Electric Vehicle Pioneer Tesla Scores Landmark Celebrity Endorsement In Asia

Electric vehicle maker Tesla, which stays clear from celebrity endorsements, has made a concerted move to ramp up its brand presence in Asia with Olympic silver medallist Kim Ye-ji. 

Apart from securing a movie role, the 32-year-old South Korean pistol shooter, who became a viral sensation for her impressive performances and swag at the Summer Olympics in Paris earlier this year, has been appointed as Tesla’s first-ever brand ambassador.  

By partnering with Kim, the major electric vehicle (EV) player aims to tap into her popularity and influence to the front sustainability and innovation across Asia, as it seeks to engage with a younger, environmentally conscious audience across the region.

The partnership with Kim Ye-ji is obviously a seismic shift for Tesla as it has a reputation for not banking on the power of celebrity endorsement to electrify its brand image and drive sales. 

According to ASN data, Tesla has invested a mere US$200k, giving the EV pioneer a 0.3% share for a category which has contributed a total sum of US$62.6m in the Asian sponsorship market since Q122. The EV brand’s last-known partnership was with the Tour of Taihu Lake, a major Chinese cycling race worth US$200k in September 2023.