How Elon Musk Missed the Multiculturalism Mark When Rebranding Twitter
Ivonne Kinser
Chief Marketing Officer, Hoplark Brands | CEO at Vantage Creative & Bridge | Marketing Lifetime Achievement Award Recipient | Best Selling Author ‘THINK’ | Keynote Speaker about Creativity | ADWEEK 2024 CMO Mentor
For many Hispanics, referring to something or someone as "X" can imply that the subject is unimportant, generic, or not worth mentioning specifically. It can be used as a placeholder when the speaker doesn't want to invest much attention or emphasis on the particular subject.
For example, if someone says, "I went to X restaurant for lunch," the use of "X" instead of naming the specific restaurant could suggest that the restaurant's name is not crucial to the conversation, and the focus is more on the fact that they had lunch somewhere.
Similarly, if someone says, "I met with X person yesterday," it may imply that the identity of the person they met is not significant or relevant to the current discussion.
With predictions that half of the U.S. population will be multicultural by 2050, the need for inclusivity and cultural sensitivity in branding decisions has never been more critical.
Unfortunately, the rebranding of Twitter as "X" seems to overlook the significance of the Hispanic culture, which plays a substantial role in shaping social media trends.
One in four Hispanics actively use Twitter, according to Pew Research, making them a significant portion of the demographic engaging with the platform. However, the rebranding decision appears to have overlooked the impact on this influential and growing community.
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As the world becomes more interconnected, global companies must take into account the diverse perspectives and cultural backgrounds of their users. A failure to do so could alienate significant segments of their audience and result in missed opportunities to foster meaningful connections.
The Twitter rebranding stands as an exemplary case of how a brand's image and decision-making can inadvertently neglect multiculturalism. As we venture into the future, let's remember the importance of embracing diversity and promoting inclusive branding strategies that truly resonate with all users.
And just like that, our beloved little blue pajarito got lost in 'X' and Twitter became just an "X" platform.
Global Communications at Self
1 年?Qué sabes tú de la cultura “hispana” de EEUU??De todas formas, Musk va a mudarse.??
Director, Managed Service Platform - Continuum Media - Let's Give Linear TV its DSP Moment
1 年This reminds me of Chevy's mistake with the "Nova" car!
Marketing, Commercialization & Strategy
1 年Agree!
President @ Bare Tree Media | Digital Advertising Expert | Immersive Marketing Expert | Entrepreneur | Rainmaker | Matchmaker | Husband | Father | Dog Owner | Kayaker
1 年You nailed it Ivonne. Your point of view, as usual, is spot on!
2023 PRovoke Innovator 25 | Co-Founder & CEO of CRANT | AI Brand Building Specialist | Feminist and DEI ally
1 年I understand your logic behind it but I’m not sure this really applies to brands. For example the x-men work just fine in the Latin culture. I think X has tons of other branding problems though. While writing this I just noticed the problem with X-Men. Marvel probably thinking about how to rebrand the franchise to make it gender inclusive.