A coalition of right-wing media figures and companies emerged to vow support for Elon Musk, pledging to fill the void left by advertisers such as Apple, Disney, IBM, NBCUniversal, and Sony.
What triggered ad exodus?
“You have said the actual truth.” Elon Musk’s recent endorsement of an anti-Semitic conspiracy theory, coupled with a Media Matters for America report revealing ads on pro-Nazi and pro-Hitler content, prompted the mass exodus of big-name advertisers from X.
Right-wing media supporters
YouTuber Tim Pool quickly followed suit, committing to a similar $250,000 ad spend over the coming months. Other right-wing figures, including political commentator Benny Johnson, The Quartering, Donut Operator, Gavin McInnes, and Elijah Schaffer, joined the chorus with varying pledges. The list of right-wing media businesses or leaders supporting X may continue to rise in the coming days.
The controversial figure Andrew Tate, a “manosphere” influencer with a history of legal troubles, went above and beyond by pledging an astonishing $1 million per month to X without running ads for his ventures.
Pledged support
At present, a total of eight right-wing media figures and groups have collectively pledged $1,627,500 in ad buys on X, although the majority of these commitments span multiple months.
Despite this show of support, it’s essential to acknowledge that these pledges fall significantly short of the advertising dollars lost from major brands like Apple, which reportedly spends over $100 million annually on X ads alone.
Can right-wing media figures’ support compensate for what X has lost?
Musk has expressed gratitude for the backing from these right-wing figures, however, the reality remains that their support cannot fully compensate for the substantial revenue gap created by the departure of prominent brands.
The fate of X hangs in the balance as it navigates these turbulent waters of controversy and corporate realignment.
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Cover Photo: YouTube