A year after Twitter was rebranded to X, how has the brand progressed in the UK?
Since Elon Musk acquired Twitter (now X), the platform has seen many developments. From mass layoffs to the expansion of premium subscriptions and features, the introduction of the Grok chatbot, a major advertising exodus, the appointment of new CEO Linda Yaccarino, and a complete rebranding to X, the microblogging site has seen considerable changes. But what has the impact on the brand's perception among British consumers been?
YouGov BrandIndex UK shows that X’s image has deteriorated since Musk’s takeover. The brand’s Index score, which is an average of six metrics (Impression, Quality, Value, Satisfaction, Recommend, and Reputation), stood at 4.5 on April 14, 2022, the day Musk initiated the acquisition. By October 28 of the same year, when the acquisition was finalized, the score had dropped to 2.4 and reached an all-time low of -13.8 on December 12, 2022. The same month Elon Musk tweeted stating he will be removing all legacy verifications ‘in a few months’ time, half of the company’s public policy team was laid off, and Musk asking Twitter users if he should step down as CEO.
With Linda Yaccarino's appointment as CEO in May 2023 and the rebranding of Twitter to X by the end of July, Index scores reached -9.5, still below pre-Musk levels. The brand’s public perception started improving by May 2024 only after it started giving back free blue checkmarks to influential users. By the end of June, Index scores have recovered (-0.7 on June 26, 2024), although positive scores remain to be seen. A year after Twitter was rebranded to X, our poll suggests that 69% of Britons still refer to X as Twitter. The number increases to 79% among daily X users.
Musk envisions X as an "everything app," with plans for YouTube-like streaming, a partnership with BetMGM for sports betting, peer-to-peer payments, AI advancements, and policy changes to allow adult content. The transformation of Twitter to X has been eventful, and while the brand’s health plummeted with Musk’s takeover it is yet to show recovery.
Methodology: YouGov BrandIndex collects data on thousands of brands every day. X's Index score is the average of Impression, Quality, Value, Satisfaction, Recommend and Reputation scores. Scores are based on an average daily sample size of 1,688-1,990 US adults between January 1, 2022, to June 30, 2024. The figures are based on a 4-week moving average.
YouGov Surveys: Serviced provide quick survey results from nationally representative or targeted audiences in multiple markets. This study was conducted online on 27-28 June 2024, with a nationally/ representative sample of 2,003 adults (aged 18+ years) in Great Britain, using a questionnaire designed by YouGov. Data figures have been weighted by age, gender, education and social grade to be representative of all adults in Great Britain (18 years or older) and reflect the latest ONS population estimates.