Elon Musk has officially rebranded Twitter from the app to the desktop site, and millions of die-hard fans of the original platform are fuming.
The billionaire formally changed Twitter‘s legal name to X Corp in April, but users found X.com redirected them to Twitter.com, and the blue app with the iconic white bird changed to a white X against a black around over the weekend.
In October 2022, Musk made his intentions with his new acquisition known, tweeting, ‘Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app.’
The rebrand is not a fan favorite, leaving many users yearning for their ‘beloved’ Twitter with a logo designed to post thoughts based on ‘a little birdie told me.”
The Twitter app is official X as of this weekend – and millions of users are fuming over the change
Why and when did Elon Musk change Twitter to X?
Musk explained his reasoning in what is now called a ‘Post’ – it was previously known as a ‘Tweet.’
On July 25, he posted: ‘The Twitter name made sense when it was just 140-character messages going back and forth – like birds tweeting – but now you can post almost anything, including several hours of video.
‘In the months to come, we will add comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world.
‘The Twitter name does not make sense in that context, so we must bid adieu to the bird.’
Apps that work as a one-stop shop for everything from messaging to banking and shopping are nothing new.
They are popular across Asia, with China’s WeChat offering social media and payment services.
In October 2022, Elon Musk made his intentions with his new acquisition known, tweeting, ‘Buying Twitter is an accelerant to creating X, the everything app.’
The rebrand is not a fan favorite, leaving many users yearning for their ‘beloved’ Twitter with a logo designed to post thoughts based on ‘a little birdie told me”
Many users just think the new logo is ugly
Experts believe the outrage is because people tend to become emotionally invested in brands
Musk has decided to rename the company as part of this image change – titling it simply with the letter X.
Twitter was renamed X on July 24, and the birdie was eliminated from the desktop site but remained on the app.
Musk has had a career-long obsession with the letter, incorporating it into his SpaceX brand and with his first venture being named X.com – which later merged with PayPal.
Musk’s son with singer Grimes is also nicknamed X.
On Saturday, the app said bye-bye to the birdie and hello to X.
What happened at Twitter’s Headquarters?
On July 24, cops were called to Twitter’s San Francisco HQ after a worker began tearing down letters from the building’s iconic sign a day after Musk’s rebrand.
Police responded to a ‘possible unpermitted street closure’ outside the building on Monday afternoon after a man on a cherry picker was seen removing pieces of the company’s sign – but later said no crime had been committed.
As of 2.30pm, work appeared to have halted for unrelated reasons and on one face of the sign, all that remained were the letters ‘er’ and a bird.
San Francisco Police Department officers suggested the work had been authorized by Twitter but had not been adequately communicated with building security. Police told DailyMail.com in a statement that it was not a police matter and directed any further questions to Twitter.
But Musk did not stop there.
On Sunday, the CEO taunted critics with a new giant X illuminated atop the company’s headquarters.
Some users hate the rebrand so much that a Change.org petition has been started to ‘bring back the Twitter blue bird logo’
On Sunday, the CEO taunted critics with a new giant X illuminated atop the company’s headquarters
The massive X is Musk’s way of hitting back at critics
Referring to the site’s new, slow-to-catch-on new name, Musk aired the rejection in a fiery tweet – or post – Sunday, claiming he was offered ‘rich incentives’ to move the office out of San Francisco.
And on Monday, it was revealed that Twitter has refused to allow building inspectors into the facility to inspect the beaming sign over permit violations.
Why are millions of users fuming over the rebrand?
While Musk fans may understand his ‘X’ obsession, faithful Twitter users do not get why the billionaire would kill off their favorite platform.
READ MORE: Users slam Elon Musk’s decision to rebrand to ‘X’
One user vented: ‘Can someone tell this man to leave Twitter alone?’, while another joked: ‘Twitter is rebranding to X and I can’t help but ask Y.’
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Users feel the aesthetics are ‘ugly,’ the new logo ‘sucks,’ and the change ‘feels meaningless and ego-driven.’
Some users hate the rebrand so much that a Change.org petition has been started to ‘bring back the Twitter blue bird logo.’
One user suggested Musk rebranding to ‘Twitter – Powered by X’ to make all parties happy.
Zach Dioneda, VP of brand marketing at fintech company Public.com, told BBC that people can take rebrands personally.
‘There’ll be people that feel as if it is an affront to them as a loyal user,’ he said. ‘People don’t love change.’
Maggie Sause, director of go-to-market strategies at New York-based branding agency Red Antler, said people tend to become emotionally invested in brands.
‘It’s almost like we’re saying, ‘How dare you make this decision without consulting me?’ It can feel almost like an act of betrayal,’ she said.
Following the change, many confused users have taken to the platform.
‘Wtf is X???? Can somebody tell this man to leave twitter alone?’ one user wrote.
‘Wait… Twitter is actually rebranding as ‘X’???? I… don’t understand how that makes sense. For what????’ another wrote.
One added: ‘Elon must be having another midlife crisis. Does he think this makes him cool and edgy??? Does he think this will make smart people pay for things that are FREE? Goodbye Twitter, Elon Musk was the worse thing to happen to this useful and sometimes fun platform.’
And another joked: ‘Goodbye twitter then I guess. Is it just me or do the new name & logo ‘X’ look/sound like a gay sex club or porn studio or something?’
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