Student Paper of Higher School of Economics, Russia - Positioning statement - Competitive Analysis in International Marketing: Tesla competitors in Russia, Brand Map. - Understanding the consumer: market segmentation; Consumer Value Equation, Buyer Persona. - PEST-analysis - SWOT-analysis - Porter five forces analysis - Targeting

1. REDSTAR Project
Next step in Tesla’s marketing strategy
Red Star Project
TESLA’S MODEL 3 LAUNCH IN RUSSIA

2. Electric cars – a new category within the cars market
Electric cars are not motorised by a fuelled
motor engine but by energy stored in
batteries.
Electric cars should be differentiated
from EV (electric vehicles), a category which
includes plug-in hybrids.
Electric cars competition on the cars market
include traditional car brands (Mercedes,
BMW, Nissan…) as well as new ones
(Tesla…). According to the tech news and
R&D it could include top tech actors in the
future (Google, Apple…)

3. Russian new cars market – Compared evolution and growth

4. Tesla Motors – A car company which is not a car company
Tesla Motors was launched in 2003, by 5 co-
founders. The most known is Elon Musk,
current CEO of the company.
Tesla Motors started the production of its first
vehicle in 2008: the Tesla Roadster. It already
produced 4 different models of cars – 2
roadsters and the Model X (Dark Star) and
Model S (White Star).
Between 2017 and 2020 it will start the
commercialisation of its fifth car, the Model 3,
or Red Star.

5. From 0to 100km/h in 3 seconds
0charge Moscow / Saint-Petersburg
0emissions
COMPROMISE
0charging expenses
0noise
0smell
0Parking fees in Moscow

6. ASPIRATIONS
POPULARIZE electric cars in Russia
PERSUADE consumers that electric cars are
“cool”
WIN the dominant market share on electric car
market in Russia
GET 30% of BMW consumers and 10% of
Mercedes consumers
SELL 3000 cars in 3 years after launch
DEVELOP power stations or points for
charging
BUILD an association in consumers’ minds:
Electric cars ?

7. Tesla strategic position for Red Star - PEST
POLITICAL
One of the major political factors affecting the
industry is environmental protection laws (including
Russian laws) that is highly appreciated production
of more environmental cars.
ECONOMIC
Economic factors include economic growth in the
alternative energy industry and increasing prices of
fuel for customers. (In Russia price of petrol since
2008 increase from 22 Rub/L to 37 Rub/in 2015).
Therefore, the demand for electric cars is higher than
before.
SOCIAL
People are tend to protect the environment. Tesla is
environmentally-friendly car ;)
TECHNOLOGICAL
Technology advancement, rapid globalization and
Internet impact have a huge effect on the
automotive industry. Tesla car create technologies.

8. •Many substitutes among gasoline cars (!)
•Very few substitutes among electric cars
•Switching is possible and affordable
•No non-car substitutes
Strong
•Mostly private individuals
•Little ability to negotiate
prices
•No dealers of electric cars
Neutral
•High costs of switching to a
different supplier
•Demand for components
manufacturers
•Growing demand for
domestic suppliers
•Limited amount of reliable
suppliers
Strong power
•Much capital required
•Governmental utilization fee for
imported cars
•Strong brand image of existing
market player
•Hard to reach economies of scale
Very strong barriers
5 FORCES
Threat
of New
Entry
Buyer
Power
Supplier
Power
Threat of
Substitution
Competitive
Rivalry
++
- 0
+
Competitive Rivalry
• Very strong gasoline cars competitors
• Extremely strong competitive brands
• Perfect brand reputation of competitors
• Few e-cars available on market
• Developed and mature market
Very strong
--

9. A SWOT analysis – Tesla on the Russian cars market

10. Tesla competitors in Russia – (Classic) car market
The Russian car market is close to 99% of oil
fueled cars. This situation makes Tesla a competitor
for the brands and models competing here, looking
for the same customers.
Taking market shares to those competitors is the
main goal of Tesla, since the absence of a strong
and competitive innovative cars market make the
company competing with traditional oil fueled
car.

11. Brand map
Innovative
Technically
regular
Conservative Modern

12. Tesla competitors in Russia – (Innovative) cars market
The Russian car market is evolving. If electric and
hybrid cars are still looking for opportunities to
invest furthermore the Russian cars market, Tesla
will have to take the lead in innovation and
future technologies to take the niche.
In 2014 there were only 300 electric vehicles
registered in Russia and 2000 hybrid cars.
The part of electric cars in the total car market in
Russia should constantly grew up for the years to
come.

13. Brand map
426 km
120 km
150 km/h 260 km/h

14. Tesla Motors – Market strategy
LaunchPrice
75,000 $
(2012)
< 30.000 GCS
60,000 $
(2012)
90.000 GCS
30,000 $
(2017-2020)
98,000 $
(2008)
> 10.000 GCS
Market Size
Roadster
Dark Star
White Star
Red Star

15. Segmentation
Gadget Guru
“It’s a great day to be me.”
• Successful, wired, free spirited,
confident, and at ease
• Feels this is his best decade
• Greatest device ownership, pushes
• Сontributes to content
• Male dominated, above-average
• Income, single

16. Profiling
Sociodemographic:
• Age: of 25 – 45
• Income: Average income over $35K/year
• Education: Higher
• Social class: middle class
Psychographic:
• Lifestyle: stands for innovation, career oriented
• Intrinsic motivation of purchase: being out of the box
• Values: technology-savvy, self- realization
• Type of psychographic model (by VALS): Achievers

17. “Buying Mercedes or Lexus means to be like thousands of
other users. Tesla Red car has mega cool functional of a
sport cars. Acceleration of 3 sec to 100kmh, no typical
engine noise is awesome!”
Valery, 29
Client Testimonials
“I appreciate things that make me feel special. My Tesla
story is not about climbing the hill with the crowd, but
about creating my own mountain. It’s trendsetting, yet
being yourself. It’s a freedom to be yourself – freedom from
clichés, gas stations, paid parking.”
Diana, 35
Buyer Persona

18. Targeting
• Presentation
• Direct advertising
• SMM
• Blogs and Vlogs
• Showrooms

19. Positioning statement
TESLA is the only STYLISH CAR
that can go FROM 0 TO 100 in 3 SECONDS
without A DROP OF OIL

20. Positioning statement
For DRIVERS WHO ARE KEEN ON INNOVATION,
TECHNOLOGIES, COMFORT and WANT TO BE AHEAD
OF THE CROUD; TESLA is the only PREMIUM CAR that
goes FROM 0 TO 100 in 3 SECONDS and can reach 260
KM/H WITHOUT ANY PETROL.
Unlike Mercedes, BMW and Audi, Tesla SYMBOLIZES A
NEW ERA and is PERCIEVED AS AN OUT OF THE BOX