When radio broadcasting first emerged in the static, there were few rules. In North America early AM/MW broadcasting was rather wild. This lasted for decades, big power broadcasters mostly selling receivers and anything else. Eventually, rules - and newer technologies - upended the reign of the “border blasters.” Nostalgia remained.
The huge power Mexican licensed stations were given call-signs that began with the letter X. Some were wild and wildly popular across the southwestern US with everything from hucksters pitching miracle cures to rock ’n’ roll. Legendary DJ Wolfman Jack was featured on XERB, a station licensed to Jaurez, Mexico across the border from El Paso, Texas. In 1975, ZZ Top, “that little ol’ band from Texas,” celebrated the station with “Heard It On The X”, nostalgia for the brand.
Tech bros and the investors who love them do not suffer from nostalgia. Brand management is boring. This is evident from the Twitter social media brand, and the famous little bird logo, being replaced by X by proprietor Elon Musk, briefly known as Chief Twit. “Elon Musk begins erasing iconic internet brand,” headlined the New York Times (July 24). All was moving forward until San Francisco police briefly halted removal of the Twitter sign from the company’s headquarters. More than a few tech watchers wondered just how much of a plan was - or is - in place.
Social media as a brand category has had a rough few months, coinciding with Mr. Musk’s October 2022 acquisition of Twitter. He made no bones about not liking much about the platform, without offering a prescription other than blowing it up. He hired well-known ad sales specialist Linda Yaccarino from NBCUniversal to run the company - almost - to avoid granting any respect for advertisers or, even, users. Other social media platforms continue crashing into similar dilemma. Owners are bored and customers feel it.
Nostalgia for Twitter is unlikely. There will be no hit tunes. Nothing to hear, feel or see.