wavePod

Why That Worked #21: Slate—Why This $20K Truck Is Getting All the Attention - Marketing Made Simple | Wave AI Podcast Notes

Back to Marketing Made Simple

Why That Worked #21: Slate—Why This $20K Truck Is Getting All the Attention

Marketing Made Simple

Wed May 28 2025

Exciting news, Hero Makers! We’re sharing a new episode of Why That Worked – Presented by StoryBrand.AI, with Donald Miller back in the host seat. This new show uncovers why certain ideas, brands, and strategies succeed—so you can...

Summary

Marketing Made Simple: Why That Worked #21 – Slate—Why This $20K Truck Is Getting All the Attention

In the latest episode of Marketing Made Simple, hosts Donald Miller and Kyle Reed delve into the successful launch of Slate’s innovative $20,000 electric truck. Titled “Why That Worked #21: Slate—Why This $20K Truck Is Getting All the Attention,” this episode breaks down the marketing strategies that propelled Slate into the spotlight within the highly competitive electric vehicle (EV) market.

1. Navigating a Saturated Market

Standing Out Amidst Competition

Kyle Reed opens the discussion by posing a common challenge faced by businesses: differentiating oneself in a crowded industry. Using the electric car sector as an example, where new models emerge daily from both new and established brands, he asks:

Kyle Reed [01:24]: "What do you do when you run a business and it feels like you have thousands of competitors and you are trying to stand out?"

Donald Miller responds by emphasizing a customer-centric approach over a competitor-focused mentality:

Donald Miller [01:44]: "The reality is, if you're in a business, you're thinking a lot about the competition. And here's the problem... you're assuming your customer is also thinking about the competition. They're not. I guarantee you they're not."

He underscores the importance of understanding and serving customer needs rather than obsessing over what competitors are doing. This mindset shift is crucial for businesses aiming to carve out a unique space in their respective markets.

2. Case Study: Slate’s $20K Electric Truck Launch

a. Overview of Slate's Launch Video

Kyle introduces Slate, a company entering the saturated electric truck market, highlighting their professionally crafted launch video. This video serves as the focal point of their analysis.

Kyle Reed [05:31]: "You sent me this company called Slate and you sent me their, like, launch video. It's very well made."

b. Crafting an Effective Messaging Strategy

Donald compares Slate’s video to the iconic Dollar Shave Club launch, noting its strategic positioning and engaging content:

Donald Miller [07:40]: "I think that's one of the best product launch videos since Cooper, one of our producers here, pointed out Dollar Shave Club."

He identifies three core aspects of Slate’s messaging:

Cheap – Emphasizing affordability by positioning against expensive cars.
Fun – Associating the truck with playfulness and customization, likening it to a “Mr. Potato Head.”
Yours – Highlighting ownership through extensive customization options.

Donald Miller [08:55]: "So they're positioning it that way. And they've got these... They've got some other interesting things. The narration is male and female... it's very, very well done."

c. Comparison to Dollar Shave Club

The hosts draw parallels between Slate and Dollar Shave Club, particularly in how both brands utilize humor and relatable messaging to connect with their audiences. They emphasize that while Dollar Shave Club set a precedent, Slate builds upon it with industry-specific insights.

Kyle Reed [08:00]: "I would say Dollar Shave Club set the bar for social media brand launches."

d. Key Takeaways on Messaging

Donald breaks down the effectiveness of Slate’s messaging, highlighting the strategic exclusion of technical details like battery range to maintain focus on the primary message:

Donald Miller [21:00]: "They don't talk about horsepower, they don't talk about torque, they don't talk about range, they don't talk about charging times, they don't talk about any of that."

He explains that by concentrating on affordability and fun, Slate effectively captures attention without overwhelming potential customers with technical specifications.

3. Developing a Comprehensive Messaging Campaign

a. The Psychological Journey Framework

Donald introduces a metaphorical framework to illustrate the customer journey through Slate’s messaging:

Curiosity (Front Steps): Captured by a compelling tagline and controlling idea.
Enlightenment (Front Porch): Delivered through engaging content that explains the product’s benefits.
Commitment (Front Door): Encouraging action with clear calls to action.

Donald Miller [28:51]: "There are three levels of messaging inside of a messaging campaign... curiosity, enlightenment, commitment."

b. Importance of Focused Communication

The hosts discuss the necessity of maintaining a singular controlling idea to prevent diluting the message. Donald uses the analogy of handing customers "bowling balls" versus "pellets" to illustrate how overwhelming information can deter engagement.

