Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla (TSLA) – Get the Tesla Inc report is used to make big splashy announcements. He likes to create buzz and knows how to divert attention when one of his companies is faced with a communication and image crisis.
He did it brilliantly recently when an article from the Washington Post recently detailed the relationship between the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and Tesla regarding the investigation of the first fatal accident involving Autopilot, Tesla’s driver assistance system, in 2016.
But one of his most spectacular shots was to torpedo communication from the California Department of Fair Employment and Housing. In February, the agency was preparing to file a complaint against Tesla for the treatment of its black employees, but Tesla took the agency by surprise by publishing a blog post long before the agency filed its discrimination complaint. and harassment.
In his Publish, Tesla questioned the credibility of the agency. The merit of this strategy was to dictate the coverage of this event and to have control over it. Instead of being on the defensive, Tesla and Musk were on the attack.
While Tesla has just extended the closure of its Shanghai factory, the group’s largest production site based in Austin, to comply with local containment intended to limit the resurgence of Covid-19, Musk has just made a huge promise.
The Billionaire is of to mark the official opening of the Tesla factory in Austin on April 7. This site is a $1.1 billion, 4.3 million square foot facility. It will be dedicated to the manufacture and assembly of Model Y SUVs, and will also house a battery development plant, the heart of the electric car.
“The biggest party in the world”
Musk intends to make it big. A giant party bringing together some 15,000 people who have received an invitation is planned on the site. Called ‘Cyber Rodeo’, the party, which is inspired by what Tesla did in Berlin, Germany last year, is a marketing operation for Tesla which does not spend a penny on advertising campaigns.
It looks like the stakes are even higher, according to a tweet from the businessman.
“@elonmusk is worth at least two tickets for the opening of the giga?” the cybersecurity firm Praetorian Laboratories Musk asked on Twitter on April 2. “We’re in Austin too. We’re working to make the world safer and more secure.”
Without saying if he was going to send them tickets, Musk instead raised expectations around the party, which is met with opposition from some neighbors who fear the noise.
“This could be gearing up to literally be the biggest party on Earth,” Musk replied.
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Create myths
Musk didn’t provide any details on what would make the party the biggest party in the world, but unsurprisingly his promise intensified the desire of many of his fans and Tesla buyers to want to attend the event.
The tech mogul has more than 80 million followers on Twitter alone, at last check.
“I did and I just drove 6,000 miles to be here, hope to get an invite, it will be really disappointing to say outside while y’all are having fun inside,” one commented. user.
“@elonmusk is there a way to get a ticket?” said another user.
“We’re coming Elon. Ticket or not, it’s going to be a party. 🚀,” said another.
The April 7 event is billed as a one-day event, between 4 p.m. and 11:29 p.m. local time, according to Travis County, which includes Austin.
It will include interactive tours accompanied by food and various live entertainment to celebrate the newly built and operational Giga Factory.
‘Gigafest’ or ‘Cyber Rodeo’ participates in the creation of a myth around the Tesla brand.
One of Musk’s great skills is making it seem like when you’re driving a Tesla, you’re having a unique experience. Tesla’s market capitalization is proof that this strategy and narrative is working very well. Musk and Tesla are great storytellers.
The electric vehicle maker established in 2003 has a valuation of $1.12 trillion at the time of writing. No other automotive company comes close to that number.
Meanwhile, Musk’s net worth stands at $273 billion as of April 2. according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. The tycoon is the only person above the $200 billion threshold. Amazon Founder Jeff Bezos (AMZN) – Get the report from Amazon.com, Inc., is $188 billion. Most of Musk’s fortune is based on his stake in Tesla. Musk held a 21.2% passive stake in Tesla
