Tesla Will Do a "Little Advertising" After All

Tesla has long avoided advertising, opting instead to use the money to improve its products, or at least that’s what CEO Elon Musk initially said. That said, he’s changed his tune, and purchasing an ad-funded social media likely played a role. Musk recently told shareholders that Tesla would “try out a little advertising and see how it goes.”

The statement came at Tesla’s annual shareholder meeting in Austin, where Musk admitted that advertising would play an essential role in the automaker’s continued growth. After saying for years that he hated advertising and that the funds should be used to “make the product great,” Musk needs to inspire confidence that Tesla is on the right path. He said that too many people don’t know about Tesla’s products and features, which is one of the primary functions of a normally functioning marketing team.

Advertising could also help separate Tesla from Musk’s persona, which has become increasingly divisive over the last few years. Many people sidestep Tesla vehicles because of Musk, so any ability the automaker has to craft and disseminate its own messaging will be helpful. 

Musk’s purchase of Twitter and the subsequent loss of most of its staff drove advertisers away from the platform like the plague. Though the press surrounding Twitter has died down somewhat in recent months, Musk seems to have realized that it’s time to hand the reins over to a dedicated CEO. His pick is Linda Yaccarino, who previously led NBCUniversal’s global advertising and partnerships shop. 

[Image: Rokas Tenys via Shutterstock]

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