You may have noticed there is not one single Tesla ad on TV! Or anywhere else for that matter.
Or have you just missed them, because you only watch Netflix?
Table of Contents
Does Tesla Have Commercials?
It may seem a little strange to most TV viewers and car owners, but Tesla does not have any commercials. Tesla does not pay for any TV commercials, magazine ads, or newspaper ads.
Tesla does not advertise. At all!
Tesla Advertising Budget
If you are wondering about their advertising budget here is the answer.
Tesla’s advertising budget is zero. That is $0. Every single year since inception!
Why Doesn’t Tesla Advertise?
The short answer is: Tesla does not need to advertise in the traditional sense.
But that does not really answer your question. Let’s dive a little deeper into how Tesla spreads the word about their technological electric vehicles that are making the competition panic…
How Does Tesla Advertise?
Tesla does not need to advertise because they rely on a few key factors. Their CEO, who is the marketer in chief, and their stunning products.
Elon Musk – CEO & Marketer in Chief
I am sure most of you know who Elon Musk is. And one of the reasons that is true is because he makes a point of being known. Both as an individual and through his projects and products.
Elon Musk, via his Twitter account and his antics, keeps Tesla on the front page and on most major TV channels all the time. Free of charge.
Sure, some of the things he says and does are polarising and annoy a lot of people. But he does not need to please everyone to sell cars. He just needs to get noticed and the cars take care of the rest.
Amazing Products
Tesla makes amazing, cutting-edge products. Their goal is to make them so good everyone wants them.
They started some years ago with the Roadster, the most mind-blowing electric car ever built, and then took it to the masses with the Model S.
They added features no one had ever added before and made the car a kind of “iPhone on wheels”. With Over The Air updates, just like a phone or computer, and a huge screen front and center, it was certainly a one-of-a-kind. It had tucked-away door handles, a sleek shape, and a huge glass roof.
They have, of course, continued with things like the Solar Roof and the Cyber Truck, which although yet to hit the roads, has people talking (good and bad) all over the planet!
A Sustainable Energy Future
On top of all these things, Tesla also has a mission that drives everything they do:
Tesla’s mission is to accelerate the world’s transition to sustainable energy
Tesla’s Mission Statement
This means that both the Tesla staff and a lot of the people who buy their products are also driven by this mission. These people want a better future for our planet and care deeply about what Tesla is doing. They know by buying their products that are helping push this mission forward, as well as buying some of the most cutting-edge products out there. It’s a win-win!
And a big result of this is the word-of-mouth advertising Tesla gets. Each new Tesla owner becomes the next free advertiser for Tesla. And so far, that is over around two million people!
Tesla is now known for its products and the army of fans that it has as a result of this and Tesla’s mission and Elon Musk’s wacky behavior.
All without advertising!
Tesla’s Advertising Strategy
So, does Tesla really have an advertising strategy?
The above perhaps does not do it justice, but Tesla in essence allows their products and mission do the selling for them. Along with their CEO on Twitter.
There is no specific strategy, but Elon Musk knows that you don’t need to convince people to buy something when they see how great it really is.
Tesla Advertising Campaigns
Although Tesla does not have any specific advertising campaigns, because they do not formally advertise, there are a few places Tesla is slowly adding to their advertising mix.
Youtube
Tesla has a decent Youtube presence for a car company, with over 2 million subscribers and a range of videos for people to check out.
From videos of their engineering and product presentations, to feature overviews and technology showcases. They have perhaps not done enough in the past, but are slowly showing people what they are really capable of with things like:
- World class safety
- Their use of HEPA filters for vehicle air quality
- Revolutionary quiet glass
As well as a range of other videos.
Presentations
Tesla has also set a trend with their presentation days with examples like:
- Autonomy Day
- Battery Day
- AI Day
Their goal with these presentations is two-fold. On one hand, they want to show what they are planning and how far ahead they are thinking. Offering investors and the public a rare insight into how the company works and thinks.
On the other hand, these events are also there to grab the attention of potential employees. Because Tesla works in such cutting edge fields as AI, Battery development and Robotics, it is sometimes almost impossible to get enough “great” engineers.
Musk himself has stated that Tesla is not held back by money, but by lack of staff. So, inspiring the next generation (or even current) of engineers to work on their futuristic projects is a must!
Perhaps that is why they are often in the top 10 places to work for upcoming graduates.
