Is the Twitter bird about to go extinct? It appears so, if Elon Musk gets his way. Musk, the billionaire owner of Twitter, recently announced his plan to change the brand of the social platform to be an “X.” In a series of tweets, he shared an animated gif of a stylized X against a stark black background and stated that if a good enough X logo is posted, the change will go live worldwide the next day. He even hinted at bidding farewell to the twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds.
While Musk is known for making bold statements and not always following through on them, his fascination with the letter X is not new. He has previously mentioned his affinity for the letter, even tweeting a photo of himself making his hands into an X while standing in front of signage for the Tesla Model X. Furthermore, Musk’s son with singer Grimes is named X, further highlighting his connection to the letter.
Musk’s relationship with the letter X goes beyond personal preferences. In 1999, he founded the website and online banking service X.com, which later merged with another company to become PayPal. In 2017, Musk reacquired the X.com domain from PayPal and recently announced that the new Twitter, or rather X, will operate off of it.
The proposed changes go beyond just a rebranding of the platform. Musk envisions tweets being called an X and followers being referred to as “viewers,” drawing inspiration from popular video-sharing platforms like TikTok and YouTube. This suggests a shift towards more video-centric content on Twitter.
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However, it remains unclear if Musk obtained approval for the name change from Twitter’s CEO, Linda Yaccarino. Yaccarino, who joined Twitter from NBCUniversal in May, has been championing the platform’s reach and potential as a hub for premium video content. For instance, Fox Sports has been hosting a live pre-show on Twitter for the FIFA Women’s World Cup, and there are plans for NBCUniversal to do the same for the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Earlier this year, Musk hired Yaccarino and suggested that she transition into the role of executive chair and CTO, overseeing product, software, and sysops. Whether Musk discussed the proposed changes to the platform with Yaccarino is uncertain. However, with his ownership of Twitter, Musk has the authority to make significant decisions without necessarily consulting the company’s management.
The potential rebranding of Twitter to X raises questions about the future of the platform and its identity. Twitter has become an essential tool for communication, news dissemination, and social interaction, with its iconic blue bird logo symbolizing its presence. While rebranding can breathe new life into a company, it also carries the risk of alienating existing users and diluting the brand equity that Twitter has built over the years.
Moreover, the name change and shift towards video-focused content may be seen as an attempt to compete directly with platforms like TikTok and YouTube. These platforms have thrived by catering to the younger generation’s appetite for short-form videos and entertainment. However, it remains to be seen whether Twitter users, who have come to appreciate the platform’s unique features and style of communication, would embrace the proposed changes.
In conclusion, Elon Musk’s proposal to rebrand Twitter as X marks a potential turning point for the social media giant. With Musk’s history of making unconventional statements and his personal connection to the letter X, it is unclear whether this change will materialize. Yet, the proposed shift towards video content and the potential impact on Twitter’s user base raises important questions about the future direction of the platform. Time will tell whether the Twitter bird will indeed go extinct, making way for a new era led by an X.
