Twitter, aka X’s time under the new leadership, has been anything but smooth. The social media channel is constantly in the news for what’s happening on its platform or within the company. In 2023, advertisers boycotting Twitter was in the headlines of every media outlet.
Why were companies apprehensive about running advertisements on X? Did brands stop marketing on this social media platform?
Keep reading this article to discover what’s happening between Twitter and its advertisers!
Table of Contents
Advertisers Leaving X List: 4 Reasons Behind the Twitter Advertising Boycott
If you’re out of the loop, you’ll want to know about the advertisers leaving X list. However, before jumping into this topic, let’s understand what drove them to make this decision. Here are four reasons highlighting why brands are concerned about running their ads on this platform:
- Rise in hate speech: One reason companies are cautious on Twitter is the increase in hate speech on the platform. The Anti-Defamation League and Center for Countering Digital Hate published reports documenting the rise of hate speech on X. Elon Musk’s stance on free speech was one factor contributing to this surge.
- Lack of content moderation: After the billionaire owner acquired Twitter for $44 billion, he explored several options to reduce costs. One such move was firing 80% of the social media giant’s workforce, including those on Twitter’s content moderation team. As a result, content such as antisemitic posts that usually wouldn’t make it past the platform’s filter started seeing daylight.
- Ads from brands appearing next to hate speech: Media Matters, an American watchdog for journalism, published a report about the placement of ads on Twitter in 2023. They discovered ads from brands like Apple, Amazon, IBM, NBCUniversal, and Oracle next to hate speech. As a result, several companies paused their marketing campaigns.
- Musk’s reply supporting an antisemitic tweet: The last reason for advertisers suspending their ads on X was Musk’s reply to an antisemitic tweet. The post claimed Jews promote hatred against white people even though they oppose similar views against themselves. Elon supported this claim by stating it was the actual truth. This reply sparked outrage, resulting in a response from the White House.
Due to the above reasons, several companies stopped advertising on Twitter to protect their reputation.
List of Companies Boycotting X: Brands Who Are Stopping Their Twitter Ads
Here’s a list of companies boycotting X:
- 11:11 Media
- Apple
- Chipotle
- Comcast
- Eli Lilly
- Discovery
- Disney
- General Mills
- General Motors
- IBM
- Lionsgate
- NBCUniversal
- Paramount
- Pfizer
- Sony
- Walmart
- Warner Bros
Interpublic Group, which has clients like Coca-Cola and Unilever, recommended pausing ads on this platform. Havas Media, which handles brands like IBM, Heinz, and Huawei, offered the same advice to its clients. GroupM’s subsidiaries, which have deals with Dove and Skyy Vodka, suggested temporarily halting marketing campaigns on Twitter.
This was a huge financial blow to this platform, as the majority of its revenue comes from advertising. In 2022, advertising contributed around 90% of Twitter’s revenue, which was approximately $4 billion.
A year after the takeover, this figure dropped to $2.5 billion. The platform generated over $600 million every quarter through this revenue stream.
Who Still Advertises on Twitter: Brands Active on X
Who still advertises on Twitter despite several brands moving away from this platform? Here’s a list of companies who use X for their marketing campaigns:
- The Economist
- Office Depot
- NFL
- The New York Times
- State Farm
- USAA Insurance
- The Washington Post
- Formula 1
Despite the Anti-Defamation League’s (ADL) online spat with Musk, they said they will continue advertising on X.
Twitter is also focusing on getting more advertisers onboard with various offers. For example, as of July 2024, the platform is giving brands that join its Verified Organizations program Ads Credit. The amount ranges from $250 – $1000 per month, depending on whether they purchase the Basic or Full Access plans.
He attended the 2024 Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity to speak about X and its advertisers. The billionaire owner asked brands to try marketing on Twitter because of the platform’s ad-targeting features and influential users.
Several smaller brands are also testing X for advertising, as this platform has fewer big players.
How To Boycott on Twitter: 3 Ways To Take a Stance Against X
Do you also notice an increase in offensive content on X? Don’t like Musk’s posts or his opinions on this platform? In this case, you’ll want to know how to boycott on Twitter. The section below explains what you can do:
- The easiest way to boycott X is to deactivate your Twitter account. By doing this, the platform hides your posts and your profile. However, if you don’t want to lose your account and your tweets, you should sign in within 30 days. Otherwise, the social media channel will permanently delete your profile.
- The second option is encouraging your followers and other users to try alternative Twitter apps. Bluesky, Mastodon, and Threads offer features similar to X. You can share links and ask people to follow you on these networks.
- The final solution is to post on all your social media profiles and use specific hashtags. For example, you can include #boycottTwitter every time you post. This can bring attention to ongoing problems with X’s content moderation and broader issues.
FAQ on Why Are Companies Boycotting X
Below are FAQ Twitter users frequently ask about why are companies boycotting X.
Is Twitter losing money?
Yes, Twitter is losing money because of the advertiser boycott. Advertising revenue accounts for more than three-fourths of the platform’s annual earnings.
Why is Musk fighting Disney?
Musk is fighting Disney over the company’s move to stop running advertisements on Twitter. This was due to a report from Media Matters showing ads from brands on posts that promote hate speech.
Also, when Musk supported an antisemitic post, Disney decided it didn’t want to be an advertiser on this platform.
Can Twitter survive without advertisers?
Yes, Twitter can survive without advertisers, but this isn’t easy by any stretch of the imagination. It created a new revenue stream by offering X Premium, the platform’s subscription service.
X is also trying to compete with Twitch by offering similar live-streaming services. Also, the platform wants to provide financial services, which explains its move to acquire money-transmitter licenses throughout the U.S.
Boycotting Twitter Profile: TweetDelete Can Stop Your Audience From Doing This
This article covers companies boycotting Twitter and also explains the reasons for brands taking this decision.
If you post the wrong content, your audience can also boycott you. You must review and delete your older tweets regularly. TweetDelete makes this easy, as it comes with several powerful features.
Our custom filter can uncover anything in your profile. With the mass-delete tweets utility, you can erase hundreds of posts.
You can run the auto-delete tweets task, which removes specific tweets using the provided information.
Become a TweetDelete subscriber today so that your older posts don’t become the reason for users boycotting your Twitter account!
