Elon Musk Changes X Logo—And Then Changes It Back Again—As Twitter Rebrand Evolves

Topline

Elon Musk on Tuesday changed X’s logo—and changed it back again—just days after replacing Twitter’s blue bird, as he embarks on the platform’s swift rebrand into an “everything app” that has surprised onlookers with its speed, apparent lack of planning and decision to abandon well-known and valuable assets.

Elon Musk is building an app that will do everything, called X.

AFP via Getty Images

Important Facts

The updated logo was a modest departure from the original—a white “X” on a black background—and the letter was drawn with slightly thicker lines.

Musk showcased the design of his new car in a short video posted to X and it was reportedly deployed on the platform’s homepage and as Musk’s profile picture.

The billionaire then changed his mind, saying that he had returned the design to the original.

“I don’t like the thicker bars,” he explainedPost X in a comment.

The Twitter, or X, website and Musk’s profile both show the original “X” design with thinner lines.

Musk said further changes can be expected as the “logo will evolve over time.”

News Peg

Musk first teased the decision to move away from Twitter’s avian roots at the weekend and had done away with many key features—including the logo, name and language used to describe actions on the platform—by Monday, when he installed a new logo, which, unconventionally, Musk had crowdsourced from followers. The transition to X is unsurprising as Musk has been frank about his desire to build an “everything app” like China’s WeChat and repeatedly said he plans to call this superapp X and had already changed the platform’s business name to X Corp. It also fits in with Musk’s other businesses, including xAI and SpaceX. What did come as a surprise to many onlookers was the rapid pace of Twitter’s rebrand to “X” and the decision to completely do away with valuable property linked to the social media brand, most notably its iconic blue bird, Larry, and the name itself.

What to Look Out For

X, having left Twitter behind it must now build its brand. Experts say that this is why Twitter’s rebranding is a contrast with the more conservative and deliberate campaigns of many other companies, as they leave billions worth of brand equity untapped. SME. While it’s true Musk has “walked away from an incredibly valuable intangible asset,” Marisa Mulvihill, global practice lead for brand and activation at growth consultancy Prophet, told SME both Twitter and Musk’s high profiles give X a significant advantage when it comes to building brand value. “‘X’ will be the brand of the company and of the platform, so IF (and this is a big if) the consumer experience is delivered well, X could build …read more

Source:: Social Media Explorer