Fernando Cao Profile picture
Dec 14, 2024 19 tweets 5 min read Read on X
In November 2023, Disney tried to destroy X (Twitter).

They pulled their ads and cost Elon $75M in revenue.

But instead of backing down...

Elon told their CEO to go f*** himself.

Here's the unbelievable story of how one decision cost Disney $200B: Image
November 2023.

Disney's CEO Bob Iger made a decision that would spark one of the most explosive corporate feuds in history:

He pulled all of Disney's ads from X (formerly Twitter).

What followed would reshape the future of media forever... Image
The official reason? Content moderation concerns.

But beneath the surface, a bigger battle was brewing:

The clash between traditional media control and digital freedom of speech.

Disney wasn't alone in their move:
Apple, Coca-Cola, and Comcast joined the advertising exodus.

Musk's response? Refreshingly direct for a tech CEO:

He challenged Bob Iger publicly, questioning Disney's own content standards.

But beneath the surface, something bigger was happening:
X was facing a crucial moment.

90% of the platform's revenue came from advertising.

The boycott by major brands cost X an estimated $75 million in revenue.

But instead of backing down, Musk took a stand:
In the first half of 2023, X generated $1.48 billion in revenue.

That's a 40% drop compared to the same period in 2022.

At the DealBook Summit, Musk made his position clear:

"These advertisers are trying to blackmail me with money."
Then came the statement that would echo through Wall Street:

"If they kill the company, the whole world will know that those advertisers killed the company."

This wasn't just about revenue anymore.

It was about standing up for principles.
While Disney remained silent, Musk spoke directly to his audience.

No PR spin. No corporate doublespeak.

Just raw, unfiltered communication with his followers.

Then the story took an unexpected turn:
Rumors of Musk potentially acquiring Disney started circulating.

Wall Street analysts scrambled to make sense of it.

But there was one major problem:

The numbers didn't add up.
Disney's market cap was approximately $150 billion.

Musk had already invested heavily in Twitter at $44 billion.

And now X was facing an advertising challenge.

But the acquisition rumors revealed something deeper:
This wasn't just about ads anymore.

It was innovation vs tradition.

Direct communication vs controlled narratives.

The future of media was at stake.
Then came a twist no one saw coming:

The Texas Attorney General launched an investigation into potential collusion among advertisers.

X filed a lawsuit against the World Federation of Advertisers, alleging a "systematic illegal boycott."

The implications would be massive... Image
The investigation raised unprecedented questions:

Could companies legally coordinate their ad spending to influence platform behavior?

Was the advertising boycott a legitimate business decision or illegal collusion?

But Musk had an ace up his sleeve:
This battle exposed something fascinating:

Traditional media thought they could control the narrative with ad dollars.

But Musk had something more valuable:

A personal brand so powerful, he didn't need to bend.
Think about it:

Most CEOs would cave under advertiser pressure.

They'd compromise their vision for ad revenue.

But Musk? He stood firm on his principles.

Why could he do this?
Because he'd built something more valuable than ad revenue:

Direct influence over millions of people.

His personal brand means he can:

• Launch products instantly
• Attract talent effortlessly
• Raise capital at will

All without depending on gatekeepers.
This is the future of business:

The most powerful founders won't be controlled by advertisers, VCs, or media.

They'll have direct relationships with their audience.

Building in public. Creating trust at scale.

Ready to build the future?
Founders: We’ll build your personal/company brand on 𝕏 (and beyond) without you lifting a finger.

To date, we've already helped 60+ founders get 2+ Billion combined views.

Interested in how we can do this for you? Book your free discovery call here: form.typeform.com/to/JWuXNkxQ?ut…
Thanks for reading! A bit about me:

2 years ago, I cofounded @ThoughtleadrX — a premium personal branding agency for world-class founders, executives, and investors to dominate socials.

If you enjoyed this, hit "follow" for more breakdowns! Image

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More from @thefernandocz

Jul 27
South Park's creators just started the biggest bidding war in TV history.

Paramount and HBO were ready to bankrupt themselves for ownership of the hit show.

