Elon Musk’s X to Brands: Advertise With Us or We’ll Sue

WSJ Tech News Briefing

The Wall Street Journal

News, Tech News

4.6 • 1.6K Ratings

🗓️ 13 June 2025

⏱️ 12 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

X launched a strong-arm campaign against advertisers to revive its ad-sales business. WSJ advertising editor Suzanne Vranica tells us about the unusual tactic. Plus, the "unsubscribe" button at the bottom of marketing emails may be an easy way to opt out. But writer Heidi Mitchell will tell you why you shouldn’t be so quick to click. Sign up for the WSJ's free Technology newsletter. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	The five pound meal deal from McDonald's.
0:02.0	Get a cheeseburger or mayo chicken, medium fries, four McNuggets and a medium soft drink for guess what?
0:08.0	That's right, five pounds.
0:10.0	It's not called the five pound meal deal for nothing.
0:14.0	From 11 AM, not available on delivery.
0:16.0	Carbonated soft drink upgrade fees apply.
0:18.0	Participating restaurants, subjects availability.
0:20.0	Welcome to Tech News. Carbidated soft drink upgrade fees apply. Participating restaurants, subjects of availability.
0:25.6	Welcome to Tech News Briefing.
0:27.2	It's Friday, June 13th.
0:29.1	I'm Victoria Craig for the Wall Street Journal.
0:32.3	Give us your ad business or we'll sue you.
0:36.7	Today, we're going inside a pressure campaign by Elon Musk's X,
0:40.0	aimed at strong-arming advertisers to spend more money on the platform. Then, before you click that unsubscribe button from an annoying email you
0:45.6	didn't sign up for, you'll want to hear how that simple click can actually make you a bigger
0:50.8	target for scammers.
1:00.8	But first, late last year, companies including Verizon and Ralph Lauren, received unusual messages from a company that wanted them to do business with it. Spend your ad dollars with us,
1:06.0	or we'll see you in court. The threat, in at least some cases, worked and allowed Elon Musk's social media
1:12.8	platform X to secure millions of dollars in ad spending. WSJ advertising editor Suzanne Vernica and her
1:20.3	colleagues spoke to more than two dozen people familiar with discussions like these, and she takes
1:25.6	us inside the campaign to strongarm X advertisers that fled
1:29.7	the platform. Suzanne, walk us through YX was so adamant about getting advertisers to stick around
	...

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