Twitter’s recent rebranding decision to change its name to “X” has been met with mixed reactions from users and media personalities. The social media platform, known for its iconic bird logo on a blue background, has now replaced it with a white “X” on a black backdrop. This move has led some to believe that the rebranding is an attempt to appear more sinister or evil.
Television host Victoria Coren Mitchell took to Twitter to share her thoughts on the rebranding. She humorously mentioned that she had made a new post on Instagram, which is owned by Mark Zuckerberg’s Meta, the company that recently launched the rival app Threads. She jokingly stated, “To celebrate the news that they’re replacing the Twitter bird with an X, in presumably an active attempt to look more evil, I have posted something on Instagram! I think.”
Comedian Jenny Eclair also expressed her opinion on the rebranding, describing it as “sinister” and claiming that the app no longer holds any meaning after the name change. She tweeted, “So what has this sinister X got to do with anything? The Twitter bird made sense because birds tweet, this just doesn’t mean anything.”
Another comedian, David Baddiel, weighed in on the rebranding, highlighting the poetic nature of Twitter’s previous logo and name. He tweeted, “Thing is, Twitter as an idea had some real-world evocation – the sound of birds, all vying to be heard. It was almost poetic. X is just an abstract, signifying… um… that Elon likes the letter and naming things with it. And also, what happens to the grammar that used to work with Twitter? Is what I’m writing now an Xeet?”
Twitter has always been associated with the act of tweeting, which is reflected in its bird logo. The name “Larry” was given to the bird in homage to basketball player Larry Bird, as revealed by Twitter’s co-founder Biz Stone in 2011. The platform allowed users to share their thoughts, hence the term “tweet” became synonymous with posting on Twitter.
Broadcasters also joined in on the fun, with ITVX, the recently launched streaming service from broadcaster ITV, pointing out the similarities between their logos and Twitter’s new logo. They tweeted, “Twitter: ‘Can I copy your branding?’ ITVX: ‘Yeah, just change it up a bit so it doesn’t look like you copied’.” BBC radio presenter Tony Blackburn also noted the resemblance and jokingly stated that ITVX must be furious about the rebranding.
Channel 4 took a lighthearted approach and wished Elon Musk, the owner of Twitter, good luck with the rebranding. They tweeted, “People still call our streaming service 4OD, so good luck.” These reactions highlight the skepticism surrounding the adoption of the new name by users.
Elon Musk unveiled the new logo over the weekend, marking another major change since he acquired Twitter in October last year for $44 billion. He announced the rebranding on Twitter, stating, “And soon we shall bid adieu to the Twitter brand and, gradually, all the birds.” He also changed his profile picture to the new logo, signaling his commitment to the new direction for the platform.
In conclusion, Twitter’s rebranding decision to change its name to “X” has generated a range of reactions from users and media personalities. While some find the new logo and name sinister or meaningless, others see it as an abstract representation favored by Elon Musk. Only time will tell how users will adapt to the rebranding and whether it will have a lasting impact on the platform’s identity.