Slate's Entire Marketing Campaign is Completely Wrong

[SlatePossible2028]

I've been looking at more and more at slate's marketing and commercials, and im convinced they've got it completely wrong. Let me explain my logic here.

What is a Slate truck? What is the Premise of it?

A Slate truck is a basic, affordable, RWD, compact modular pickup. It has the ability to also change into an SUV.

All of those things, besides the SUV, scream "utilitarian, affordable work vehicle".

So, naturally, you'd think slate would be marketing to fleets, construction, and trying to take a small share of the SXS market, right?

But no. They aren't. Instead, slate seems completely bent on selling themselves to people who you'd be the last to think would buy a "utilitarian American made pickup".

Recent ads for example. They did one showing what kind of....handbags....you can fit in the Slate. And they also did another showing them filling the frunk with millenial nostalgia bait junk. The only slate ad showing any real work/load is the one with the lawn equipment, and all of that lawn equipment would fit in most regular vehicles today, so that wasnt particularly impressive.

Now, I understand that the slate is not a full size 1500, but it would make more sense to show it off in a work environment.

But then, you get to the real world events. And, where is slate going? You'd think things like conventions regarding industries, state fairs, car shows, right?

Nope. Coffee shops. Farmers markets. Things like that. Always showing off a basic, utilitarian truck, surrounded by people who likely drove there in $80k crossovers.

And finally, they keep trying to show off the "fun" slates. Cool and good, im glad there are fun builds. But, again, they showed these off at.....coffee shops and farmers markets, in urban areas.

Here's a thought. Slate is a midwestern automotive company. Maybe, just maybe, instead of marketing a rwd beach truck to a coffee shop, maybe send a lowered slate truck, to, idk, maybe GRIDLIFE? You know, that huge racing and car festival that has 2 major events in rhe midwest in the summer that have 10s of thousands of people? Have a booth setup, let the thousands of, you know, YOUNG PEOPLE THERE WHO ARE INTO CARS, AND WHO ARE SEARCHING FOR AFFORDABLE CARS, SEE YOUR FUN LOWERED TRUCK. And maybe, just maybe, send one around the track?

But, no, Slate is too busy showing a beach themed (but no 4x4) slate to a bunch of people at an uppity coffee shop in urban Detroit.

It just all seems backwards to me. You've got a truck thats specifically built as a barebones compact work vehicle with fun options, and almost all the marketing seems aimed at millenials with manbuns who shop at trader Joe's and are DEFINITELY NOT the crowd that goes "wow, I really wanna buy an American made pickup truck built by hardworking midwesterners!". Its like Slate is banking on the quirky factor or something. It drives me nuts.

Does anyone else share a similar concern?

 

[Letas]

Slate has two unique selling points. American made. Low price.

It’s not winning on comfort, or range, or accessibility, or utility. That’s okay- it’s not trying to.

But one of those selling points is still up in the air, we don’t know the price.

I think Slate is trying to get their name out as wide as possible, not to say “we do this better than anyone else”, but “look at our simple (affordable) car that can do what you already do with your car.

It’s tough to market a product that doesn’t have a ton of unique selling points.

 

[jonnycando]

By the time I'm able to get one I'll be retired, I want the AWD version with an suv kit....and extended range battery and if it is even tow capable I will try to tow with it. But in the end what do retired people do, drive around the country, maybe, go for coffee every morning. I think the slate people know how it will be used by most. Some of us will use its truck abilities but in reality not many. But then they might be pitching commercial buyers in commercially focused sites....

 

[AZFox]

Hmmm... Needs to be something that will fit into the attention span of a firefly.

How about this, titled "You Can Fit a Big Block in a Slate Truck"

Show some dudes at the speed shop using a forklift to put a shiny V8 into the bed of a Slate Truck and strapping it down.

Let this back seat guy stay home for this one.

 

[Crazygutgut]

Marketing doesn’t always get it right, but a good car is a good car no matter how you market it. When Scion marketed the XB in America their commercials were full of young people out all night and partying at raves, however the demographic that predominantly bought that car new was boomers, because it was practical and efficient. If I recall the Kia Soul was similarly advertised to young people and was popular with older people.

I am a gen x car guy, I am very attracted to its practicality and it’s the first EV I’ve ever been interested in. Marketing doesn’t always work on me but clearly the things I like about it got through to me, I think it’s getting through to others. Now I’m just waiting to see one in person /drive it to see if it’s what I expect. ( I hope it is!)

 

[Luxrage]

I have been at odds with how the Slate has been marketed from the start, the instagram influencer videos, the short vertical video clips, it's all going for a market that probably would be more comfortable in a Honda Prologue or Subaru Crosstrek.

The Rich Rebuilds video was the first time I've seen Slate target who I thought they should be targeting. EV and car enthusiasts who are used to seeing the complexities of the EV car space and what a breath of fresh air Slate is compared to them.

On the other hand, I don't know how much Slate needs to advertise to the conventional pickup and car enthusiast crowd. My friends (25-40) who are autocrossing, subaru engine swapping, k-series upgrading, "25 year old daily driving a ratty 64 Dodge Dart" Millennials reserved one without a second thought. Already knew this was right up their alley without needing convincing through fun videos.

It was funny though, I did see someone say they refunded their reservation because of the pickleball video specifically.

 

[EverythingSlate]

Hmmm... Needs to be something that will fit into the attention span of a firefly.

How about this, titled "You Can Fit a Big Block in a Slate Truck"

Show some dudes at the speed shop using a forklift to put a shiny V8 into the bed of a Slate Truck and strapping it down.

Let this back seat guy stay home for this one.

