On December 1st, Walmart announced it is no longer advertising on social media platform X, previously known as Twitter, now owned by Elon Musk. Walmart’s spokesperson stated the decision was based on finding other platforms more effective in reaching their customers. This move comes amid a broader trend of advertisers withdrawing from the platform following Musk’s acquisition in October 2022. The platform has faced challenges in retaining advertisers, particularly due to concerns over increasing antisemitic content.
The situation escalated earlier this month when Musk responded to a user’s false claim about the Jewish community, which referenced the “Great Replacement” conspiracy theory. Musk later apologized for his post during a New York Times DealBook event but expressed strong disapproval of advertisers suspending their ads, accusing them of “blackmail.” This has led to tensions, with an executive from a major ad-buying agency noting frustration among X’s ad sales representatives following Musk’s comments.
Sources include: Reuters