First Kia, then Polestar, and now BMW joins the ranks of car brands that can't help but take a swipe at Tesla. Can you see how?
German carmaker BMW is mocking Tesla in a new advertising campaign. The campaign is being used to market BMW's i4 model – this time specifically to win over Tesla customers.
It is BMW in Canada that has used a specific slogan in ads on social media such as Instagram as well as on the company's own website.
Here, the BMW i4, a car model that recently received an award as the Electric Car of the Year in Canada, is promoted with the words: "Tested, not protested."
The slogan clearly refers to the adversity that Tesla has experienced recently. With the message, BMW signals that the Germans' electric cars undergo thorough testing and are not subject to the type of protests that have hit Tesla.
Market manipulation, where car manufacturers refer to each other, is not an unknown phenomenon in the industry. In fact, BMW has been engaged in more or less good-natured banter with both Mercedes and Audi for many years, and now it's Tesla's turn.
Competitors do it too
Tesla has also been the subject of media coverage several times for everything other than cars from factories around the world.
There have been stories about labor conditions, legal intricacies, attention surrounding the company's CEO Elon Musk, and most recently, the falling stock price.
There have also been reports of vandalism against Tesla dealers, charging stations and owners. BMW's move comes only shortly after other car brands have gone to great lengths to get customers into the store.
Kia in Norway shared a picture of a Kia EV3 with the sticker "I bought this before Elon went crazy." However, the South Korean car brand had to withdraw the advertisement again. Read more about it here.
Polestar has also been out with the rake. In the US, the brand will even give Tesla owners huge discounts. Read more about it here .
