PYMNTS-MonitorEdge-May-2024

X and Paris Hilton Partner on Video and Commerce

Social media platform X is teaming up with Paris Hilton and her digital ad agency 11:11 Media on shopping and video projects.

X CEO Linda Yaccarino said in a Monday (Oct. 2) post on the social media platform formerly known as Twitter that Hilton — “the queen of pop culture, music, business and TV” — and her media company have launched an official partnership.

“Together we’re going to create a launchpad for new initiatives in video and live video, live commerce, Spaces, and so much more,” Yaccarino said in the post.

In her own post announcing the partnership, Hilton said Monday: “Officially in my @X era.”

X and Hilton will collaborate to create original video content on fashion, beauty, travel and other topics, Bloomberg reported Monday. Additionally, Hilton, an American media personality and socialite, will assist in promoting the launch of X’s new products and services.

The platform has been actively seeking new avenues of growth since Elon Musk’s takeover in 2022, which resulted in a decline in advertising sales by over 50%, according to the report. Earlier this year, the company introduced a Premium subscription that offers additional features for a monthly fee. Musk has expressed his vision of transforming X into a super app that encompasses audio, video, shopping, payments and more.

The partnership with Hilton could help X further develop its shopping and video features, the report said. Both X and 11:11 Media will share revenue from this collaboration.

Yaccarino has been pitching brands, investors and companies on her vision for new products and services that generate revenue, per the report. She has met with talent agencies Creative Arts Agency and United Talent Agency, as well as Disney, to discuss potential partnerships. Yaccarino also had a meeting with Hilton in July.

It was reported Wednesday (Sept. 27) that Yaccarino said that 90% of X’s top 100 advertisers have returned to the platform. Speaking at Vox Media’s Code conference, Yaccarino also said the company could reach profitability in early 2024.

About a week earlier, on Sept. 18, Musk said during a livestreamed conversation that X will introduce a small monthly payment for use of the X system as part of an effort to combat the proliferation of bots on the platform.

PYMNTS-MonitorEdge-May-2024