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Musk launches ad blitz pushing Starlink services, after X ban in Brazil
Elon Musk has launched an aggressive advertising campaign for his satellite internet service, Starlink, in Brazil, following a legal decision to block X, the social media platform formerly known as Twitter. The move came after Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes threatened to suspend X for non-compliance with court orders and for shutting down its legal representation in the country.
A detailed analysis by Lupa reveals that at least 41 Starlink ads, offering substantial discounts, flooded Brazilian digital spaces between August 28 and 31—marking a significant spike in the company’s marketing efforts. This surge is more than double the volume of ads typically seen in this market, indicating a calculated effort by Musk to bolster Starlink’s presence in Brazil during a turbulent period.
Data from Google and Meta’s ad libraries illustrate a clear correlation between Musk’s increased ad spend and the legal challenges facing X in Brazil. From January 1 to August 27, Starlink averaged one online ad every eight days. However, in the days following the August 28 suspension threat, the number of active ads skyrocketed, peaking at 37 on August 30. Many of these ads featured discounts of up to 58% for new customers in Brazil.
This advertising blitz is not a coincidence. Musk appears to be leveraging the controversy surrounding X to expand Starlink’s customer base in Brazil, ensuring continued revenue despite the challenges facing his social media platform.
Legal Pushback and Starlink’s Defiance
On August 29, Justice Moraes froze Starlink’s assets in Brazil, arguing that the company could be held accountable for the roughly $3.6 million in fines imposed on X. The Justice's controversial ruling stated that Musk’s companies form a “de facto economic group,” making Starlink liable for X’s penalties.
In response, Musk announced that Starlink would provide free internet services to its Brazilian customers while their X accounts remain blocked, earning praise on social media. By August 30, the Supreme Court had ordered the nationwide suspension of X, but reports from UOL indicated that Starlink customers still had access to the platform. Starlink has informed Brazil’s National Telecommunications Agency (Anatel) that it will not comply with the Supreme Court's order to block X in the country.
Founded in 2019, Starlink serves over 215,000 customers in Brazil, according to Anatel.
SpaceX Joins the Fray
SpaceX, another Musk-owned company, ramped up its advertising efforts to support Starlink too. Between August 28 and 31, SpaceX paid for 39 ads on Google promoting Starlink’s satellite internet plans. This was a significant increase from the 31 ads targeted at the Brazilian market throughout the entire year until August 27.
These ads, featuring slogans like “Up to 200+ Mbps speeds, R$1,000 (58% off equipment),” represent an aggressive push to win over Brazilian consumers during a critical time for Musk’s businesses.
Meta Platforms Feature Starlink Ads
On Meta platforms, Starlink—not SpaceX—directly sponsored ads, a first for the company in Brazil. Seven ads were published this year, two of which went live in the last four days of August. These ads highlighted Starlink’s 58% discount and emphasized that no long-term contracts or loyalty plans would be required for new Brazilian customers.
A Calculated Investment
The exact cost of these ads and their geographic reach within Brazil remains undisclosed by Google and Meta’s ad libraries. However, the timing and intensity of this advertising push suggest a strategic investment by Musk to counterbalance the legal and financial challenges posed by the X suspension.
While previous months saw significantly fewer ads, the last week of August alone saw a surge that dwarfed previous efforts. In the same period in July, there were only 14 active Starlink ads, and in August 2023, just four—highlighting the exceptional scale of Musk’s latest marketing offensive.
Lupa also investigated potential Starlink ads on TikTok, but the platform’s ad library currently does not provide data on paid advertising in Brazil.
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