Twitter, now X, just can't seem to catch a break. The company is facing yet another problem regarding its headquarters sign in San Francisco. Before, they encountered trouble as they took down the Twitter sign, and now they are met with complaints concerning its X sign.
X Sign Taken Down
You probably know about Elon Musk's rebranding campaign, turning Twitter to X. Most of his efforts have not been well-received by both users and critics. Not only was he discarding a brand that took years to build, he was replacing it with a mere "X" in black and white.
As part of the whole company makeover, Musk also had a huge "X" sign placed on top of the company's headquarters, although its literal shine was short-lived as it was seen being taken down after the complaints from neighboring residents.
Based on the videos posted by X users, the sign emitted a bright pulsating white light, which could be too bright for close-by neighbors. The light was so bright that even the building across the road was affected by it.
I would be fucking LIVID. Imagine this fucking X sign right across from your bedroom. #x #twitter pic.twitter.com/FH4nqcS8oy
— kyle (still hates elon) (@itsmefrenchy123) July 29, 2023
To make matters worse, the sign was partly supported by sandbags only, presumably to keep it from tipping over and falling on bystanders. The company denied access when inspectors came to check the sign, saying it was only temporary for an event.
According to The Verge, the Communications Director from the San Francisco Department of Building Inspection and City Planning Patrick Hannan confirmed the notice of violation issued to the owner of the rented building.
Overall, there were 24 complaints about the sign being an unpermitted structure, as well as concerns about its brightness and safety. Even the takedown of the sign took place without a permit, although Hannan said they could secure a permit after "due to safety concerns."
Musk himself said that the logo was an "interim" while the company was still working on a new and permanent sign to signify Twitter's change to X. That still doesn't explain why they had to put up a temporary sign decorated with a blinding white pulsating light.
X Encountered Troubles with Signs Before
Back in late July, the company took down its Twitter sign, although police showed up before they could even finish it. In the end, the police clarified that it was all a misunderstanding as it was reported as an unpermitted street closure.
There was a work order for taking down the sign. The problem was, someone from the company failed to notify the owner of the building about taking down the sign. Though the sign is now completely down, it used to have "er" from "Twitter" left, as reported by The Guardian.
Twitter CEO Linda Yaccarino is supportive of the change, saying that it's a rare thing in life or business to get a second chance to make another big impression. She added that now, the company will go further "transforming the global town square."
It's surely a big impression, given that Musk is burying a well-known brand and icon, replacing it with a whole new one. The question is whether that "big impression" will be good for the company or not.
