Everything
In case you missed it, alleged genius Elon Musk has decided to not only limit the number of messages non-verified (aka non paying) users of Twitter can send but also decided rebrand the entire platform to X.
Just X. No middle name.
did you hear this? they changed twitters name to X. uh huh, yeah. and it makes sense because the next thing i said was Y? pic.twitter.com/sAkgU52kdV
— Ben Rosen (@ben_rosen) July 24, 2023
Goodbye all the brand equity that the social media app has acquired over 17 years of working just fine. Goodbye to the simple and easy to read and recognise at any size logo in signature blue. Hello X. X as in X Factor. X as in X-men. And yes, as in XTube. Seriously, even if Musk was trying to troll the public had he not thought about the reality of typing the letter X into your browser?
No thank you sir, I’m in public.
Musk made the announcement that the rebrand was imminent and so far the roll out seems to have been staggered. I, for example, still see the bird on the app but the desktop version displays X.
gonna be honest this new widget design looks like an app for a membership only human trafficking gentlemen’s club headquartered in Budapest pic.twitter.com/HNND7QGYTn
— Qanon Latifah (@ch1w33th3d0g) July 23, 2023
But rather than the smooth transition into some new era of a so-called “everything app” it’s been like watching your worst enemy humiliate themselves on the public stage and Musk, alleged genius, could be in hot water.
Turns out X isn’t quite available for use with Meta, Microsoft and many others owning more trademarks to the letter/symbol than Twitter – I mean, X – does.
There’s already a Twitter account that has X as their handle. And with 26K+ followers we doubt they’re changing their name any time soon.
The main Twitter account has rebranded as "X" but is still @Twitter. Why? SOMEONE IS ALREADY USING@X
They didn't even secure the handle before moving forward.
Ready shoot aim. pic.twitter.com/9xuWs1bt1a
— A Nash By Any Other Name Would Still Be a Bot (@Nash076) July 24, 2023
Then there’s the semantics – if we are no longer Tweeting are we Xeeting? And media on the site, are these XVideos (seriously, did no one think about the way this letter is linked to so many porn sites?)
The response from Xitter (X + Twitter = Xitter) has been less than accepting of the new look, with one user not incorrectly calling it out as incel coded.
i was trying to explain incel design earlier and this is it https://t.co/QPKBEPcKpL
— ESȻHΛ (๑ˊ͈ ^ˋ͈) (@eschadiol) July 24, 2023
But perhaps the most scathing are the ones from within the house so to speak. Everyone’s favourite language app, Duolingo, asked “Does this make me the alpha bird”.
does this make me the alpha bird? pic.twitter.com/OHXmwFTFfT
— Duolingo (@duolingo) July 24, 2023
Sesame Street – yes Sesame Street – even took a swipe, saying that the letter X would be holding a press conference about the rebrand. When Sesame Street is mocking you…I would never leave the house again.
The letter X will be holding a press conference later today. #TwitterX pic.twitter.com/qXKNYLTqLe
— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) July 24, 2023
