TWITTER ??

"It's What's Happening"

What elevates something from a modest creation to respected piece of art? What are the qualities that make art more than simply oil on a canvas, a collection of words comprising a novel, or stanzas of lyrics in an album? My criteria is fairly simple: true art lives beyond its moment. The Mona Lisa is still appreciated 500 years later, The Great Gatsby is still read 100 years later, and Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon is still coming through people's headphones 50 years later.

Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975) is a work of art. I know this because when I was thinking about the essence of Twitter, and those who love to tweet, one scene came to mind...

One of the first questions I ask myself when I am sizing up a brand to write about is, who is this business for? Other social media platforms are easy. Instagram is for those who want to follow beautiful people living extravagant lives, LinkedIn is for professionals who want to network with insightful leaders, Facebook is for staying connected to your random cousin in Houston who only posts pictures of their kiddos. But Twitter? Twitter is often compared to a town square. A place where people can find a crowd with which to share an opinion that, they feel, others ought to hear. It's not about influencers, ecommerce, friends, fashion, or celebrities. Twitter is a place to assert that someone is a witch and engage in a back-and-forth with someone about the efficacy of their claim. All to end on a resolution that almost sounds good, but actually makes little to no sense.

It is for this reason that I wouldn't mind Elon Musk taking control of Twitter. I am completely uninterested in his wealth, entrepreneurial success, or managerial track record. I am only interested in how well his personal brand fits with Twitter's. From what I can tell, they're a match made in heaven.

Something I have learned from working in different roles in my young career is that the team's personality will match the personality of their leader. Whether they're buttoned-up and professional or laid-back and personable, the team will follow suit. In that same vein, Twitter ought to have a leader that embodies the personality of its brand. Jack Dorsey used to be the perfect figure-head for the town square that is Twitter. He is terrifically clever and, compared to his professional peers, quite strange. He shaved his head, grew out his beard, wears tie-dye shirts, and utilizes painful meditation practices (apparently, not an oxymoron). Alas, Dorsey has moved on and Mr. Musk has submitted his bid to effectively be the brand ambassador of the future for Twitter. Why do I think he's ready for it? Well, it is because he is terribly clever and sufficiently strange. Let's look at his resume:

• Richest person in the world
• Smoked weed on Joe Rogan's podcast
• Dressed up as Wario on Saturday Night Live
• Sells flamethrowers through his company, The Boring Company
• Disparages college, praises Dogecoin
• Named his child, 'X ? A-12' (don't bother looking for the ? key on your keyboard)
• Challenged Vladimir Putin to 'single combat'

People either love him, love to hate him, or hate that they love him. Depending on which camp you fall into you either see him as the witch who deserves punishment, or the respected judge who is wise in the ways of science. At the very least, Elon Musk gets people talking, and for a company built on people sharing opinions, it could be the greatest brand alignment of all time.

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The views expressed here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer

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