Dharmesh Shah argues Tesla doesn't skip marketing, just ads. The company uses visual branding, a distinctive logo, merchandise, Elon Musk product launches, and a referral program to build reach and reputation. A great product doesn't eliminate the need for marketing signals.
If I build a great product, do I really need to do marketing? Or even stated differently, is the fact that I'm doing marketing an indication that I have failed to build a great product? Let's take a step back and we'll look at a concrete example. I think one of the best products indisputably of our generation is Tesla. Tesla does not do advertising and promotion, that part of marketing. They don't take out Super Bowl ads or put billboards up on the highway, but they have invested in their visual brand, in their logo. They have merchandise for Tesla loyalists. They have Elon get up on stages and launch new products and make announcements. They have a referral program so happy customers of Tesla can refer their friends and family to also get Teslas. All of those things are marketing. So there's no doubt, I think it's indisputable that Tesla, quote unquote, does marketing. And they also have what I think many would say is an absolutely fantastic, successful product.
Is SaaS really dead? Dharmesh Shah from HubSpot on AI, Vibe-Coding & the Future of Work
Agents, Metaprompting and Tech-powered Parenting with HubSpot CTO Dharmesh Shah
