A few months ago I would never have thought that someone who very deftly managed very modern PR through a whole army of rabid fan influencers could screw things up so badly so quickly.<p>I suspect that when the ashes cool enough for the rubble to be probed, it will be found that almost nothing Elon did before the enormous Tesla share run-up scales.<p>Guerrilla marketing is great for a Tesla, a SpaceX, a Boring, etc. when they are small and fast moving. Even gaffes accrue to one's benefit by making one look authentic.<p>When 80% of your revenue is top-tier brands burnishing those brands to "the right people" you can't do that. You really can't let the people susceptible to scammy vitamins, pillows, and prepper supplies displace those "right people" or those are the only ads you have left.