Donald Miller [23:37]: "We've got three. But as soon as you get into torque, and as soon as you say torque, it's a bowling ball that has been covered in Vaseline. It's slippery."

They advocate for limiting core messages to three key points to ensure clarity and retention.

4. Final Insights and Strategic Recommendations

a. Preempting Customer Objections

Donald advises businesses to proactively address common customer pain points within their messaging. By stating how Slate differs from other manufacturers—specifically by avoiding unnecessary features—they turn potential objections into strengths.

Donald Miller [35:50]: "What does the market hate about my industry? What don't they like? We don't do that... we put you in a small group where we talk to you literally every day."

b. Consistent Brand Messaging

The discussion underscores the importance of consistent and strategic messaging across all platforms. The hosts highlight how Slate’s cohesive approach—spanning their launch video, website, and social media—creates a unified and compelling brand narrative.

Kyle Reed [19:57]: "They did some things well in the sense of though it's fun though. It's a cheaper product. They didn't cheap out on the rollout of the product."

Notable Quotes

Donald Miller [01:44]: “You’re assuming your customer is also thinking about the competition. They’re not. I guarantee you they’re not.”
Kyle Reed [05:31]: “You sent me this company called Slate and you sent me their, like, launch video. It’s very well made.”
Donald Miller [07:40]: “I think that’s one of the best product launch videos since Cooper, one of our producers here, pointed out Dollar Shave Club.”
Donald Miller [21:00]: “They don’t talk about horsepower, they don’t talk about torque, they don’t talk about range, they don’t talk about charging times, they don’t talk about any of that.”
Donald Miller [28:51]: “There are three levels of messaging inside of a messaging campaign... curiosity, enlightenment, commitment.”

Conclusion

This episode of Marketing Made Simple offers invaluable insights into effective branding and messaging strategies within a saturated market. By dissecting Slate’s successful launch, Donald Miller and Kyle Reed provide a blueprint for businesses aiming to distinguish themselves through customer-focused messaging, strategic storytelling, and clear, concise communication. Whether you're launching a new product or seeking to revamp your marketing approach, the lessons from Slate’s $20K truck launch serve as a compelling guide to capturing and retaining consumer attention.

Loading summary...

Transcript

Bobby Richards (0:00)

Hey, hero makers, it's podcast producer Bobby Richards. I'm jumping in to share with you a new episode of our brand new podcast, why that worked, presented by StoryBrand AI with Donald Miller back in the host seat. Now, since we launched Marketing Made simple, we've been so grateful to have everybody tune in each week to learn how to make your marketing easy and make it work. Which is exactly why we're sharing new episodes of the why that Worked podcast here. In the old Marketing Made simple feed, each episode of the new show is going to deliver actionable insights and key takeaways that are all designed so you can implement them to help make whatever you're working on work. If you want to catch new episodes early, you can watch or listen every Monday. To watch the show, just go subscribe to the StoryBrand YouTube channel. And to listen, go follow why that worked presented by StoryBrand AI wherever you enjoy your podcasts. All right, that's it from me. So grateful you're here and enjoy this week's episode of why that worked presented by StoryBrand AI.

Donald Miller (0:58)

Foreign.

Bobby Richards (1:03)

You're listening to the why that Work podcast presented by StoryBrand AI. If you've ever wondered why certain brands, trends, or cultural phenomena find success while others don't, you're in the right place. Every week we unpack why something worked, then give you actionable insights that you can use in your own life. Now let's dive in with your hosts, Donald Miller and Kyle Reed.

Kyle Reed (1:24)

Don, what do you do when you run a business and it feels like you have thousands of competitors and you are trying to stand out? For instance, like the electrical car industry, there seems to be like one coming out every day. Not just new brands, but existing brands who are releasing new models or new options. How do you stand out in what feels like a crowded market?

Donald Miller (1:44)

I get that question from business owners all the time. They say, well, our competitors do that. Or they're sort of obsessed with our with their competitors and was just at a big office furniture conference like Steelcase and Herman Miller and those guys, and that came up over and over with these furniture dealers. Well, our competitors do that. Our competitors do this, our competitors do that. The reality is, if you're in a business, you're thinking a lot about the competition. And here's the problem that you're making. You're assuming your customer is also thinking about the competition. They're not. I guarantee you they're not. And so you're spending your time looking the wrong direction. You're looking at what your competition is doing, what they're saying the products that they're producing. What you really should be doing is ignoring the competition. And just look at the market. And actually, Jeff Bezos says this all the time about Amazon. We are not competitor focused. We are customer focused. So that's lesson number one, is because if you start getting nervous about your competition and you start losing sleep over them. And listen, I've been tempted, too. I mean, there are people who kind of do what we do. And I'm like, well, they're doing this, they're doing that. And I'm like, wait a second. This is a giant market. And yes, they may move into my market, but they're gonna move in a lot more if I'm not looking at customers and responding to customers and just serving customers as best as I can. So I'm being honest when I say this. I've been in business for 10 years, more in the current line of business. I really believe. I have never once looked at a competitor's website.

