During yesterday’s Tesla earnings call, an analyst raised a valid concern about the potential impact of Elon Musk’s political influence on the company’s brand favorability. Polls from Morning Consult and YouGov have shown a decline in favorability and a division along partisan lines. However, instead of addressing the issue directly, Musk boasted about the size of his Twitter following, suggesting that it serves as a measure of his popularity.
Question: Since Elon started political influencing, polls from Morning Consult & YouGov show Tesla brand favorability declining in 2022 and division along partisan lines. Such brand damage can impact demand. Does Tesla track favorability and how will any brand damage be mitigated?
Musk’s answer: Well, let me check my Twitter account. So I got 127 million followers and it continues to grow rapidly. That suggests that I’m reasonably popular. Now I might not be popular with some people, but for the vast majority of people, my follower count speaks for itself.
This behavior raises questions about the maturity and leadership of the once-respected CEO. Is he deflecting from a real concern that could impact future sales, or is he simply unable to take responsibility for his actions?
Furthermore, the use of social media metrics as a measure of success and popularity is a problematic and narrow view. It is important to consider the impact of Musk’s actions on the company’s bottom line, as well as on the broader public.
As the CEO of one of the most innovative and forward-thinking companies in the world, it is crucial that Musk takes a more responsible and mature approach to addressing potential threats to the company’s success. The future of Tesla and its shareholders depends on it.
