My father and I went out to lunch the other day. It was just a nice father -daughter outing, complete with burgers, beer and conversation. It wasn't the lunch that would merit my blog entry (my father and I have had so many lunch outings that they all stick in my head for eternity) but in the parking lot we were in the presence of fame. Electric Car fame to be exact.
Out there in the Flanningan's parking lot in the city of Weston, next to every other car parked there, was an orange Tesla Roadster. My father and I gravitated to it like water in a desert. It was my first time seeing one in person, I had stalked it online (of course), daydreamed about owning one consistently, and put it on my list of things to own before I die, but I had never actually seen one. (AND, it was orange!!!!!!! Not quite as pretty as pink, and not as stellar as yellow, but still a great choice of color, for sure.)
Then I realized, I hadn't seen a advertisement for the Tesla Roadster anywhere. Not in magazines, on the Web site, or even my in my second year of college when I was role-playing AE for a creative team and I was researching the company for them to create the campaign. They have no advertising. They simply get around on word of mouth and
"early customer recommendations" which, for them is perfect. However, they have appeared in other ads not specifically for them, i.e. a Blackberry add and the 2008 "Iron Man" film.
Tesla has showrooms in California (where the company is based), Colorado, Seattle, New York, London and Munich. It is the only company to produce "highway- capable" electric cars and the "Tesla Roadster is twice as energy efficient as a Prius and faster than a Porsche 911." it goes an average of 244 miles per charge and it is completely and entirely electric.
While checking my mail the other day, I happened upon an e-mail from the Creative Circus boasting their students' portfolios. In it were three print ads for the Tesla Roadster, and two out of the three were very poorly done, I might add. The tag lines were corny and I thought the presentation lessened the value of the product. This car was not made to be mass marketed, but to be a premium car only sold to the rich and famous like David Letterman and Arnold Schwarzenegger.
I just hope one day Mr. Tesla thinks of the masses and the environment, not to mention the little people like myself and make another electric car, just as efficient, and mass market it. Not to be corny myself or anything, but a little more Tesla in the world could only make it a better place. :)
Till Next Time,
The New Ad Grad
