Initially, Musk's audacity helped propel Tesla to the spotlight. Today, Musk's recklessness at best is an unnecessary distraction, at worst, could bring the Tesla brand down. Unfortunately, Tesla has been so dependent on the Musk brand that it has never established a brand, let alone a narrative of its own.
One only need look at online presence to discover this. The website is an e commerce shopping site, and nothing more. The YouTube channel features mostly dry 'how to', technical videos. The experience is as emotionless as picking out a new toaster. And due to Musk's impulsive response to a personal challenge, Tesla has no Facebook page, and no Twitter account, limiting the amount of potential fan engagement. There is no brand story, no sense of a bigger mission or brand experience. And that's a shame, because Tesla has a compelling story to tell.
Tesla fundamentally changed the game by obviating any and all objections one might have for buying an electric car, by making every aspect of the vehicle experience not just as good as, but better than internal combustion competitors. So, instead of electric being the reason to buy, it became the icing on the cake -- with a stellar execution in styling, performance, range, retail experience and charging infrastructure. Simply put, Tesla became the 'it' brand at the high end of the market. This is where early adopters who look to set the standards dominate.
But as Tesla reaches down to higher volume segments, it is now at a critical inflection point, both internally and externally.
In August, at 17,000 units, the Tesla model 3 was the fifth best selling car in the US in volume, and first in revenue. In September, Tesla sold ~22,000 Model 3's. Currently, the Model 3 is likely fulfilling a couple of years of pent-up demand. Sustaining that volume over time will mean reaching beyond early adopters, and, instead serving a risk averse mass market buyer.
And over the next couple of years, those buyers will have a plethora of low risk EV choices from well known brands at every price point in the market, from the $20,000 VW compact ID to the $75,000 Porsche Taycan, to the $255,000 Aston Martin RapidE.
That's why it's critical that Tesla start telling a coherent, cohesive story that focuses not on Elon Musk, but on the entire Tesla brand experience. On what really sets Tesla apart from every other car brand. From the dealer free purchase experience to the performance, to the well established quick charging infrastructure, to the availability of solar panels that guarantee a true zero carbon footprint. No one else can tell this story. They haven't just invented a better car. Rather, they have reinvented car ownership to be an emotionally satisfying, purposeful experience every step of the way.
This is the story that needs to be told. It needs to be told clearly, without any interruption from Mr. Musk. It needs to be told in a way that inspires. It needs to be told in a way that will make a broader audience seek out, contribute to, and share the story. And it needs to be told now, or Tesla will wind up with Tucker, DeLorean, and the likes, as another 'what could have been' story in automotive history.
