Despite Elon Musk’s controversial “Go f**k yourself” comments directed at advertisers who were pulling out their ads from X in late 2023, several prominent media companies have quietly resumed advertising on X (formerly Twitter), according to recent data from MediaRadar.
Companies including Disney, Comcast, Lionsgate Entertainment, and Warner Bros. Discovery have restarted ad spending on the platform in 2024, collectively investing $3.3 million in advertisements. The breakdown of spending reveals:
- Comcast: Nearly $1.5 million (January-September)
- Warner Bros. Discovery: Approximately $1.1 million
- Disney: Less than $550,000
- Lionsgate: Around $230,000
While this represents a symbolic return, the current ad spend is significantly lower compared to $170 million spent in 2023.
The resumption comes after Musk’s highly publicized confrontational statement at The New York Post‘ DealBook Summit, where he specifically called out Disney CEO Bob Iger during a tirade against advertisers he perceived as “blackmailing” him.
X’s executives, including Musk and Linda Yaccarino, have welcomed the advertisers’ return. Musk publicly expressed appreciation on the platform, thanking Yaccarino and the X team for “restoring confidence” and ensuring appropriate ad placement.
The development suggests a potential rehabilitation of X’s advertising ecosystem, despite continued controversies surrounding the platform’s content moderation and Musk’s leadership.
