Apple advertises on X again, buys hashtags
For over a year, there have been no more paid Apple ads on X, formerly Twitter. Since last week, this is no longer the case.
Apple ends advertising boycott of X.
(Image: kavi designs/Shutterstock.com)
Following media reports from last January, Apple has now started running ads on X, formerly Twitter, again last week. This was reported by users in the USA, who were shown advertisements for privacy functions in Safari and references to the new season of the Apple TV+ series “Severance”, among other things. This follows a complete end to advertising bookings on the service towards the end of 2023, after advertisements for Apple products appeared in an unsightly environment – including Nazi propaganda –.
Now apparently back after tests
The Wall Street Journal was the first medium to report Apple's internal decision. The first tests of advertising on the platform were carried out at the end of 2024 and beginning of 2025. The company now appears to have decided to continue the bookings. This also includes Apple booking hashtags on Twitter again. These are certain terms that are provided with a selected emoji provided by the customer in return for payment. The current Apple hashtag is #AppleLaunch, along with a customized Apple logo – which was issued by CEO Tim Cook himself last week when he announced a new product for Wednesday.
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Although X had been abandoned by individual Apple employees after Elon Musk took over the service – including ex-marketing boss Phil Schiller – Apple itself repeatedly took advantage of the offer. For example, there was an announcement about three days of new Macs on the service last fall, this time by marketing director Greg “Joz” Joswiak. Apple was one of Twitter's most important advertising customers – when the company was not yet owned by Musk – and is said to have invested 100 million dollars per year.
Amazon is also back
In addition to Apple, other companies have also returned to X – or increased their budget again. This includes Amazon, for example. In addition to Apple, other large companies such as Sony, IBM, Comcast, Disney, and Coca-Cola also left X after the Musk takeover. Disney has now also returned cautiously. According to analysts, X's finances have already improved, although banks initially wanted to write off loans or at least sell them at a discount.
Musk had already attacked Tim Cook personally after Apple stopped its bookings: the company “hates free speech”. An NGO had previously demonstrated that advertising for Apple had been displayed in an environment with positive comments about Adolf Hitler.
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