Staff Reports
Elon Musk, the maverick CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, did not hold back when responding to advertisers who have distanced themselves from his social media platform, X, after he made controversial comments on an anti-Semitic tweet. During an interview at the New York Times DealBook Summit, Musk flatly stated that he hoped advertisers would stop advertising on his platform. When asked for an explanation, Musk did not hold back, using some colorful language to express his feelings towards those who would try to blackmail him with advertising money. He made it clear that he didn’t want advertisers on X and even singled out Disney CEO Bob Iger, who had explained why Disney had pulled its ads from the platform.
Great response @elonmusk https://t.co/yf23m7qqBS
— clive phillips (@MBGANOTONWO) November 30, 2023
Musk also addressed the potential financial impact of the advertising boycott on X. He boldly stated that the boycott would kill the company and that the whole world would know that the advertisers were responsible for its demise. He promised to document it in great detail. When questioned about who would be held responsible if X fails, Musk challenged Earth to respond to the situation.
The advertising boycott came about after Musk supported a comment that accused Jewish communities of fostering hatred against white people. As a result, around 200 big advertisers, including Disney, Apple, and IBM, pulled their ads from X. The boycott is estimated to cost X around $75 million this quarter. Musk has been under fire ever since he agreed with a user who falsely claimed that Jewish people were stoking hatred against white people. Musk admitted that he should not have replied to the post and expressed regret for the consequences. However, he emphasized that he cares about the reality of goodness, not just the perception of it.
Despite the controversy and backlash, Musk remains unfazed by the possibility of losing fans. He stated that he has no problem being hated and that there is a weakness in wanting to be liked. Musk’s blunt and unapologetic response to the advertisers reflects his no-nonsense approach to running his businesses and standing by his beliefs. Love him or hate him, Musk continues to make headlines with his bold statements and actions.
