Why Can’t We Stop Calling it Twitter?
In the early hours of July 23, 2023, Twitter, the once-iconic digital platform, made a bold transition, rebranding itself as X. However, despite the divisive change, the platform continues to grapple with its former identity, as users cling to the familiar name and terminology.
Despite the official shift to X, the platform’s web domain remains twitter.com, while even the alternative x.com redirects to the original link. Billing reminders to X Premium subscribers still reference “Twitter” in parentheses, highlighting the lingering attachment to the platform’s former name.
While some, particularly fans of new owner Elon Musk, have embraced the X brand, the majority have not. Many users, both online and offline, still colloquially refer to the platform as Twitter, and its posts as tweets.
This resistance to the rebrand stems from the deeply ingrained recognition and association with the Twitter brand. Since its inception in 2006, Twitter became synonymous with social media interaction, with terms like “tweet” and “retweet” entering the mainstream lexicon.
However, after Musk acquired the platform in October 2022, significant changes ensued. Cost-cutting measures led to layoffs, destabilizing the platform and impacting content moderation. Then, in early 2023, Twitter Inc. became X Corp, setting the stage for the eventual rebrand to X.
While Musk envisioned transforming the platform into “the everything app,” integrating new features and functionalities, the abrupt rebrand caused confusion and resistance among users. Despite Musk’s insistence on embracing the X terminology, users continued to refer to posts as tweets, highlighting the enduring power of the Twitter brand.
Experts attribute the resistance to the rebrand to the psychology of design and branding. The abrupt change eroded years of brand equity built around the Twitter name, leaving many users feeling disconnected from the platform’s new identity as X.
As X endeavors to differentiate itself with new features and innovations, the battle over its identity continues. Whether users will fully embrace the X brand or continue to cling to the familiarity of Twitter remains uncertain, underscoring the enduring influence of branding in shaping user perceptions and behaviors.
