SpaceX launches Starlink ad campaign on Twitter

Bengaluru — SpaceX has bought an advertising package on Twitter for its satellite internet service, Starlink, said Elon Musk, who owns both the rocket company and the social media platform, in a tweet on Monday.

“SpaceX Starlink bought a tiny — not large — ad package to test effectiveness of Twitter advertising in Australia & Spain. Did same for FB/Insta/Google,” Musk tweeted.

The move comes at a time when Twitter, which generated more than 90% of its second-quarter revenue from ad sales, is seeing an exodus of advertisers on fears that Musk would bring changes to the company’s content moderation rules.

Since he bought the company last month, several companies, including General Motors, General Mills, Mondelez International and Volkswagen, have paused advertising on the platform.

The CEO of Tesla and SpaceX last week told advertisers that he aimed to turn the social media platform to pursue truth and put an end to fake accounts. He also raised the possibility of Twitter going bankrupt days after he said the platform saw a “massive” drop in revenue and blamed activist groups putting pressure on advertisers.

Meanwhile, Tesla shares slipped in premarket trading after Musk said, “I have too much work on my plate that is for sure,” when asked about his leadership at the electric vehicle maker and Twitter.

Shares of Tesla have been under pressure since Musk moved to buy Twitter in April on worries that he might be getting distracted at a time when Tesla is struggling to meet demand due to production constraints.

Reuters