This article is part of the GM Authority Mailbag series, where the GM Authority Crew features and replies to your questions, comments, and observations.
Cody from New York writes in to say:
A few months ago, I was test driving an Audi A5 Coupe to replace my A4 when I saw a car that I have never seen before or did not know about, but I fell in love with. That car was a Cadillac ATS Coupe. I bought it and after about four months of having it now, I love it. It gets complimented almost daily. But there’s one problem.
When people ask me what I drive without seeing the car in front of them, and I tell them that I drive a Cadillac ATS Coupe, they have no clue what I am talking about and look at me in puzzled bewilderment. They don’t know what a Cadillac ATS is, that there is a gorgeous coupe of it with two doors, how sexy it looks, how fun it is to drive or how much technology is in it. So they end up buying Benzes and Bimmers, Audis and Lexuses despite Cadillac having a pretty good chance at stealing at least some of those sales.
I am a small business owner and this is the most basic of principles: build a solid product and then let people know about it. Cadillac has done the first part of that equation. Why has it not done the second?
How are people supposed to know about the great Cadillacs ATS, CTS, etc. and then buy them instead of a BMW, Mercedes, Audi, Lexus or Infiniti, if Cadillac doesn’t tell any one about the cars? And what good is it to sponsor highbrow fashion whatnots in New York City when you don’t even have a national spot running on TV?
Now, the ATS Coupe is my first Cadillac in twenty years of buying cars. I love the car, but I am also disappointed and discouraged about the weak and almost non-existent marketing of today’s great Cadillacs. And though I don’t mind doing it, I should not be the one explaining to people what an ATS Coupe is or how and why it is awesome; Cadillac should be, doing that. What I should be doing is reaffirming their message.
So my questions: why has Cadillac not been aggressively advertising its great product lineup? Will it do so in the future? If so, when? Or in short: what in the hell is going on with Cadillac marketing?
I couldn’t say it any better, Cody.
I see them all the time for BMW, especially the 3 Series, and for Audi and Lexus. When is the last time Cadillac introduced or ran a TV commercial that truly presented the bread-and-butter product (ATS, CTS, SRX) in a positive light and made you consider researching the car or visiting a dealership to check it out in person? Not for a while. In fact, not this year, period.
The reality is that Cadillac has been very quiet on the advertising front in general. It debuted its new Dare Greatly brand campaign in February, followed it up with one spot featuring the SRX crossover (a spot that could win the most boring and unexciting ad of the year award), redesigned its website, and then went dark — not releasing or running any new spots, and not running previous ones. All this makes us wonder about the point of launching Dare Greatly so early on in the year, only to have nothing (absolutely nothing) in the months that followed. At this point, everyone except for the most loyal enthusiasts have probably forgotten about the message, anyway.
What’s most surprising is that Cadillac is the challenger not only from a product point of view, but from a brand and image standpoints as well. And to not try and communicate the benefits of Cadillac’s bread-and-butter ATS and CTS is absolutely bewildering. No wonder sales of both are steadily sinking. What’s perhaps even more sad is that, outside of products, there just doesn’t seem to be much energy behind the Cadillac brand. The product, as you say, can’t do all the talking — you have to let people know about it as well through marketing.
Now, we’ve reported that Cadillac is working on some sort of a follow-up campaign to Dare Greatly. But details like when it will launch, what it will be like, and how often the spots will run are mysteries and this point. Here’s to hoping that Cadillac has been quietly working behind the scenes on an impressive and hard-hitting campaign that we won’t have to wait for much longer.
Amid a legal battle with a GM supplier.
Generally following the market trend.
Plus, special leases on all-new premium three-row crossover.
Refreshed SUV in crisp, clean colors.
Top-dog Caddy hits the racetrack.
View Comments
Wow! Good testimony!
Cadillac used to promote and be proactive with their brand. I as well as many bought into their product.
Caddillac used to provide free tickets for their owners to Car Shows events etc. In the past we received 2 free tickets the Miami International Car Show. My wife and I attended and had a good time viewing the new Caddy Models etc. I even made a gallery pic post on this site of the event. Hey Cadillac look you got free advertising for two show tickets!
Unfortunately over the past 2 years I called and emailed inquiring about tickets to no avail.
