Should the target audience be boomers? They have the money but also the least awareness. This feeds into what media the ads are placed, time of day etc..
In the early days, until ~2015 or so, perhaps most Model S were sold to boomers but at gatherings back then there were also a fairly large number of younger people, many of whom were stretching.
Right now I think we're on the cusp of wide acceptance in areas with high density of stores, service centers and Superchargers. Despite worries among many of us of lack of awareness broader knowledge and awareness is coming rapidly. Further Models 3 and Y are now competitive with mass market equivalents in most markets.
As we look at inventory 'days on hand' and actual sales it's quite clear that Tesla is doing well.
I believe most of our concerns are being addressed quite effectively. Right now a Google search for electric car yields numerous choices, among them Tesla. If awareness is a real issue it is a simple matter to pay for better placement in search, and even, if we want to blow the money, pay for Tesla to appear for any search of a new car.
Tesla did try merchandise placement on Amazon a few years ago and they've tried many forms of promotional devices in one market of another. In China they've had great success with the Supercharger drive to Mount Everest Base Camp, not to mention the regular Tesla rallies. They've proven adept at getting promotional value from Tesla police cars, car rental placements and so on.
As we know Tesla plans to enter many unserved countries during the next two years. Each such move will generate more coverage. The big unknowns are mostly what happens with the Southern California and Noway deep concentrations. Frankly Tesla is now mainstream in both Southern California and Norway, and nearing that is a good many other markets. As that is happening the awareness 'problems' will be resolved replaced with the astoundingly high owner satisfaction, repeat sales and new product categories.
Is there really a problem? Possibly, but we certainly cannot tell that from inventory Days on Hand. Are the price reductions problems? I cannot see that either because colors, larger batteries, FSD, connectivity are all producing quite good margins.
It seems to me that when Elon said over and over that cars could be zero margin and FSD would deliver miracles...many people panicked assuming that would happen. Since that has been a topic for years and always coming 'soon' I, for one, ignore that speech. In the meantime more ancillary income is coming from connectivity, colors and other options.
Further, huge publicity will arrive with Cybertruck later this year which will end out producing more car sales...and there is TE rising.
Is it not a bit too soon to panic?
