Slate's Entire Marketing Campaign is Completely Wrong

[Duke Slater]

As long as they can successfully launch, the current marketing seems to have been good enough that they don't have to worry much about having too much inventory for some time. They had 100k people put down $50 each in the first month.
Just going as they are, they probably are going to have everything presold for months after launch. Businesses aren't going to want to commit money for a vehicle that might not arrive a year and a half in the future. Once they have shipped trucks, word of mouth will probably keep the supply sold for a while longer. That said, they probably will shift to showing it off in other places, at the latest in a year or so. The business targets likely aren't showing up at auto shows, or fairs, etc: those will still be consumer customers seeing it there.

Hope people are counting on $30K, not sub-$20K. It’s the unfortunate reality of cars these days.

 

[Letas]

Hope people are counting on $30K, not sub-$20K. It’s the unfortunate reality of cars these days.

30k and this is a dud. Plain and simple. This forum seems to have a high density of people who will pay more for less, or local mulch delivery drivers, but the masses are not spending $30k for a car with no radio.

 

[NH425]

I've been looking at more and more at slate's marketing and commercials, and im convinced they've got it completely wrong.

Maybe they were targeting directly at me!

I knew it needed to be in my garage from the first release and each move since has confirmed it. I've been toying with the idea of trying an EV conversion of a Willys CJ3A, 1988 Samurai or 1979 Toyota Pickup and, believe me, the Slate is a much cheaper and easier option! The base will be luxury in comparison to those three. I'll get it way sooner too.

 

[GaRailroader]

30k and this is a dud. Plain and simple. This forum seems to have a high density of people who will pay more for less, or local mulch delivery drivers, but the masses are not spending $30k for a car with no radio.

I think you are suffering from confirmation bias. Because you are not willing to pay $30k for this truck, you think the vast majority of others would not be willing to pay $30k for it either. I have confirmation bias also. Since I would be willing to pay $30k for it I think the vast majority of others will be as well. We are probably both wrong and it is somewhere in the middle. It is not for everyone but they are only looking for ~140k annually to be agreeable.

 

[Letas]

I think you are suffering from confirmation bias. Because you are not willing to pay $30k for this truck, you think the vast majority of others would not be willing to pay $30k for it either. I have confirmation bias also. Since I would be willing to pay $30k for it I think the vast majority of others will be as well. We are probably both wrong and it is somewhere in the middle. It is not for everyone but they are only looking for ~140k annually to be agreeable.

Fair enough, and this forums opinion shouldn’t be sampled at large because it would be selection bias! We all think Slate will succeed, even if blindly so.

Totally right. Consumer choice is not black and white. Most consumers have tons of needs, not all can be met perfectly, and they compromise, whether it be in features or price. Tis’ all a spectrum!

 

[AZFox]

Posted without comment, because a promotional picture of a guy putting flower stickers on a Slate says enough on its own.

 

[mthulhu]

I enjoy the marketing so far. It’s got personality. I’m very glad we are staying far away from southern accent chevy truck month “Rustic Rick buildin’ shit” cringe. I agree with the guy saying these don’t strike me as “job site” trucks. Keep going Slate!

 

[AZFox]

[...] anyone showing up to a construction site in this will get laughed at the first time it gets stuck in a mud puddle or the first time they need you to pick something up and they tell you to take a real truck.

Former Construction Cost Account (many construction sites) and School Administrator (K-8 school) here.

That sounds more like what you'd see on a Middle School playground than a jobsite.

 

[OldGoat]

KevinRS pointed out that before jumping in the Slate pool, businesses will need us to be the test market for reliability and durability. If the truck proves worthy there are a LOT of commercial uses for Slate. With over cab/bed racks there are so many things that can be done with a small truck. No one is inferring towing bulldozers and loading roof trusses aboard. I don't know why some posters keep saying "Slate will get laughed off the jobsite". I would imagine down the road Slate will hire people to corral fleet sales when the time is right and they will do good business.

 

[Duke Slater]

30k and this is a dud. Plain and simple. This forum seems to have a high density of people who will pay more for less, or local mulch delivery drivers, but the masses are not spending $30k for a car with no radio.

Hate to be the voice of reason, but new cars aren’t <$30K anymore. Slate might be, but will have hand crank windows and no stereo. Slate isn’t some crazy godsend vehicle that defies the economy.

It’ll be $30K for a blank Slate. Want more? Buy something else for $40K+ or pay to upgrade your Slate.

 

[AZFox]

This forum seems to have a high density of people who will pay more for less

Truth be told, sometimes less is more.

Slate Auto gets that.