Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, recently celebrated his 40th birthday with a lavish party on a luxury yacht. The party caught the attention of the public, but it was Zuckerberg’s personal transformation that sparked widespread discussion. Media outlets have been quick to note that Zuckerberg has become “cool,” shedding his previous image as a nerdy bookworm.
On May 14th, Zuckerberg invited friends and family to his $300 million yacht for a birthday party. Even Microsoft founder Bill Gates attended and posed for a photo with Zuckerberg in a room designed to resemble their college dorm room.
Zuckerberg’s wife, Priscilla Chan, took a photo of him at the party that captured the attention of the public. In the photo, Zuckerberg is sitting in a room made to look like his childhood bedroom, surrounded by vintage CRT monitors, trophies, thick programming books, and a frame with childhood photos. He sports curly hair, a flashy gold necklace, and a black T-shirt with a Latin phrase in Gothic font that reads, “Carthago delenda est” or “Carthage must be destroyed” – a slogan previously used by Facebook in its competition with Google. Former Meta employees recall seeing this phrase posted throughout the company’s campus.
Interestingly, Zuckerberg is a passionate fan of ancient Rome. His three daughters are all named after Roman emperors: his eldest, Maxima, is named after Magnus Maximus from the 4th century; his second daughter, August, is named after Rome’s first emperor, Augustus; and his youngest daughter, Aurelia, is named after one of the Five Good Emperors of Rome, Aurelius.
It’s worth noting that Zuckerberg’s recent change in appearance is not a sudden transformation. When he introduced Meta’s new AI model, Llama 3, in April, he was already dressed similarly and received praise for his stylish look. However, this recent photo further emphasizes that Zuckerberg is no longer the same person.
In the past, Zuckerberg was known for his short hair, simple T-shirts, and suits, which contributed to the perception of him as a Silicon Valley nerd. His stiff demeanor during his 2018 congressional testimony led to jokes that he was a robot. No one had ever associated him with being trendy or stylish.
“I’m not a cool person, and I’ve never tried to be cool,” Zuckerberg stated in 2014, emphasizing that he didn’t care much about his appearance and preferred to focus on his work. “If I put time into frivolous or silly things, it just makes me feel like I’m not doing my job well.”
It’s difficult to pinpoint exactly when Zuckerberg began changing his image. In February of this year, during a trip to Japan, he showcased his unique style by wearing smart glasses made in collaboration with Ray-Ban and a reportedly $1,000 wool coat. A year ago, when rumors circulated about a potential fight between Zuckerberg and Elon Musk, Zuckerberg posted pictures of his trained muscles on Instagram, garnering over 2 million likes.
The CEO’s image is closely tied to the company’s reputation. When discussing Zuckerberg’s appearance, some may find it trivial, but as the CEO of a company with 3 billion users, any change in his image could have significant consequences, whether positive or negative.
Zuckerberg and Meta are almost inseparable. In 2021, Meta revealed that it had spent nearly $27 million on security for Zuckerberg, a staggering amount compared to other tech CEOs. Sundar Pichai, the CEO of Google, spent only $4.3 million. Meta’s explanation was that Zuckerberg had become synonymous with the company and was receiving increasing attention from the media and regulatory authorities. “Negative feelings toward our company are often associated or even transferred directly to Mr. Zuckerberg,” they stated.
Conversely, if Zuckerberg were to have a more relatable and fashionable image, it could potentially reduce hostility towards Meta or ease regulatory scrutiny.
Meta has faced increasingly stringent scrutiny in recent years. The US government reopened investigations into whether Meta’s acquisitions of Instagram and WhatsApp were anti-competitive. Instagram has faced allegations of child exploitation, and in late January of this year, Zuckerberg publicly apologized for it during a congressional hearing. The platform has also faced constant criticism for spreading fake news.
“Personal style is a form of communication,” noted Amber Venz Box, a fashion influencer and founder of the marketing platform LTK. “Our appearance conveys a lot of information and can influence people’s perceptions.”
It remains to be seen whether Zuckerberg’s personal style transformation will bring tangible benefits to Meta. However, compared to the past when he was mocked as a robot or bookworm, his new image has garnered more positive reviews from both internet users and the media.
Sources:
TechCrunch, Business Insider, The Guardian
Further reading:
Why did Zuckerberg spend 770 million yuan on security last year, fifteen times more than Bezos? Why does Meta invest heavily in executive security?