An advertising agency has filed a lawsuit against X Corp., the company that owns the social media platform previously known as Twitter. X Social Media LLC, a Florida firm specializing in Facebook and Instagram advertising, claims that Elon Musk’s rebranding of Twitter to X has confused their customers and affected their revenue.
The ad agency argues that X Corp.’s use of the X mark and its attempts to register the mark in association with various services, including social media, advertising, and market research, have caused irreparable harm to X Social Media. According to the lawsuit, X Social Media has been using and owning the trademark “X SOCIAL MEDIA” since 2016.
In addition, the lawsuit alleges that X Corp. is violating the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act by using the X logo in its advertising and rebranding campaigns.
This lawsuit could be just the beginning of a long legal battle over the X trademark. Microsoft, with its Xbox gaming consoles, has held a trademark on the X mark since 2003. Meta, X’s competitor, also holds a trademark for the X mark for one of its social media subsidiaries.
Insight: The dispute over the X trademark highlights the importance of brand identity in the fiercely competitive world of social media and advertising. Companies are willing to fight for control of symbols and trademarks that represent their brand and can have a significant impact on their business. In this case, X Social Media is claiming that X Corp.’s rebranding of Twitter to X has caused confusion among their customers and affected their revenue. The outcome of this trademark dispute could have far-reaching consequences for both companies involved.
