essential to note that Mr. Musk’s decision to change the well-established Twitter brand comes at a time when his company, Meta, is facing financial difficulties and increased competition from rivals like Threads. Despite potential backlash, Mr. Musk is determined to reshape the brand and create a new narrative for Twitter.
Jack Dorsey, one of Twitter’s founders and former CEO, appeared unfazed by the change, tweeting that while a rebrand is not essential, there is an argument for it. Dorsey emphasized that the utility of the platform matters more than its name.
As Elon Musk forges ahead with his ambitions for Twitter, only time will tell how users and the public will react to these significant changes. Whether the new logo becomes an enduring cultural symbol or overshadows the company’s identity remains to be seen.