Example critical analysis of Tesla PDF

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Critical analysis of marketing communications utilised by Tesla...

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Despite Tesla’s increasing brand recognition across the Electric Vehicle market, the company does not employ conventional marketing tools like television or print media. A large section of its highly successful marketing strategy can be attributed to its ability to leverage technology and social media (Fulgoni & Lipsman, 2014, 16). The company has adopted a customer-centered integrated marketing communication (IMC) strategy, which ensures that can deliver the most relevant messages to its audience using social networking sites and the internet, which are their most-preferred media. Targeted communication has been underlined by Kotler and Keller's (2006, 90) as an effective marketing strategy that helps companies develop enduring and profitable relationships with its customers. Elon Musk, the company’s CEO, also engages and responds to customer claims directly, which enables it to develop and sustain its brand identity and brand equity of its Models S electric vehicle. Tesla has also managed to eliminate the use of car dealers and uses its website for directmarketing. The website acts as an interactive media platform, where potential customers can engage with the web platform and retrieve all the relevant information a prospective buyer would require. This simplifies the process of purchasing a vehicle, in addition to improving its customer relationship management. Through combining the use of social media and its web platform, Tesla is thus able to coordinate its various personal selling and direct marketing efforts to promote consistency and ensure clarity, which are the major goals of IMC (Gundlach & Wilkie, 2010, 90). The utilization of such media and communication tools thus ensures the development of a cohesive marketing system that further contributes to Tesla’s overall business strategy. Its media selection plan is thus focused on adopting a fair and balanced mix of available online tools that can improve their consumer’s experiences. Conclusion & Recommendations Tesla Motors mission in the UK has been to offer an eco-friendly, affordable and luxurious car for the upper-middle class segment. Adopting a differentiated selling strategy for the sedan has enabled the automotive company to leverage technological platforms to target its audience better, and thus eliminating the use of expensive traditional media channels. Its Model S sedan electric car has managed to compete effectively in the market with other leading brands in the European market like Nissan and Toyota. Through providing the market with a superior and unique product, Tesla has also managed to develop an efficient and integrated marketing communications mix strategy. Consequently, the Model S has maintained a strong competitive edge by successfully positioning itself as the best alternative electric sedan in the luxury segment. Its marketing strategy has also managed to create an efficient communication stream with its customers focused on building strong relationships and sustaining its brand identity. Notwithstanding Tesla Motor’s current lead in the industry, its current IMC strategy can be improved further to cement and improve its competitive advantage shortly. One of the ways through which Tesla can improve its current marketing strategy is through extending its current integrated marketing communication tools. Though the company has managed to successfully position the Model S brand within the US market, it is vital to consider massmedia channels in the UK. To fully capture the upper-class consumer segment, it would be vital for Tesla to expand its marketing strategy to include mainstream mass media. This would enable the company to promote awareness, encourage public dialogue and dispel any misinformation relating to the use of electric vehicles. As traditional luxury automotive companies like Mercedes and BMW begin to introduce their EV versions, expanding to mass media would further solidify its brand position. Additionally, Tesla can also expand its current brand exposure and recognition across the UK through forming a strategic partnership with other business franchises spread across the country. Currently, there are only 218 Tesla superchargers spread across the UK despite increasing demand for the brand (Park et al., 2014, 15). Given that the luxury market share is quite a niche, however, it forms only a small segment of the entire electric vehicle market in the region. Henceforth, increasing its supercharger in major towns within the country would be anticipated to enhance its exposure and speed up the transition to sustainable and competitively priced electric car. Increased government regulations from the UK

government to reduce the level of CO2 emissions in the automotive sector have led to an increasing demand to produce more energy efficient cars. Therefore, exclusive partnerships with other geographically spread business franchise will provide a competitive advantage through improving its exposure and promoting customer satisfaction....