Chapter 1: The Death of a Brand

The recent rebranding of HBO to MAX has stirred quite a debate, but nothing compares to the upheaval caused by Elon Musk's latest move. Picture this: it's 3 a.m., and Musk is scrolling through Twitter, likely contemplating his next controversial decision. It seems like just when we think we’ve seen it all with the platform, he surprises us with something even more absurd.

Musk's decision to obliterate 15 years of Twitter's brand heritage in favor of an obsession with the letter "X" might take the cake. Twitter is a globally recognized brand, with its logo appearing on countless websites, product packages, and business cards. Other social media platforms would envy the unique and iconic terms "Tweet" and "Retweet," which have become integral to the social media lexicon, akin to the term "like." This level of brand recognition is incredibly difficult to achieve intentionally. Despite Twitter's struggles to expand its user base and generate significant profits for shareholders (notably, until Musk took over), its brand identity has sustained its cultural relevance.

Then came Musk's bold announcement, which he made at 5 a.m.: “And soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds.” At first, many of us dismissed it as a typical Musk prank, but it soon became clear that he was serious. Without consulting anyone, he proclaimed that Twitter would undergo a rebranding to X, with x.com now redirecting to Twitter.com. (Rest assured, it’s not a link to adult content.) Following this, a hastily created logo appeared, seemingly pulled from thin air rather than crafted in-house. Just like that, the transformation was complete—the bird was no more.

Perhaps we should have anticipated this shift. Musk has a penchant for the letter X, as seen in his SpaceX endeavors, where it serves no real purpose other than his personal affection for it. Interestingly, he attempted to rebrand PayPal as x.com back in 2000, but was ousted by the board before he could. After reclaiming the domain in 2017, he seems to have been waiting for the right moment to unleash it.

So, what lies ahead for X? New CEO Linda Yaccarino attempted to explain this abrupt rebranding in a more marketable way: “X is the future state of unlimited interactivity — centered in audio, video, messaging, payments/banking — creating a global marketplace for ideas, goods, services, and opportunities. Powered by AI, X will connect us all in ways we’re just beginning to imagine. There’s absolutely no limit to this transformation. X will be the platform that can deliver, well….everything.”

The jargon-heavy language in this statement sounds reminiscent of pitches often heard in the realms of crypto and NFTs—filled with grandiose promises but lacking substance. Stating that the app will do everything essentially implies it may not do anything well. As noted by Benedict Evans, claiming to create an all-encompassing ecosystem that surpasses what tech giants like Apple, Meta, and Google have attempted in the last decade, especially with the addition of AI, is an ambitious yet dubious claim.

I feel for Yaccarino, who has taken on the Herculean task of revitalizing Twitter’s reputation and restoring advertisers' confidence, only to have the Twitter brand—the very essence of what she’s selling—taken away. Convincing companies to invest in a Musk-led platform was already challenging; now, it seems nearly impossible to get them on board with a product that is no longer Twitter.

What comes next? If Musk was willing to discard the brand so easily, it seems that every aspect of Twitter is up for grabs. We might soon see "tweet" and "retweet" replaced with entirely new terms. The incorporation of payment features is likely, but whether they will serve any purpose beyond subscription payments remains uncertain. More video content seems to be on the horizon, which could shift the platform's identity even further. Unfortunately, none of this enhances the core experience that many users cherish about Twitter. Instead, it seems Musk's intent might be to dismantle the platform entirely, possibly even leveraging some legal loophole for a tax write-off. His followers might cheer this change, but anyone with a rational perspective can see that dismantling such a storied brand, rich in recognition and social significance, is a questionable business decision.

The bird is gone.

The once beloved "bird app" may soon follow.

Chapter 2: A New Era for X

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