Twitter is rebranding to X. It has been a bit bumpy, to say the least...

• Their new logo comes from a $30 font (and whether it's approved for commercial use is questionable).
• They're slowly deconstructing one of the world's most recognizable brands, and have wiped out at least $4 billion in brand value according to Bloomberg
• They forcefully (and without compensation) took the username X from a user who had previously owned it
• Twitter's new CEO Linda Yaccarino posted the announcement of the new #brand on a platform that still 90% looks like Twitter (see photo in comments)

I could go on, but you get the point: This has been a highly questionable move.

I've been involved in a few rebrands over my career (albeit smaller ones than Twitter/X). Here's what I've learned:

• Don't mess with the brand elements that are distinctive and that your customers instantly associate with your brand. For example, while going through a rebrand early in my career, everything was changed except for our company's distinctive blue diamond. Our clients recognized the diamond instantly. There were slight modifications done to the diamond to modernize it, but scrapping the diamond was off the table.
• Rip the bandaid. Rebrands need to be done quickly if they're going to take root. Products, documents, web properties, etc. all need to be converted to new branding at once. This firmly establishes the new brand and avoids brand confusion in the marketplace.
• Stick out from the crowd. Your branding should be unique to you and should stick out from your competitors. Avoid generic rebrands at all costs (see attached video).
• Be conscious of your brand voice. Voice is a huge part of branding, so be intentional and consistent with your brand voice when introducing new branding.

The items above are just the basics, but as Michael Jordan once said "Get the fundamentals down, and everything else you do will rise."