Elon Musk is the "Twitter Killer" that Threads Wanted to Be, As He Says the Brand and Birds Are Soon Out

Twitter's iconic bird logo may soon be seen flying away, as Elon Musk reveals plans to change the platform's symbol to an "X" in a bid to rebrand the social media giant, according to AP News. This announcement came in the wake to new competition from Meta's Threads but likely moreso as part of Musk's plan to turn Twitter into a version of China's AliPay - an all encompassing payments app. Fun fact, Fortune and others reported Threads has been experiencing steep declining user engagement, some reporting by as much as 50% from its initial bump that was largely applified by its direct push to convert Instagram users.

In a series of tweets on July 22, 2023, Elon Musk outlined his intentions to leave the bird behind and possibly adopt an "X" logo, urging users to submit their best designs and promising to implement the most appealing one. This proposed rebrand could potentially go live worldwide as early as the following day, and Musk even retweeted a video showcasing a potential "X" logo.

Ever since acquiring Twitter for $44 billion in 2022, Musk has been notably active in implementing controversial changes to the platform. As reported by AP News, some of these changes have drawn sharp criticism, including curfews within the digital town square. On top of that, an $8-per-month subscription service was introduced, aiming to boost Twitter's revenue, which has taken a downturn since Musk's takeover and the subsequent layoffs of around three-fourths of the workforce.

Although advertisers have reportedly returned to Twitter since these changes, as mentioned by AP News, the details have remained vague. It is safe to say, however, that Twitter's performance and public image under Musk's ownership have experienced a tumultuous period, to say the least.

Enter Meta's Threads, which launched earlier this month and was initially seen as an alternative for disgruntled Twitter users. After claiming to have 100 million sign-ups within the first five days, Threads appeared to be a serious contender for the title of Twitter-killer. Nonetheless, Threads' waning user engagement has raised questions about its long-term viability as a rival to Twitter, according to a Fortune article.

With Threads' engagement dropping to an average of six minutes per day, down from a peak of 21 minutes, the app is struggling to hold users' attention despite strong initial interest. Twitter, on the other hand, still boasts an average daily usage of 25 minutes among U.S. users on Android, although it suffered a slight 4.3% decline around the same period, per Similarweb.

As the battle between Musk's Twitter and Meta's Threads plays out, it remains to be seen whether the proposed logo change would give Twitter the boost it needs to stay ahead in the competition. The decision to rebrand, coupled with Musk's previous controversial actions, might not be enough to secure Twitter's future in this rivalry. Twitter, now under Elon Musk's command, definitely has its work cut out to defend its position in the social media realm.

Ultimately, both Twitter and Threads have their own challenges to overcome, and the unfolding rivalry between the two platforms could bring about a new era of innovation and change in the social media landscape. For now, the race to dominate the social media market continues, as the world watches to see whether Musk's Twitter "X" logo gambit will pay off against Meta's Threads, or if more substantial changes are needed to ensure Twitter's future.