Elon Musk Fires Back at Companies Pulling Ads from Social Media Platform
Tesla CEO Elon Musk Responds to Advertising Boycott
Tesla CEO and former X CTO Elon Musk had a strong message for companies like Disney that decided to pull their advertising
from his social media platform following an inflammatory post. In an interview at the 2023 DealBook Summit in New
York, Musk expressed his reaction to the response, telling the companies to “f*ck off.”
Musk Apologizes for Controversial Post
Musk apologized for the post during the interview with Andrew Ross Sorkin. The conversation took place shortly after
Musk’s return from a trip to Israel.
Addressing the Advertising Boycott
When asked if his visit to Israel was part of an “apology tour,” Musk smirked and responded, “I hope they stop [advertising].
Don’t advertise.”
Musk’s Defiant Stance
Pressed for clarification, Musk further emphasized his position, stating, “If somebody’s going to try to blackmail me
with advertising, blackmail me with money? Go f*ck yourself.” He made it clear that he believed the advertisers
were to blame for any potential economic impact on the company.
Consequences and Investor Reaction
Musk’s defiant stance comes as investors, in addition to advertisers, have demanded consequences for his actions. One
Tesla investor accused him of working against the company’s best interest. It remains to be seen whether Musk’s
apology or his position that advertisers can leave will satisfy investors or further alarm them.
Watch the Interview Highlights
Advertisers’ Response
X CEO Linda Yaccarino responded to Musk’s words on the platform shortly after, stating, “Here’s my perspective when it
comes to advertising: X is standing at a unique and amazing intersection of Free Speech and Main Street — and
the X community is powerful and is here to welcome you. To our partners who believe in our meaningful work —
Thank You.”
Musk’s Aggressive Position
Prior to the summit, Musk had already shown signs of adopting an aggressive position. He questioned big brands about
their response to Instagram’s Reels product showing sexual content to teens. This indicates his willingness to
challenge companies on their advertising practices.
The Future of the Company
Musk warned that the advertising boycott could potentially lead to the demise of the company. He stated, “What this advertising
boycott is going to do is it’s going to kill the company. And the whole world will know that those advertisers
killed the company, and we will document it in great detail.”
Watch the Full Interview