Major advertisers, including Warner Bros. Discovery, Lionsgate, and Comcast, have resumed their campaigns on X after a year of boycotting the platform. The shift coincides with President-elect Donald Trump’s victory and Elon Musk’s expanded role in government.
The boycott began in 2023 when activists criticized X for allegedly hosting “hateful” content. This led to a dramatic drop in ad spending, with companies investing just $3.3 million from January to September 2024, compared to $170 million the previous year.
A wave of big advertisers returns to X after leaving a year ago https://t.co/UNQXwj9Fn3
— VOZ (@Voz_US) November 17, 2024
Analysts say Trump’s election and Musk’s growing influence are driving the change. Max Willens of Emarketer noted, “X’s owner now has the ear of the president-elect,” making it a strategic platform for companies aiming to align with the new administration.
Reports from The Financial Times highlight that advertisers see X as an avenue for political leverage. Musk’s leadership of the Department of Government Efficiency has further cemented his status as a powerful figure in Washington.
Good news for all of us: The following companies to resume advertising on X (Twitter) after boycotting:
• IBM
• Disney
• Comcast
• Discovery
• Warner Bros
• Lionsgate EntertainmentElon Musk has told advertisers, ads will show only where they want.
— American Guy 🇺🇸 (@AmericanGuyX) November 16, 2024
Musk remained defiant throughout the boycott, famously telling advertisers like Disney to “go f–k yourself” during a 2023 summit. He also predicted that a Trump victory would reverse the trend, a prediction now realized as advertisers flock back to X.
This return underscores the evolving relationship between corporate strategies and political power, with Musk and Trump reshaping the advertising landscape in their favor.
