Just a few days after it was put up, a big, brilliantly flashing “X” sign that was mounted on top of the San Francisco offices of the business formerly known as Twitter has been removed. The unpermitted construction was the subject of 24 complaints over the weekend, according to the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection. The concerns covered a wide range of issues, including its illumination and structural safety.
The rebranding of Twitter to X: The business, which is now owned by Elon Musk, changed its name to X recently after removing the Twitter symbol and famous blue bird logo from its structure. However, due to a lack of required licences, the removal operation was momentarily put on hold. The effect was that the ‘er’ from the end of ‘Twitter’ was still there, giving the structure a more disorganised aspect.
City investigation launched: San Francisco residents were alarmed by the unexpected appearance of the enormous ‘X’ sign on top of the downtown skyscraper, which prompted the city to file a complaint and begin an inquiry. The contentious sign placement is a part of Elon Musk’s continuous efforts to revamp the social networking site.
Parallels with Twitter’s rebranding: The disorganised handling of the building signs reflects how Twitter is transformed into X. The old Twitter branding is still present on several pages of the website and app, despite the new X logo having taken its place.
Representatives from X have not yet responded to the situation with a statement despite the debate and objections surrounding the illegal “X” sign.
No immediate response from X representatives: The incident, which is still under investigation, serves as a warning about the need of getting the right permissions for any building alterations or extensions, especially for well-known businesses like X. The sign’s removal marks the conclusion of a contentious yet brief phase in the company’s rebranding process.
