There's also the issue that the Nexus line were perfect budget phones, while the Pixels are high-end. So even with much better advertising, cost becomes the Pixels barrier to entry.
Totally agree with this. Nexus was good performance for an affordable price. Pixel is so much more expensive that Nexus owners are likely to balk at the price tag.
The Rogers where I got my last phone, for example, had a dedicated display in the middle of the store for the Pixel phones.