I guess over time things do change and not all the time for the best. It is a shame that Cadillac doesn’t show the respect they once had for their loyal owners and enthusiasts.
We are going to the show anyway but no freedies for anyone including Cadillac advertising.
Cody, these are the same type issues you see throughout GM, not only in thier marketing, but also in design, development and quality. GM could conquer the world but for whatever reason, they miss opportunities to beat and exceed the competition. Ford has been kicking ass with design, development and quality for years now. GM is back on its feet and still letting this happen.
Line up an F150 platinum next to and Denali and tell me it doesn't exceed or a Camaro next to a mustang and tell me ford hasn't exceeded or a Taurus, and so on. Who would have ever thought an f150 would out run, out pull, out carry and be a nicer truck the Cheverolet?
GM needs to steal some ford designers to come or do something. Otherwise they are gonna keep slipping back. You have to get ahead and get up earlier than your competition. It's not all about sales, it's about the passion for being #1. Come on!
Denali>Platinum all day long. Camaro>Mustang that's not even close. Tahoe>Expedition they still sell expedition cause I never see them. I think your styling tendencies just go with Ford.
I don't see anything that Ford has that can even light a candle to anything GM. I think you're 100% correct on the marketing though.
The issue is not just marketing but also pricing! New powers assume because they say Cadillac is equal to the Germans that in itself allows Cadillac to price accordingly. Being very frank this is not realistic. Cadillac DOES NOT CURRENTLY HAVE THE REPUTATION of the Germans and proclaiming does not make it reality.
Cadillac is doing all in their power to alienate long-time owners while chasing new conquests. Ask someone who has been a loyal Cadillac owners for 20+ years what they think of a $65 -$70K price for a very nice CTS or $50-$55K for a nice ATS--they can't believe it! Just take a look at Caddy's sales numbers for those two vehicles! The CTS sales numbers are putrid for a relatively new design! This is in spite of being a very good automobile that is grossly over-priced as far as long-time customers are concerned.
I can't help believe that the major investment GM is making in Cadillac is going to be wasted money. 35,000 Escalades, and token amounts of ATS-Vs, and CTS-Vs are not economically justified. ATSs, CTSs, SRXs, need to be moving in volumes. Currently the first two aren't and the last is so-so only because $ are being given to unload.
I'm guessing I do not understand. Just as info, I started buying Cadillacs in 2008 and very likely my current will be the last unless pricing becomes more realistic. I've owned 2008 CTS, 2011 CTS Wagon, 2010 Escalade, 2010 CTS-V, and currently 2014 ATS--a very nice car, but grossly over-priced at a list of $55K, and plagued by electrical issues from the very beginning.
Pricing is actually not an issue, as the ATS and CTS come in below the Germans and below Lexus when you equip the vehicles similarly/by parity. Look it up, and you'll see.
The issue is that Cadillac has no incentives (especially noticeable on leases and associated monthly payments) specifically compared to BMW and Lexus.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe the ELR has been heavily incentivized, given it was (and is) a sales bomb.
SRX has experienced a sudden sales spike this year ( April and May) to claw it's way up to a 1% YTD gain - one might suspect some incentives at work there, too.
The ELR was its own issue the SRX is at the end of its life and any car will increase sales with incentives. The SRX has always been competitive price wise with Lexus and has enjoyed great sales. At this point with a new one coming and it being the oldest in the segment you need to use a little incentive to clear the Lots,
I agree, I've owned 14 new Cadillacs since 1980 and have always considered them to be a good value, especially compared with the German competitors. My most recent purchase was a 2014 CTS 3.6 AWD Luxury Sedan. The list price was more than $63,000, which is $11,000 more than my 2011 CTS Premium Coupe. A 2014 CTS Premium Sedan carries a list price of about $70,000. That's a $20,000 increase in 3 years. I still think Cadillacs are great cars...but they are no longer a good value. I think that's why Cadillac sales are tanking.
I hope Cadillac Management gets their heads out of the sand before its too late.
Sorry Cadillac is not wanting to continue the role of discount luxury.
The fact is they are now building better cars and the price reflects it. Someone inside finally woke up the board and got approve to build even better cars now and that is where this is all going.
Cheap prices and lower quality will only mean the end of Cadillac just as we see them struggle over at Lincoln.
