He is the business leader who, his critics and his fans agree, follow the zeitgeist.
Elon Musk is the Everything CEO, who understands that the creator and influencer economy is on the rise.
The serial entrepreneur has himself become an influencer. He can boast of having more than 138 million Twitter followers, and not because he became the owner of the company last October, after paying $44 billion. He'd already had more than 100 million followers long before the deal.
As often as he tweets, his followers ask for more. Some call him the meme CEO, who masters individuality and immediacy. He creates direct links with his fans by building the image of a maverick, someone who says what he thinks and doesn't care about conventions and traditions. Musk voices out loud what other bosses or personalities are quietly saying. He calls things as he sees them: Such is his brand.
Building and Refining the Elon Musk Brand
As a result, millions of people worldwide have a feeling of closeness with someone who is considered one of the greatest visionaries of our time. This is his marketing genius: He is both near and far.
He knows that he must regularly feed both images because the economy of influence requires it. And this is what he did on May 4, the official "Star Wars" day. It’s a day of joy for fans of that phenomenon worldwide.
Musk has just shared photos of him and his son X Æ A-12, born on May 4, 2020. Musk is celebrating his son's third birthday.
"May the 4th be with you ❤️," the billionaire tweeted, using the play on words that has become a cult phrase among "Star Wars" aficionados. He thus connects his private life with a reference that speaks to millions.
In the adorable photo that accompanies the message, Musk is sitting on the floor, while X is crouched close to him. Musk is dressed, as often, in all black, while X appears to be wearing pajamas. The pants appear to be a similar pattern as the wrapping paper of the gift he is about to open. They are both barefoot, which adds an extra intimate touch.
Musk invites his millions of fans into his home life, sharing important moments in his family life. Blue balloons signify that this is a special event. Father and son are very focused on the wrapping paper.
The photo at last check had been viewed almost 28 million times and had drawn admiring comments.
"You look like a very attentive loving father. Kudus to you🙏🏼" said one Twitter user.
"May the force be with you on May the 4th and also every day," another user said.
"To be an incredible father along with all your other feats is like icing on the cake. Happy Birthday X," said another Twitter user.
Musk: Father and Image Maker
Hours later, Musk shared another photo of X, showing him at what appears to be his birthday party. These images, again, give his millions of fans a small window into his private life at an important family moment.
Musk thus uses the different codes of influencers, like the Kardashian/Jenner family, who share selective intimate moments with the public, to continue to feed his image and to maintain interest and curiosity around him.
Musk has 10 children. The executive has six children with the Canadian novelist Justine Wilson, whom he met during his studies at Queen's University in Canada and married in 2000.
Their eldest son, Nevada Alexander, born in 2002, died at the age of 10 weeks from respiratory arrest. The couple then welcomed twins, Griffin and Xavier, in 2004. And two years later came triplets Kai, Saxon and Damian.
Wilson and Musk divorced in 2008. Xavier filed a petition to change their name last year. They wanted to be called Vivian Jenna Wilson, in line with their gender identity. The request was granted by a judge.
Musk also has two more children -- X and a baby girl, born in 2021, named Exa Dark Sideræl or Y -- with Canadian singer Grimes. The billionaire also secretly welcomed twins, born in November 2021, from his relationship with Shivon Zilis, an executive of his biotech company Neuralink.