But when the deal hit $1.5 BILLION…

These guys pulled off a move no creator had ever dared.

Here's the full story 🧵 Image
For over 25 years, South Park dominated late-night comedy.

The show built Comedy Central into a powerhouse.

Generated billions in revenue.

Created a global fanbase that spans generations.

But in 2019, something happened that would change everything...
Paramount made a critical mistake.

They licensed South Park to rival HBO Max.

Their own streaming service wasn't ready yet.

Now their biggest asset was making money for a competitor.

That's when the real drama began:
Read 17 tweets
Jul 21
Rocket Lab's CEO never went to college.

Instead, he reverse-engineered SpaceX's docs—and built a $12 BILLION rocket empire.

How? A learning method so powerful, NASA and SpaceX now teach it.

Here's Peter Beck's genius framework for learning anything fast: Image
Most aerospace CEOs follow the same path.

Ivy League degree. PhD in engineering.

Decades climbing corporate ladders.

Peter Beck? He skipped all of that.

And built something that has SpaceX looking over their shoulder...
Beck grew up in Invercargill, New Zealand.

Population: 54,000. Rocket companies: Zero.

His parents weren't engineers.
No MIT connections or Silicon Valley network.

Just a kid obsessed with making things go fast.

That obsession changed aerospace forever...
Read 18 tweets
Jul 20
In '83, Steve Jobs gave Bill Gates a private copy of Apple’s software.

Months later, Gates launched Windows to the world.

But Jobs noticed something familiar.

What followed? A lawsuit, a threat—and a $100 BILLION attack.

Here’s the crazy true story: 🧵 Image
In the early 1980s, Apple's future depended on Microsoft building software for the Mac.

Without it, the Mac would fail.

Jobs needs Gates—desperately.

So he makes a decision that would cost Apple billions...
Jobs invites Gates and his team into Apple's inner sanctum.

Shows them the revolutionary Macintosh interface.

The windows, icons, and mouse control that would change computing.

Gates watches quietly, taking it all in.

But there was something Jobs didn't know: Image
Read 20 tweets
Jul 19
After Ethereum hit $100 BILLION, Google tried to poach their CEO, Vitalik.

But he didn't just tell them "No."

He responded with the most public humiliation in history.

Here’s how Vitalik let Google know who they were dealing with: Image
First, some context.

By 2018, Vitalik had built Ethereum into a revolutionary ecosystem.

At just 24, his creation was revolutionizing finance, art, and technology.

Big Tech was watching, and they wanted in...
Google, Facebook, Amazon.

They all saw what Ethereum was becoming:
A decentralized world computer that threatened their control.

Their strategy was to hire the genius behind it.

But they underestimated Vitalik's commitment to decentralization:
Read 16 tweets
Jul 18
This tech CEO hired 40 villagers from a coconut farm in India.

No resumes. No Ivy League.

Everyone called him crazy.

Today? His company is worth over $1 Billion.

Here’s the GENIUS playbook that stunned Silicon Valley: Image
Meet Sridhar Vembu:

He had a radical idea in 2005.

While Silicon Valley fought over Stanford grads, he drove to rural Tamil Nadu.

Past the tech parks. Past the cities.

To villages where young people had never seen a computer.

But he saw something others missed...
These rural youth had something money couldn't buy.

Hunger. Grit. Raw intelligence.

They just lacked one thing:

Opportunity.

So Vembu decided to build his software empire with an unthinkable strategy... Image
Read 17 tweets
Jul 15
Ray Dalio made $14 Billion investing in American companies.

But now, he's moved $10+ billion of it to China and Singapore.

Not for better interest rates.

But because he says the U.S. is "on the brink of civil war."

Here's what he sees coming: ⬇️ Image
Ray Dalio isn't just any investor.

He founded Bridgewater Associates, the world's largest hedge fund.

For decades, he bet on American growth and won big.

But something changed recently...
Dalio built his entire fortune on one simple belief:

• America was the greatest wealth-creation machine in history
• His fund managed $150 billion betting on U.S. companies

He was the ultimate American success story.

Until he started moving his money out... Image
Read 18 tweets

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