Cadillac will continue to target and focus its branding around the fashionista crowd now more than ever.
The company recently signed on to become the first-ever automotive sponsor of New York Fashion Week: Men’s. It’s a two-year deal that includes producing a variety of related events as well as providing Cadillac shuttles for attendees.
While Cadillac has previously sponsored the ‘Men’s Day Fall/Winter 2015 Presentations and even hauled out an ELR the year before, this marks the first time that Cadillac has officially signed on as one of the lead sponsors of Fashion Week: Men’s.
Though Cadillac isn’t the first automotive sponsor of Fashion Week– Mercedes Benz was a longtime sponsor of Mercedes Benz Fashion Week, a women’s event– it will be the very first to luxury marque or otherwise to sponsor the men’s week. And it’s all part of de Nysschen’s effort to get the word out.
“I am very much interested in taking Cadillac into the world of fashion,” the bespectacled boss told Bloomberg. “The whole idea of beginning to strengthen Cadillac’s position as a lifestyle brand is very much central to our mission. This is a good start. … It should be interpreted as a clear statement of intent that we will walk with a heavy footstep in the fashion world.”
After the German brand dropped its title sponsorship Cadillac reportedly considered taking the reigns, which would see its name swapped in place of Mercedes-Benz. Maybe next year, it seems.
“We evaluated New York Fashion Week, and we continue to think it’s a worthy property,” de Nysschen says. “But we weren’t ready to figure out how to fully integrate that into our overall marketing strategy.”
This is just another way for Cadillac to help get young, cool, buyers into its vehicles. Last year, the average buyer of a Cadillac was 59.5 years old, according to IHS Automotive. And if Cadillac wants to compete face-to-face with the German marques, which enjoy far younger buyers, the American luxury marque has a long way to go.
Comments
If Cadillac’s going fashionista, Johan and Uwe had better get someone to give them a wardrobe makeover and a couple of rug re-thinks (hair), before they host Men’s Fashion Week in NYC.
You can take the boys out of Detroit, but you can’t take the Detroit out of these dudes.
I don’t care if they are from South Africa and Germany – they look like they inherited Fritz Henderson’s wardrobe and Dan Ackerson’s hair stylist.
Johan – you had me at moustache.
Looks like the Jo’burg Chief of Police.
“You can take the boys out of Detroit, but you can’t take the Detroit out of these dudes.”
You still don’t get it.
To put it simply, Detroit isn’t known for anything but cars. It’s not a place where someone goes to see a fashion expo. That what NY is for.
Hell, I’m not even an American and I see a much stronger assoacaition between Cadillac and New York than I do with Detroit. New York is America’s premiere city; it’s the yanks stage before the global audience. Cadillac needs to be on that stage.
Right – Cadillac aims to be a cool, hip, lifestyle brand.
Then Johan steps on stage in Manhattan, and unless he’s flanked by Pharrell and Lady Gaga, hip, cool and lifestyle go flying out the window. Got it.