Can the Tesla brand be saved?

Branded is a weekly column devoted to the intersection of marketing, business, design, and culture. Elon Musk’s biggest headache is no secret: It’s Elon Musk. Long a controversial figure, Musk lately seems to have made polarization his central project, from his close alignment with Donald Trump and government wrecking-ball efforts to his wild posts on X and personal life. He’s increasingly unpopular. And it’s all done undeniable damage to his flagship consumer-facing enterprise,...