In a surprising and audacious move, Twitter has reinvented itself as “X”, ushering in a new era of social media that promises to reshape how we connect, share, and engage online.
The rebranding from Twitter to X is more than just a name change; it is a statement of intent. According to Elon Musk, he changed the title because he wishes to change the reason we go to Twitter – instead of being a messaging app, it will be a one-stop shop for all our needs.
In my opinion, it is brand suicide because many don’t care about making it a one-stop shop; they wish to use it as a messaging platform. The original branding of the app was incredibly well thought out with Twitter and posted tweets, so why change it to such a meaningless name? As Om Malik says in a critic article, it breaks the connection between the title and what users do on the app.
Elon Musk bought Twitter for $44 billion last year, making this new brand the first glimpse into his vision for social media and AI. In my opinion, this feels like a way to erase Twitter’s past and fit more into Elon’s “brand” of projects. It feels like he couldn’t start another app called X, so he bought the progress and did it on Twitter instead.
Just as Facebook learned when it tried to change its name to Meta – people are familiar with a particular brand and are unwilling to relearn it. Everyone thinks of Facebook before the title Meta, just as we all know and love Twitter – not X. It is a shame that Twitter and the blue bird logo, a brand recognized worldwide, were destroyed with a single decision.
However, every transformation is met with skepticism, and the transition to X is no exception. Longtime Twitter users might feel a sense of nostalgia for the familiar blue bird. In contrast, others might question whether this rebrand is a true game-changer or merely a cosmetic facelift.
Ultimately, X represents more than just a new name for a social media platform. It symbolizes Twitter’s commitment to innovation, adaptability and user-centricity. Whether X becomes a resounding success or not, it undeniably marks a pivotal moment in the evolution of social media—an embodiment of change that reminds us that in the digital realm, the possibilities are endless.
Isabel Mattern is a junior studying journalism with Specialization in PR/Advertising. She serves as Vice President for Social Affairs for Scripps PRSSA and can be found on Twitter @mattern_isabel.