Elon Musk Attempts to Reconcile with Advertisers After Controversial Remarks
Elon Musk, who previously made headlines by telling advertisers to “go f**k yourself,” is now attempting to mend fences with the very community he once alienated.
On Wednesday, Musk attended the Cannes Lions, the world’s largest advertising festival held in the South of France, where he engaged in a notably different tone. In an interview with Mark Read, CEO of marketing giant WPP, Musk faced direct questions about his previous antagonistic stance toward advertisers.
“Back in November, you had a message to us. You told us to go f**k ourselves, so maybe we start there,” Read said bluntly. “Why did you say that and what did you mean?”
Musk responded with a softer approach, clarifying that his harsh comments were not aimed at “advertisers as a whole.” He conceded that advertisers have the right to ensure their ads appear alongside content that aligns with their brand values. “That’s totally fine,” Musk said, adding, “What is not cool is insisting that there can be no content they disagree with on the platform.”
Despite his conciliatory remarks, major advertisers have expressed concerns over X (formerly Twitter), particularly regarding their ads being placed next to hate speech and other harmful content. This issue is compounded by Musk’s own erratic behavior and controversial statements, which have included promoting conspiracy theories, attacking critics, and elevating political extremists on the platform.
In the past year, Musk’s actions have driven many major brands away from X. His endorsement of an antisemitic conspiracy theory following the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, though he later apologized under pressure, further damaged X’s reputation as a safe advertising environment.
The flight of advertisers has significantly impacted X’s revenue, which heavily relies on advertising. Musk himself acknowledged that the financial hit was severe enough to potentially threaten the platform’s survival.
Musk’s recent attempts to woo advertisers back indicate a desire to prevent X from declining further. However, despite his efforts to present a more advertiser-friendly image at events like Cannes Lions, his ongoing contentious rhetoric and behavior continue to make both him and his platform appear unsafe for brands.
In the past month alone, Musk has made inflammatory comments about the Associated Press, the Biden administration, and the Democratic Party, among others. Such actions highlight the challenge he faces in convincing major brands to return to X.
Until Musk’s actions align with the more calculated and moderated persona he occasionally adopts for events, it remains unlikely that major advertisers will return to the platform in significant numbers.
