# Future Fund's Gary Black Urges Tesla to Boost Marketing to Compete with Apple and EV Rivals

- URL: https://stocks.freetheai.org/news/future-fund-s-gary-black-urges-tesla-to-boost-marketing-to-compete-with-apple-bac758
- Published: 2026-10-11T08:50:28Z
- Category: company_news; sentiment: mixed; impact: medium
- Symbols: [NASDAQ:TSLA](https://stocks.freetheai.org/symbols/NASDAQ-TSLA), [NASDAQ:AAPL](https://stocks.freetheai.org/symbols/NASDAQ-AAPL)
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Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) is facing calls from prominent investors to overhaul its promotional strategy and increase traditional advertising spend. Gary Black, managing partner at The Future Fund LLC, argued that the electric vehicle maker has historically underinvested in marketing compared to tech giants like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL). Black noted that relying solely on word of mouth and social media posts from Chief Executive Officer Elon Musk is insufficient to support Tesla's market presence.

The debate over marketing comes as autonomous driving technology and ride-hailing services risk becoming widely available commodities across the automotive industry over the next three to five years. Without strong brand advertising and execution, Tesla faces growing pressure from foreign and domestic competitors, similar to trends seen in the general electric vehicle market over recent years. Year to date, Tesla shares have declined 12.64%, while Apple shares have gained 24.22%.

Investors will be watching how Tesla positions its upcoming initiatives as the company expands into robotaxis and its Optimus humanoid robot. While management envisions these new product lines as potential multi-trillion-dollar revenue drivers, critics warn that effective marketing leadership will be essential to establish a durable competitive advantage as autonomous options multiply across rival platforms. Tesla shares were trading up 2.05% at $382.70, while Apple fell 1.11% to $336.60.

## Key points

- Gary Black of The Future Fund LLC states Tesla, Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has consistently underinvested in traditional marketing compared to tech peers like Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL).
- Autonomous driving capabilities and ride-hailing options are projected to become commoditized within three to five years as competition grows.
- Tesla shares have dropped 12.64% year-to-date, whereas Apple stock has gained 24.22% over the same period.
- Tesla is expanding into robotaxis and humanoid robotics, which leadership believes could become major revenue streams.

## Questions and answers

### Why is Gary Black urging Tesla to advertise?

Gary Black argues that Tesla underinvests in marketing and needs traditional advertising to protect its competitive edge, especially as autonomous driving technology risks becoming commoditized across competing ride-hailing services.

### How has Tesla stock performed compared to Apple this year?

Tesla shares have fallen 12.64% year-to-date, while Apple shares have increased by 24.22% over the same period.

### What new product lines is Tesla developing beyond electric vehicles?

Tesla is expanding into autonomous robotaxis and the Optimus humanoid robot, both of which CEO Elon Musk believes could become trillion-dollar revenue drivers.