When I got a text from Tesla, I was sitting in a Rivian R1S, in the parking lot of the new Rivian Space during a grand opening event, in the city of Austin, which Tesla calls “home.”
“Tesla: You still have time to apply for our promotional financing rate on upgraded Model 3 Rear-Wheel-Drive…”
the text started.
As a Tesla owner, I somewhat humorously wondered if an alarm goes off when a Tesla parks near a Rivian location and some lone marketing intern (or Optimus robot) sends out a panicked promotional text for retention?
This collision of two EV makers vying for my attention was pretty weird and got me thinking. The juxtaposition between Tesla’s overall brand, messaging, and value proposition could not be further away from Rivian’s. Both were now significantly investing in Austin, Texas – Tesla is headquartered and has a factory here making the Model Y and Cybertruck. The only thing in common I could think of was the environmental value proposition.
Everything about Rivian felt right at home with the vibe here in the ATX. Adventure. Nature. Use of Materials. Thoughtful design. Safety. Character. Community involvement. A CEO you could just as easily believe owns a chain of coffee shops. It’s a brand with a plan.
Whereas, I was left wondering what Tesla even stands for now?
I was a day one Model 3 reservation holder in April of 2016. Waiting in line overnight to reserve a car no one had seen, but with the promise of the first affordable EV with real-world range. The Tesla mission was pretty clear: Help save the world by moving the world to electric vehicles by a CEO presenting bold, innovative plans and basically being the only ones doing it. Disrupt the auto industry with something much better.
And they did.
But what about now? In 2024? What’s the new “Master Plan” with previous ones yet unfinished? Since the point of this isn’t to start beef with the cult of Elon, for a second, let’s just imagine Tesla today without the drama of having a CEO so closely identified with the company’s brand. Pop it out.
What’s Ma and Pa consumer make of Tesla from their perspective?
Largest maker of EVs - even through China’s BYD is actually larger.
Some can self-drive (Good or bad depending on the demographic.)
Safe cars - although others have excellent safety ratings.
What’s the emotional hook here? Why do I care about being a Tesla owner? What does being a Tesla owner mean to me if Tesla itself is focused on A.I.? What’s it say about me? Today.
Here’s what I think tomorrow sees:
Other auto makers catching up to Tesla features faster than Tesla can now innovate. Tesla’s struggled with a polarizing response to the Cybertruck and quality issues, as well as a history of not being able to deliver on time. The new roadster announced in 2017 is still unlikely to ship any time soon.
More options: The Hyundai Ioniq Series, Rivian, VW ID Series - which includes a re-imaging of the classic microbus, Ford Mustang Mach-E – just to name a few.
The Tesla charger network opened up to more manufacturers and standardization on charging hardware and tech - making it faster and easier to charge more places across the market.
Old auto getting more skin in the game. Once they fully turn the the corner with their big machinery toward EVs, they will be able to use their know-how to scale and market exponentially fast – mostly.
Side rant: The Ford Mustang Mach-E should NOT be called a Mustang IMHO. A Mustang is an American muscle car, not what Ford themselves even categorize as a SUV. It is a banger of a car though.The Volkswagen Group (Audi, Bentley, Lamborghini, Porsche, Ducati, and more) is bringing back the Scout brand - considered by some to be the original SUV all others are based on. They aim to create a line of all-electric vehicles, made in the U.S.
Note: It’ll be curious if this also tests traditional car manufacturers need for the outdated auto dealer model and enter direct sales like Tesla and Rivian do. EVs need far less service and should last far longer than gas cars - changing the power dynamics of the market.
All these non-Tesla brands brands have a story to tell around innovation, lifestyle, utility, and some: Massive name recognition. All with Marketing and Communications plans with a clear message, story, and sales strategy.
I think Tesla just has a strong story about utility. The clout of first-mover and the technology lead - at least the perception of it, is contracting. Everything else just screams distraction or detrimental.
It’s not a matter of someone coming for Tesla’s throne, it’s the simple matter that there’s quickly becoming more kingdoms for people to choose from.
What’s Your Brand?
In the search for my next professional adventure, I’ve researched a fair number of companies. Some have a very clear story that guides everything, some clearly just have some SEO word-salad to check the box about a “mission” and “philosophy”, some clearly don’t practice what they preach, and some — I just don’t have a clue what they stand for.
So thinking about your company, business, or just your online persona: What’s yours? How does it compare to others in your space? Is it evolving? Does it need to?
I’ve been giving that some thought myself. I spent almost a decade being the tech guy working on the crazy soccer project. I have a clear picture of my next passion project, but professionally, I’m definitely in a transition state weighing what the overall brand of “Josh” is today, what brands reflect that, and what it should look like tomorrow.
I’ll try to make it an interesting and compelling story. You should too.
Thanks for reading!
Recently
Purchase: Well, a store really “Daiso.” It’s a Japanese-based discount store selling all manner of random things ranging from housewares, to stuffed animals, to snacks and drinks.
Screens: “Hit Man” (Netflix) – A fun tale about about a fake hit man. Glen Powell and Adria Arjona are fantastic.
Music: “Dummy” by Portugal, the Man. The ear worm is strong with this one.