BTRTN: Musk, Trump, and Putin... What Happens When an Individual Destroys a Brand
Born To Run The Numbers observes that 'it’s one thing to self-destruct and leave your own personal reputation in tatters. But what happens when your personal flame-out destroys the reputation of a company (or two!), a political party, or an entire nation?' Read BTRTN's observations about the reputational free-fall of Musk, Trump, and Putin... and what that means for the brands they are associated with:
http://www.borntorunthenumbers.com/2022/12/btrtn-musk-trump-and-putin-what-happens.html
Excerpts: "One is among the richest men in the world. One was once the most powerful man in the world. And if the third manages to trigger nuclear Armageddon, survivors will say he was the man who destroyed the world. Just a short time ago, each stood unchallenged, imposing their will, and appearing impregnable in their domain. Now, in this roller coaster year of 2022, each finds himself in epic free fall, a victim of his own miscalculation, overreach, and blind ambition...As each one sinks, they are wreaking carnage on the brands they are most strongly associated with, and those stains could be devastating and linger for decades."
"...But that’s what happens when the all-new 'Elon Musk' brand – which, post-Twitter, wreaks of political extremism, right-wing politics, and incompetent arrogance – is linked with the 'Tesla' brand. Suddenly it won’t be so cool to own a Tesla. Suddenly, everyone in the market for an electric vehicle begins to check out what the mainstream brands are doing. Maybe a Nissan Leaf is a nicer fit for the drive to the pilates studio – it runs on electricity and does not wreak the musky odor of right-wing extremism. Good for you if you made money on Twitter. But it might be a good time to reassess your holdings in Tesla..."