I might just take you up on this skit idea 😂😂😂😂

 

[EverythingSlate]

I've been looking at more and more at slate's marketing and commercials, and im convinced they've got it completely wrong. Let me explain my logic here.

What is a Slate truck? What is the Premise of it?

A Slate truck is a basic, affordable, RWD, compact modular pickup. It has the ability to also change into an SUV.

All of those things, besides the SUV, scream "utilitarian, affordable work vehicle".

So, naturally, you'd think slate would be marketing to fleets, construction, and trying to take a small share of the SXS market, right?

But no. They aren't. Instead, slate seems completely bent on selling themselves to people who you'd be the last to think would buy a "utilitarian American made pickup".

Recent ads for example. They did one showing what kind of....handbags....you can fit in the Slate. And they also did another showing them filling the frunk with millenial nostalgia bait junk. The only slate ad showing any real work/load is the one with the lawn equipment, and all of that lawn equipment would fit in most regular vehicles today, so that wasnt particularly impressive.

Now, I understand that the slate is not a full size 1500, but it would make more sense to show it off in a work environment.

But then, you get to the real world events. And, where is slate going? You'd think things like conventions regarding industries, state fairs, car shows, right?

Nope. Coffee shops. Farmers markets. Things like that. Always showing off a basic, utilitarian truck, surrounded by people who likely drove there in $80k crossovers.

And finally, they keep trying to show off the "fun" slates. Cool and good, im glad there are fun builds. But, again, they showed these off at.....coffee shops and farmers markets, in urban areas.

Here's a thought. Slate is a midwestern automotive company. Maybe, just maybe, instead of marketing a rwd beach truck to a coffee shop, maybe send a lowered slate truck, to, idk, maybe GRIDLIFE? You know, that huge racing and car festival that has 2 major events in rhe midwest in the summer that have 10s of thousands of people? Have a booth setup, let the thousands of, you know, YOUNG PEOPLE THERE WHO ARE INTO CARS, AND WHO ARE SEARCHING FOR AFFORDABLE CARS, SEE YOUR FUN LOWERED TRUCK. And maybe, just maybe, send one around the track?

But, no, Slate is too busy showing a beach themed (but no 4x4) slate to a bunch of people at an uppity coffee shop in urban Detroit.

It just all seems backwards to me. You've got a truck thats specifically built as a barebones compact work vehicle with fun options, and almost all the marketing seems aimed at millenials with manbuns who shop at trader Joe's and are DEFINITELY NOT the crowd that goes "wow, I really wanna buy an American made pickup truck built by hardworking midwesterners!". Its like Slate is banking on the quirky factor or something. It drives me nuts.

Does anyone else share a similar concern?

I hear you. I don’t feel as strongly as you but I don’t disagree with your summary. However, I would challenge you a bit. Apparently Slates marketing has been successful. 100k preorders in two weeks. I preordered my first ev vehicle on the first day of release. Someone at my work said have you seen the new slate? I said yep and they immediately told me they instantly thought of me as the perfect person this trucks designed for. So not only was their marketing effective enough to cause me to reserve on day 1, but so effective others knew I would buy one on day 1. I don’t go to fancy markets, I live on a farm with cows and the lot, hate the big city, take things apart in my garage and drive an hour to work because I love what I do. How they implanted the ear worm into me is debatable, its effectiveness on me is not.

 

[cadblu]

I totally see your point, but I don’t consider a few ‘low budget‘ videos
lasting about 15 seconds on social media networks as a serious marketing campaign. Let’s wait for a real TV commercial perhaps on Motor Trend TV if they really want to reach out in a big way to auto enthusiasts. But that costs serious money which is better spent on transitioning into production. Also we note that Tesla spends zero money on advertising and yet they are leading the EV industry in the US.

I have signed up for Slate news and updates on their website and have yet to receive a single email from them, other than the concept sketch in the mail.

Slate Auto is banking its success on the fact that:

• America loves pickup trucks
• America loves SUVs

If and when Slate begins delivery of high quality, highly reliable vehicles, word of mouth will be the strongest marketing strategy they can hope to achieve.

 

[SlatePossible2028]

Hmmm... Needs to be something that will fit into the attention span of a firefly.

How about this, titled "You Can Fit a Big Block in a Slate Truck"

Show some dudes at the speed shop using a forklift to put a shiny V8 into the bed of a Slate Truck and strapping it down.

Let this back seat guy stay home for this one.

Where did i say anything like that? Im saying the marketing is off versus the product

 

[AZFox]

Im saying the marketing is off versus the product

So am I.

 

[SlatePossible2028]

So am I.

Nah, ya had something to say about attention spans, which i didn't mention in the slightest (although id prefer a long, feature breakdown style commercial)

 

[Duke Slater]

Don’t get me started. Elon envisioned Cybertruck replacing conventional work trucks at the unveil in 2019, then all the YouTube videos since then seemed to be aimed at the gothic, cyberpunk types. No idea WTF was up with that.

 

[SlatePossible2028]

Don’t get me started. Elon envisioned Cybertruck replacing conventional work trucks at the unveil in 2019, then all the YouTube videos since then seemed to be aimed at the gothic, cyberpunk types. No idea WTF was up with that.

The Cybertruck in general just baffles me. They could have sold so many more units had it just been a normal truck of.....some sort? But instead Tesla made some wierd tech bro triangle.

 

[AZFox]

Nah, ya had something to say about attention spans, which i didn't mention in the slightest (although id prefer a long, feature breakdown style commercial)

Oh that.
I considered that part meeting them halfway.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯

The Elephant In The Room is that the marketing is Low-T.
It matches the Low-T Meep Meep Horn.

I'd prefer something more substantive and informative. I'm not shopping for a lifestyle because I already have one of those. I want what's in the third paragraph of your OP.