Donald Miller (14:41)

It's a great way of saying, do you really need automatic cup holders? And the reality is they're not just talking about automatic cup holders. They're talking about a lot of other stuff. But they chose kind of the absurd one. Right. This is, this happens in politics all the Time where people are like, you know, that Democrat funded a million dollar paperclip, you know, or whatever. And it's like now you can't get anything out of your head except that they funded a million dollar paperclip. I think that's what they're doing here as well. They're showing the absurdity of all of these expensive gadgets that are inside of cars. So that's how they emphasized one of the three talking points. Actually there were really four. One is we're against expensive cars. One of the talking sub points to that would be it's inexpensive. And so we've already highlighted all the ways they got inexpensive without directly saying it into the video. The next one is fun. Fun is there's a tool that Bain Capital released years ago called the Elements of Value Pyramid. They had Some researchers spend 10 years doing studies on what human beings actually buy, and they came up with 30 things. It's things like Nostalgia Badge Access, you know, gosh, Self Transcendence by the top of it, Easy Access or Elite Access reducing anxiety. There's 30 things like this. One of them is fun. So fun is actually something people buy. And often when I'm sending out an email saying, hey, you should come to our certification, I look for places to add the word fun because, you know, it's, it's like a spice rack. You, you put it spice, you know, put a, pouring a little fun into your email or into your offer and you end up with, with more people coming. So they emphasize how fun this is. They associate it with a toy. The music sounds fun. It looks, I mean, it freaking looks like a fun car to, it does drive to me. And so that's, that's part number two. And then part number three is, it's yours, meaning yours is going to be different than anything else. And that's where Mr. Potato Head actually that example gets to both fun and yours. And you customize it and they're visually showing you everything that you can do with it. That's not true with most cars. Right? And so you're able to customize it in ways. And then, you know, they close out by saying, we build it, you make it. They also say, what's interesting to me is we're not like other cars or other vehicle companies. What I notice there is they don't actually tell you how. They just say we're not like other cars and it still works. We're not like other vehicle companies and it still works. And listen, if you're, if you're positioning yourself as against an industry, you may only need to say, you know, we're not like them.

Donald Miller (28:51)

Yeah. There are three levels of messaging inside of a messaging campaign. Now, a messaging campaign is sound bites and words that you use to get the message out about your product. And those sound bites need sound bites and white papers and lead generators and YouTube videos and podcast episodes. They need to cover three different territories of a psychological journey that your customer goes through. I liken it to a house. If you walk up to my house here in Nashville, Tennessee, there are front steps, there is a front porch, and then there's a front door that goes inside. The front steps are the curiosity phase. And in order to step on those steps up, you need a controlling idea. You need a tagline. You need a brand script. You need sound bites that you step on to get to the front porch. And those sound bites invite you by peaking your curiosity. And the only thing that piques a customer's curiosity is survival. That's it. There's nothing else. And so unless my subconscious can sense that you're going to help me survive, I'm not going to be interested in being enlightened about your product. So we are against high priced electric vehicles or high priced cars. Helps me survive because you're saving me money. And as soon as you say that the customer is interested and they want to know more, so they have officially walked up the the steps. And then you say, well, how is this? How are you doing this? Well, because we don't put automatic cup holders in the car. Do you really need an automatic cup holder? Isn't that absurd? Now I'm being enlightened. I'm on the front porch. Right. And you've got the customizable thing. It's really fun, it's playful, it looks like a toy, feels like a toy. Little bit curiosity, but really we're getting into enlightenment. Then I go to your website and your website sort of answers a lot of questions about maybe horsepower and range and things like that. I'm still in the due diligence enlightenment phase. And by the way, you're moving that way and you've got to create that stuff. Yes, that's messaging that you need to check off the list because your customer is going through a psychological journey and you can't skip steps. Then it's $50 down in order to hold my place in line to get one of these things. That's the front door.