Summary: The story of Twitter’s rebrand to X is a powerful reminder for ministry leaders that real impact and value come from what people experience, not just what they see. Bold, surface-level changes can get attention but don’t create transformation. A visual rebrand can spark curiosity and signal a new era, but if the work beneath the surface isn’t done, people will default to what they know.
Case Study: What Went Wrong with Twitter’s Rebrand to X
In 2023, Elon Musk ditched the globally recognized Twitter brand for X to align with his broader vision for the app. The move was bold, but it came with major risks:
- Loss of strong brand equity: Twitter’s bird logo, name, and “tweet” culture had massive recognition, and loyalty built over 17 years.
- Unclear positioning: The new name didn’t explain the new vision in a way that resonated with users.
- Timing and rollout issues: The rebrand felt abrupt and lacked a cohesive narrative to bring the audience along.
The value of X (formally Twitter) plummeted from $5.7B in 2022 to $673M in 2024 (Brand Finance). Musk took a high-stakes gamble with consumer-based brand equity, the value a brand earns in the minds and hearts of its audience, shaped by recognition, associations, and loyalty. Strong brand equity is an intangible asset that can be worth billions and weakening it can have profound consequences, especially during mergers and acquisitions.
For most users, the experience on the app felt the same after the name change. Two years later, more than half of the country still calls it Twitter (YouGov). Until “X” consistently delivers experiences that match its new identity and create strong, positive associations, its brand equity will remain weaker than Twitter’s was.
Rebrands only build equity when people feel the change is meaningful.
Why This Matters for Churches
Consider a church that faced declining attendance and assumed a rebrand would reverse the trend. Leaders rolled out a new name, logo, and tagline, hoping fresh visuals would spark fresh momentum. But nothing else changed. Services followed the same patterns, the culture felt closed off, and ministries weren’t equipped to meet community needs.
The result? Longtime members were confused, newcomers felt misled, and the community kept seeing the church the same way it always had. Just like Twitter’s move to X, the rebrand was surface-level. Without real transformation beneath the surface, the change created more questions than confidence.
It’s tempting to believe that a fresh name, redesigned logo, or updated mission statement will fix deeper issues. But words and visuals alone don’t transform culture. Leaders sometimes treat rebranding like magic, hoping new language or branding brings meaningful change. The truth is that if the culture, systems, and experience remain the same, people will still hold on to the old identity. It’s more important to do the deeper work that shifts how your church lives out its mission.
5 Steps to Ensure Your Rebrand Delivers Real Change
- Define the transformation first: Be clear about what will change in culture, ministry approach, and community impact.
- Deliver the new experience early: Let people see, feel, and benefit from the change before (or alongside) new visual branding.
- Leverage existing trust: Keep elements of your old identity that are valuable and carry that equity into the new chapter.
- Communicate the “why”: Show how the changes reflect your mission and better serve your congregation and community.
- Measure the shift: Track engagement, attendance, and feedback so you can view and share how the transformation is taking root.
Bottom Line
A rebrand, whether for a global tech platform like Twitter or for your local church, can be a bold declaration of a new future. But if not backed by real change, it becomes a costly exercise in surface-level marketing. True transformation happens when you align identity, experience, and mission so completely that people can’t help but see you differently. Before you change your logo, tagline, or name, take time to walk through the five steps above and put them into action. When the inside changes, the outside becomes undeniable.
If you’re considering a rebrand or major shift in your ministry, read Why the Church Can’t Afford to Fake It. It’s a straight talk on why your message and methods must match and how people can spot the difference between genuine transformation and a surface makeover.
