Tesla’s last DriveFree campaign demonstrates a very interesting use of marketing techniques including social media. Promotion has become a difficult task in our time-poor society, which is constantly under attack of perhaps millions of advertising messages today. It requires marketers to ensure that each message that they develop for their target markets grabs attention and conveys the value of the product. However, it is necessary to define who your target market actually is.

The New York Post article mentions that Tesla wants its cars to be within the reach of upper-middle class. There are many different ways to define a company’s target market, and I think one of the best ways to segment Tesla’s market is using psychographics.

Since these people can afford a car that runs on gas, why would they buy Tesla? Because it satisfies more of their needs and wants, and it does so better than other car producers. I assume these are also the people who have certain lifestyle, beliefs and values. Not only should they be able to buy this car, but also believe that it reflects who they are or who they want to be.

Now, who exactly those people are? Assuming that Tesla established itself a luxury brand, its target market wants to buy things that are not necessarily practical, but promote their self-image. Their target customers probably follow a luxurious lifestyle and would want buy things that are the best in their product categories. High quality, high-tech cars such as Tesla’s Model S sedan would likely to appeal to them the same way innovative and technically superior Apple products appeal to its buyers.

This is the value that a luxurious electric car has for these consumers. One model will probably not be enough for them; Tesla wants to widen its product selection and target families. It will be very interesting to see how Tesla’s plans to expand its market share turn out.

https://blogs.ubc.ca/yahel/

“Tesla Cars to Allow Owners to See US on $0 gas.” New York Post. MarketWatch, 2 Feb. 2014. Web. 02 Feb. 2014. <http://nypost.com/2014/02/02/tesla-cars-to-allow-owners-to-see-us-on-0-gas/>.