The message on the official Norwegian Instagram page of Kia has humorously referenced the bumper stickers from Tesla owners
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- Kia Norway published an EV3 photo with a sticker “I bought this before Elon who became mad”.
- The sticker echoes the feelings of the owners of Tesla expressing the opposition to the actions of Elon Musk.
- Kia extended her marketing strategy in Finland with a newspaper announcement subtly referencing Musk.
Elon Musk has long been one of the most polarizing figures in the automotive world, and his recent political tangles have only made this reputation. Feeling the opportunity to capitalize on the controversy, the Norwegian Kia division jukeled in the conversation – using the name of the CEO of Tesla to generate buzz and perhaps sell some additional EVs in the process.
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The Korean company has published a photo of the new Kia EV3 electric crossover on Instagram, with a sticker for bumper that reads: “I bought that after Elon went crazy.” At first glance, it looked like a cheeky joke of a Kia owner, but it was in fact downloaded by Kia Bil Norge like – the official Instagram page of Kia Norway.
A hit not so subtle on Tesla
This riffs marketing movement on bumper stickers “I bought this before Elon who became mad”, which has become popular among Tesla owners knowing the buyer’s remorse on the increasingly erratic behavior of Musk. Kia’s version returns the sentence, positioning its electric vehicles as an attractive option for those who have a second reflection on their Tesla fidelity.
As would be expected, Kia’s announcement did not well know some fans of Tesla, in particular the holders of Tesla actions, who were quick to express their indignation on X (formerly Twitter). Among them, the vocal investor Tesla Sawyer Merritt, who called Kia Norway for what he considered a “bad look” for the brand. The criticisms argued that the position was likely to alienate potential customers, while some even suggested that Kia electric vehicles inadvertently implied were worth buying only as a protest against musk, rather than on their own merits.
Bad look @Kia To have your official Instagram account in Norway publishing things like this. pic.twitter.com/agpbvstyxj
– Sawyer Merritt (@Sawyermerritt) March 9, 2025
The Instagram post, originally shared at the end of February, was quietly deleted on March 10, probably in response to the reaction.
Kia double in Finland
Norway was not the only place where Kia took shots on Musk. On March 7, the biggest newspaper in Finland, Helsingin Sanomathas broadcast a full page coverage ad for the Kia EV4 sedan with the title “Soi Näitä Elon Päiviä.” This Finnish sentence, a game on “Soi näitä ilon päiviä” (“Oh, these days of joy”)He exchanged “Joy” for “Elon”, creating a not so subtle blow to the recent buffoonery of the billionaire.
Of course, Kia’s cheeky marketing is not the only criticism that musk was confronted. The demonstrations against him have broken out in several countries, similar campaigns winning field in recent months.
Tesla reputation problem
Musk’s controversies extend beyond his now infamous salvation and his public alignment with far-right politics. Its role in the government’s effectiveness department (DOGE), a Trump administration initiative aimed at reducing federal spending, which has led to generalized layoffs, feeding public counterpouss.
Find out more: the advertising campaign “ Not Buying a Swastcar ” Target Musk in London
The impact on Tesla’s results was undeniable. Tesla European sales fell 45% in January 2025 compared to the same period last year, a striking contrast with the overall growth of the electric vehicle market in the region. Meanwhile, Tesla’s equity price followed a similar decline trajectory, going from a peak of $ 479.86 on December 17, 2024, to $ 248.33 in March 10, 2025, almost at the same level as the US elections in November 2024.
