Tesla Makes First Foray Into Advertising By Spotlighting ‘Real’ Experiences
By Alexa Heah, 22 May 2023

In a 180-degree switch up from its long-held stance, Tesla recently announced plans to dip its toe into the waters of advertising. At an annual meeting, CEO Elon Musk revealed that the automaker would “see how it goes.”
According to CNBC, Tesla will use traditional media to highlight its vehicles’ affordability, safety, and high-tech features, and while there isn’t a “fully formed strategy” at the moment, the spots will be “informative” and “aesthetically pleasing.”
Now, what could possibly be the brand’s first-ever commercial has surfaced, with a video published on Twitter by its Tesla Asia account. In the advertisement, a customer from Singapore recounts her personal, “real-life” experience with the car.
The user testimonial comes as a juxtaposition to Tesla’s previous marketing efforts, such as a referral system that offered drag race experiences. Despite this, it seems to have been well received, in particular about the car’s safety features.
Drive to believe——why she chose Tesla? â¤ï¸ pic.twitter.com/LXtGl15QUy
— Tesla Asia (@Tesla_Asia) May 19, 2023
“This video is very powerful. This is what Tesla’s ad experiments should be: just user testimonials. Just have the people who love these products explain why in their own words,” commented Whole Mars Catalog on Twitter.
Naturally, with the commercial targeting drivers in Asia, it’s likely that the spots made for the North American and European markets will differ in style and aesthetic.
Perhaps, Tesla advertisements could soon start popping up in newspapers, magazines, billboards, social media, and television screens all over the globe.
[via Marketing Beat and Teslarati, cover image via Tesla Asia]