mobile-menu-icon
GM Authority

Cadillac Uses Part Of Theodore Roosevelt’s ‘Citizenship In A Republic’ Speech In Latest Ad

Cadillac has just released a new commercial entitled The Arena: Dare Greatly. Set to the sights and sounds of cities, the 93-second spot is narrated by a female voice to The Man in the Arena section of Theodore Roosevelt’s Citizenship in a Republic Speech. The spot marks a noteworthy departure from past Cadillac commercials, making absolutely no mention of Cadillac until the very end, and featuring zero Cadillac vehicles, branding, or otherwise until the Cadillac: Dare Greatly slogan at the very end.

Citizenship in a Republic is the name of a speech delivered by 25th President of the United States Theodore Roosevelt at the Sorbonne in Paris, France on April 23rd, 1910. Cadillac’s spot uses a notable passage on the seventh page of the 35-page speech that’s referred to as The Man in the Arena. Here’s its transcription:

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

The new spot could not only mark the launch of the new Cadillac: Dare Greatly slogan, but it could also represent the re-launch of the Cadillac brand, which has been rumored for the last few months. Stay tuned as we learn more.

The GM Authority staff is comprised of columnists, interns, and other reporters who provide coverage of the latest General Motors news.

Subscribe to GM Authority

For around-the-clock GM news coverage

We'll send you one email per day with the latest GM news. It's totally free.

Comments

  1. Probably the first of many videos until March 29 until the unveil of the ct6, I’m pretty sure the car the video is being filmed from is a ct6, the side mirrors are unlike any caddy currently?

    Reply
    1. I thought they looked similar to those of the ATS, no?

      Reply
      1. I agree similar to the ats but to me they looked a bit bigger, I may be wrong though

        Reply
  2. Hope theses commercials have a longer running span than the previous set of commercials that Cadillac only showed just a month and forget all about it.

    Reply
    1. To be honest, despite being a Youtube ad running beyond the standard 30 second TV spot, anything is better than the ‘dancing robot arms’.

      But if Cadillac is going to use a VO for scripts from a century ago set to slow-mo wallpaper shots, they probably could get away with ‘the penalty of leadership’ for the CT6’s launch day.

      Reply
      1. True Dat.

        Reply
  3. This is a play on the Cadillac Penalty of Leadership Advertisement of 1916 Saturday Evening Post

    That was a classic written ad that was a challenge to Packard for their criticism of Cadillac. No where in the add other than the title does it say Cadillac.

    In this case the similar play but different topic were in order since Cadillac is not yet on the top and the text would not play well yet. I expect at some point it may reappear. GM used it in 1969 too and sent it owners of Cadillac. Elvis got one and liked it so much he framed it and it Is still hung up in Graceland today.

    Here is the text , Note Cadillac was only noted at the top of the page once Read this and see If you think they are taking the same pattern here. Note what I posted was done 100 years ago and the text is a bit dated but the meaning rings true.

    Penalty of Leadership

    “In every field of human endeavor, he that is first must perpetually live in the white glare of publicity. Whether the leadership be vested in a man or in a manufactured product, emulation and envy are ever at work. In art, in music, in industry, the reward and punishment are always the same. The reward is widespread recognition; the punishment, fierce denial and detraction. When a man’s work becomes a standard for the whole world, it also becomes a target for the shafts of the envious few. If his work is mediocre, he will be left severely alone—if he achieves a masterpiece, it will set a million tongue a-wagging. Jealousy does not protrude its forked tongue at the artist who produces a commonplace painting. Whatsoever you write, or paint, or play, or sing, or build, no one will strive to surpass or to slander you unless your work be stamped with the seal of genius. Long, long after a great work or a good work has been done, those who are disappointed or envious, continue to cry out that it cannot be done. Spiteful little voices in the domain of art were raised against our own Whistler as a mountebank, long after the big would have acclaimed him its greatest artistic genius. Multitudes flocked to Bayreuth to worship at the musical shrine of Wagner, while the little group of those whom he dethroned and displaced argued angrily that he was no musician at all. The little world continued to protest that Fulton could never build a steamboat, while the big world flocked to the river banks to see his boat steam by. The leader is assailed because he is the leader, and the effort to equal him is merely added proof of that leadership. Failing to equal or excel, the follower seeks to depreciate and to destroy—but only confirms once more the superiority of that which he strives to supplant. There is nothing new in this. It is as old as the world and as old as human passions—envy, fear, greed, ambition, and the desire to surpass. And it all avails nothing. If the leader truly leads, he remains—the leader. Master-poet, master-painter, master-workman, each in his turn is assailed, and each holds his laurels through the ages. That which is good or great makes itself known, no matter how loud the clamor of denial. That which deserves to live—lives.”

    Reply
  4. 3 x 30 second spots during the red carpet of the Oscar telecast, 3 x 60 + 2 x 30 second spots during the actual Oscar show itself, Don’t expect to see the CT6, these will be brand ads and not model specific.

    Reply
  5. This Sounds more like a working man’s Silverado then an elitist Cadillac.

    Reply
  6. All I know it has more substance than dancing robot welders and the Where’s Waldo ads.

    At some point they will need to sell the cars too. But when they do start selling them for what they bring the customer in safety, content, performance and Image much like Mercedes. Watch what they do and they sell all aspects tastefully. Don’t try to get too cute just sell the facts.

    Reply
  7. “It is not the true craftsman who counts; not the man who points out how we should put more emphasis on quality, or where the spender of money could have been more careful. The credit belongs to the union man who is actually asleep in the factory, whose face is marred by the blood of the American taxpayer; who strives for the next sick day; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no such thing a well built GM vehicle; but who does actually strive to do the deeds as long as he doesn’t break a sweat; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause to retire early; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails greatly no more than all other UAW members, so that his place shall never be with the non union auto workers who don’t drive major companies into the ground.”

    Reply
    1. I think my IQ just dropped several levels after reading your drivel.

      Reply
  8. Truly painful to watch. This was Clint Eastwood’s “Imported From Detroit” in slow motion, minus any substance whatsoever.

    “Dare Greatly” has a nice ring to it. But it also reinforces Cadillac’s position as the challenger, or the upstart. I’m sure that appeals to a certain group of loyalists, and people within GM, but I don’t think the luxury buyer is going to respond to it. If anything, I think it would drive them away.

    Reply
  9. I loved the commercial, and would like to know who was the woman doing the singing in it. Thanks !

    Reply
  10. How could you use the quote by Teddy Roosevelt and not attribute it to him? I saw a print ad and nowhere is the man credited. Its like plagiarism!

    Reply
  11. It’s not “like plagiarism”, it is plagiarism. Fortunately, Cadillac has recently cleaned up its act and is now attributing quotes in its print ads.

    Reply

Leave a comment

Cancel