The letter X possesses undeniable allure. It stands as a versatile shape, maintaining symmetry when divided either vertically or horizontally (alongside H, O, and I). Its readability remains unaffected regardless of orientation. X signifies a halt, a location on a map, and a daring film deserving of an unrated classification. It represents guerillas (Malcolm X) and rebellious bands (X). X is a symbol for a kiss and an unknown value in mathematics. Moreover, XXX became the currency of pornography on the internet. X has been associated with covert conspiracies in “The X-Files” as well as the abbreviation for the drug Ecstasy, widely popularized among ravers in the 1990s.
On Monday, Twitter introduced its new identity alongside a fresh logo. The revelation of this rebranding effort exuded the same chaotic energy that Elon Musk has brought to every facet of Twitter since his acquisition of the platform in October of last year. As users on X (previously known fondly as “the bird app”) adapted to their new digital landscape, numerous questions emerged. For instance, if Twitter was no longer called Twitter, would its posts still be considered tweets? What sound does an X make as it traverses silicon? A zing, perhaps? And why did Mr. Musk opt for this particular letter?
Age might contribute to Mr. Musk’s fondness for X. During the 1990s, X reigned supreme following the publication of Douglas Coupland’s influential novel “Generation X: Tales for an Accelerated Culture” in 1991, which significantly impacted popular vernacular.
“We were in our 20s when we were dubbed Gen X,” remarked Anthony Sperduti, the 50-year-old founder of Mythology, a branding studio. “Perhaps X sounds appealing to us because it has seeped into our psyche.” At 52, Mr. Musk fits squarely within this demographic.
During the 1990s, X possessed a certain appeal for marketing purposes. It symbolized a rejection of authority—picture Bart Simpson adorning his bedroom walls with X marks—while simultaneously being co-opted by consumerism on a mass scale. X became associated with generic products, a symbol of rebelliousness and mass production intertwined.
Even big businesses embraced the letter to capture the alternative spirit of the decade. The X Games emerged in 1995 as a shorthand for “extreme,” describing sports like snowboarding that finally entered the Olympics in 1998. The Xbox gaming console debuted in 2001.
Musicians and hipsters liberally employed the letter in their entrepreneurial endeavors. Eli Bonerz and Adam Silverman launched the clothing store XLARGE in Los Angeles in 1991, a favorite among the Beastie Boys. In 1994, Kim Gordon and Daisy von Furth established their clothing brand X-Girl.
However, X has its limitations.
Regarding the new logo, Michael Rock, a partner at the branding consultancy 2×4, explained, “As an identity, it lacks meaning. It possesses meaning as a negation or a cancellation—a crossing out.” He believed that the actual logo displayed on the website was inconsequential. “Perversity appears to be at its core.”
Mr. Musk’s fascination with the letter X becomes evident. He named his space exploration company SpaceX, a Tesla model as the Model X, and his own child X Æ A-12 (shortened to just X). In 1999, Mr. Musk’s second company emerged as X.com before merging with another entity to become PayPal in 2001, all during a period when X still possessed cultural prominence.
Until 1998, X enjoyed unrivaled branding prominence until Apple introduced the lowercase “i” with the iMac. Compared to the striking slash of X, the “i” was optimistic, self-referential, and delightfully anthropomorphic—the dot atop the lowercase i resembling the perched head of a body poised to conquer the world. One could say the “i” represented the millennial letter, displacing the self-defeating X and its latchkey energy.
By labeling everything he touches with X, Mr. Musk appears to be desperately clinging to his formative years when he began constructing his empire—an instinct not typically associated with Generation X stereotypes.
According to Mr. Rock, “It’s a non-choice, deferring narrative for a later time.” He perceived the actual website logo as irrelevant. “Perversity seems to be at the heart of it.”
Mr. Rock likened it to “a leather motorcycle jacket at a Tesla launch,” bearing more resemblance to the Xbox or X Games branding than the truly countercultural applications of the 1990s.
Ultimately, if Mr. Musk succeeds in transforming X into his desired “everything company,” the logo itself will become inconsequential. This outcome perhaps embodies the essence of Generation X.
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