Cadillac is about profits not volume anymore.
Always hating on Lincoln eh bud? Seems like you just copy paste all your comments.
Ken What do you want me to do lie to you and tell you all that is going on at Lincoln is just peachy?
They were just saved by a group with in Ford from extinction and yet to have really been given the tools to properly save them.
If Ford does not go all in like GM has with Cadillac they will languish at the bottom of the luxury pile and never realize the profit potential they could provide.
Sorry if the truth hurts but it is what it is. You can copy and paste I call it being consistent with the truth.
Cadillac is building great cars, the 2014 CTS Sedan was Motor Trend's Car of the Year, and competed directly against the Mercedes E-Class and 5 Series BMW, but they didn't tell anyone. There was not one TV commercial or one print Ad announcing Cadillac's victory. Why would they keep that a secret?
The year's COTY is the Volkswagen Golf and you can't watch a half hour of TV without seeing their COTY commercial 3-4 times.
I also agree that Cadillac shouldn't be a discount luxury brand, but they can't just increase the price by $10,000 - $20,000 and expect existing customers to pay it. Cadillac needs to focus on 2 things . #1 they need to maintain their current customer base for as long as possible. Its cheaper to keep existing customers than it is to buy new ones (Marketing 101). #2 they need to expand their market share by developing new customers. You do that by offer a better product for less money...its called offering superior VALUE. Also Marketing 101. I believe Cadillacs are as good or better than BMW and Mercedes, but they cost the same and are therefore no longer a better value. As a result Cadillac will loose share to Mercedes and BMW, because both are perceived to be better products.
F-150... 360 cameras, adaptive cruise control, panoramic sun roof, leader in towing/hauling capacity. Aluminum body, rocket twin turbo v6, lightest, fastest! This is embarrassing. Now GM can hide and ignor and celebrate all thier accomplishments, but as far as I'm concerned, some should be fired.
Success in craftsmanship has to come from passion and desire to be the absolute very best knowing you might lose a dollar, but when it's all over everybody knows ur the best and that my friend eventually translates into profitability. GM design is very similar to what it was 10 years ago and that must change or Ford will be the new GM! You'll see!
The difficult road Cadillac rides --
1. I winced the first time I heard 'Dare Greatly'. A poorly worded attempt at something like 'Think Different'. I sense what they were going for but they didn't find it.
2. Cadillac competes in a very crowded class.
3. There are those of us old enough to remember our parents and grandparents in Caddies. There is an allure for us of the iconic badge... but we think of these cars as particularly old school. And as pimp mobiles. (The Escalade adding to the latter perception.)
4. Consumer Reports doesn't love these cars.
5. Most people can't afford this class of car. Way less expensive Caddies might help.
6. I know pricey cars like numbers and letters, but it's hard to remember CTX, SRX, etcetera. With a name you can capture someone's imagination. Numbers and letters are cold and confusing.
Conclusion: that's a lot of potholes to deal with.
You actually hit the nail on the head with your comment. But there is a uniquely schizophrenic thought process going on with GM/Cadillac faithful and GM itself.
We wince when ever you post too.
1. The Dare Greatly has just started and too soon to judge. Lets let them finish before we prejudge. I am sure you would not condemn the CT6 yet as since you have not driven one yet either?
2. Not crowded just low volume. But that is the playing field and with the higher prices you can afford the lower volume.
3. Cadillac is not so much worried about what you think but they are looking to grow back an image that people find intriguing. That takes time. BMW took a better part of a decade and Audi 20 years with 5000 setback.
4. People who buy Honda's and Toyota's read consumer reports. Non factor here. Most customers in this segment are educated enough to do their own homework and do not need a toaster tester to tell them what car to buy.
5. See number 2 Low volume lead to more exclusive, higher profits and not seeing your flag ship in a trailer park or bingo hall. If you can't afford a Cadillac you are not Cadillac material. Go to Buick. Just look at the 80's and see how much damage the 924-944 did to Porsche's image. They sold a lot of them but they also ended up in the wrong hands and with the wrong people. Snobby yes grander image for sure.
6. Build a car right and it will sell no matter if it has a name or number. If you build the most compelling car you could name it 666 or Excrement and it would sell. When was the last time you bought a car based on the name only. It was the image the car projected on the name or number you bought.
