- YouTuber Zack Nelson mentioned he is contemplating promoting his Cybertruck resulting from its polarizing nature.
- Nelson mentioned a sponsor declined to be within the video assessment due to the Cybertruck.
- Nelson, who owns different Teslas, mentioned he does not wish to seem supportive of Elon Musk’s controversial statements on-line.
A YouTuber mentioned a sponsor bowed out of taking part in one in every of his movies in regards to the Cybertruck over issues about being related to the car.
Tech influencer Zack Nelson has been making YouTube movies for about 14 years — and the Cybertruck has change into a “pretty necessary” a part of his enterprise, he advised Enterprise Insider.
After driving 13,000 miles with it, Nelson made a assessment video of the Cybertruck as a piece truck and shared three issues he loves and hates in regards to the truck.
He praised features like its bullet-resistant exterior, steer-by-wire driving system, and attention-grabbing design.
Nonetheless, after incorporating a sponsored advert learn and sending a preview of the video to the model, Nelson mentioned he obtained phrase that the model did not wish to be featured in Cybertruck content material.
“‘We might reasonably not be featured alongside Cybertruck content material right now,'” Nelson mentioned within the video in a characterization of the model’s response. Enterprise Insider verified that the model despatched an e-mail declining to take part within the video that cited its concern about being related to any Cybertruck content material.
The model’s response was comprehensible, Nelson mentioned in his video assessment, and “speaks volumes to the polarization of the Cybertruck.” Nelson advised BI that the model mentioned it had beforehand had damaging experiences associated to being related to Cybertruck content material. The corporate was fascinated about working with the YouTuber on different movies sooner or later, he added.
Nelson mentioned in his Cybertruck assessment video that when Elon Musk writes controversial posts on X, like providing to impregnate Taylor Swift or asking why nobody assassinated Kamala Harris, it may well additionally influence the YouTuber’s enterprise.
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Along with his YouTube channel, Nelson has a wheelchair manufacturing firm that he funds with income from his YouTube channel. That firm makes use of 4 autos, every carrying a brand on the facet.
“These sorts of statements should not regular, and in the meanwhile, with my enterprise slapped on the facet, it seems to be like I help these sorts of takes — which I most undoubtedly don’t,” Nelson advised his viewers within the video.
Nelson advised BI that “it isn’t simply these two feedback” from Musk that he highlighted in his video. It is also that Musk has been more and more political and it is tough to “separate his very distinctive creation from his very distinctive political stance.”
Nelson advised BI that he is comfortable to make YouTube movies about “controversial stuff all day lengthy.” Nonetheless, he needs to guard his wheelchair enterprise, which he began about 5 years in the past.
“I’ve the YouTube facet of issues, the place any publicity is sweet publicity,” Nelson mentioned. “However then I’ve the wheelchair facet of issues the place damaging publicity does damage the enterprise.”
Nelson advised BI that he owns each different Tesla mannequin and had by no means obtained damaging reactions towards the non-Cybertruck autos. Whereas driving the electrical pickup, nonetheless, he mentioned he is encountered cases of truck drivers “rolling coal” on him, which is when somebody pulls up beside him, hits their accelerator, and covers the car in a cloud of black smoke.
Different Cybertruck drivers beforehand advised BI they skilled equally damaging interactions whereas driving the car, together with getting flipped off. Some additionally reported getting minimize off on the highway or cursed at.
Nelson is now contemplating promoting his Cybertruck and changing it with a 2025 Silverado EV or a Rivian. Nelson advised BI the “the polarization issue is a very massive deal, however it’s not like the entire deal.” Within the video, he additionally talked about poor visibility in climate as a main grievance. Nelson lives in Utah the place snow is widespread, and he mentioned it may well “accumulate” on the headlight. He additionally mentioned the headlight can shine immediately onto snowflakes as they fall making a “Star Wars warp pace impact.”
The Cybertruck has offered properly since its launch, turning into one thing of a standing image for celebrities.
Auto-industry tracker Cox Automotive estimates Tesla offered 17,000 of the electrical pickup within the third quarter, making it the third-best promoting electrical car within the US — behind solely the Mannequin 3 and Y.