Conclusion You re way off mark as you basically want to return to the past that did not work anymore. This is a deal that is going to be in a state of rebuilding for 5 years and then move into a state of growth. It is not going to happen fast but it will continue to improve. We have already seen what GM can do with close enough thinking and now we are moving to a lets build it like we really can and better level.
Those at Cadillac have changed them from meeting close to the bench mark to moving them to attempt to become the bench mark. Most people do not understand this and will be shocked at what we will see. When you see commitment to the point they will do their own engines this is not just pissing around the old GM way anymore. For once the good guys inside GM won.
They win we win.
'We'?!? A Fanboy Circlejerk Squad only makes your opinion less important. Nice try at pulling rank, though. What's next -- banning me for not quoting your gospel?
"The Dare Greatly has just started and too soon to judge."
Distortion. Wasn't judging the campaign. Only the slogan itself. It doesn't open the door for McDonalds to say 'Snack Tastily' or for Windows 10 to say 'Click Superbly'. It's pathetic. It sounds translated from another language.
Is their a different kind of daring? Like Dare Barely? Dare Kinda? Nope. Daring is 'great' by definition. You don't need to qualify it. Also, putting the word 'dare' next to Cadillac infers isn't wise. The subconscious associates 'dare' with 'I dare you'. So the conscious message from Cadillac is 'dare to be bold' enough to buy a Cadillac again after all these years. The subconsious message is a goading dare... which might not be so smart.
In comparison, Apple's Think Different. The different HAD to be there. Otherwise you're asking people to merely think... but about what? By adding 'different' it invokes the idea of leaving the 'ordinary/common' Windows and instead being bold. Like an artist, Emelia Earhart, etcetera. That wording works.
Dare Greatly doesn't. It accidentally suggests you'd be daring to trying to Cadillac.
"Not crowded."
Crowded. BMW, Mercedes, Lexus, Infiniti -- egads. These companies -- with GM's help -- left Cadillac in the frickin' dust. Every person I know who owned Caddies for years wouldn't TOUCH one now. Terribly crowded.
"Cadillac is not so much worried about what you think"
They should be. We grew up with warmth around this brand. We could become their future customers. As long as fanmonkeys like you aren't the welcoming committee.
"People who buy Honda’s and Toyota’s read consumer reports."
Yeah. That ultimate fanboy excuse. Consumer Reports is worthless... of course until it placed Buick as the ONLY American car brand in their Top Ten Brands. Then this site and others made sure that got known. And it was so weird that no one from GM instructed customers to ignore CR as you suggest.
"Build a car right and it will sell no matter if it has a name or number."
This is an article about marketing. Here's a famous marketing story. It was about a car that was built right and selling well in America. In Europe? It just sat on lots in all the romance language countries. Why? Some pinhead at Chevy never checked to see what Nova means in other countries. 'No go'.
Names matter. That's why marketing is an art. Learn Quickly.
First off you need a lesson on past Cadillac history of marketing. They often have used in the past statements like this and defended them in advertising.
The most well know is The Penalty of Leadership and then The Standard of the World. In the past they had one page to present it today they have the web and TV where they can present it and expand it over time.
I assume you want to go back to the dancing robots. It fits your trailer park rec hall rhetoric.
Second there is a lot of money in this segment to take and in a low volume segment like this there is still a lot of room for growth. It is no where as competitive as the Value volume segment.
The fact is luxury cars even in low volume provide 50% of the income from auto sales globally. So it is no so much a race about volume but profits. A company can be at 3rd in the segment and still make a profit only exceeded by the Pick up truck segment.
As for your friends who would not touch one well that is a good thing as we are tying to loose the faux rich [trailer trash] and blue hairs. GM is targeting the younger and up coming affluent.
Warmth around the brand. What decade are you from. They began the decline around 1959.
FYI Consumer reports is great for appliances but for cars that is what they turn them into. This segment usually attracts people who know or understand cars so they do not need a ergonomic run down on the door handle angles. Consumer Reports is pretty much for the car ignorant that only worry about the size of the trunk lift over and MPG be it a Buick, Honda or Rolls Royce.
First off your story on the Nova long ago was proven to be a hoax and a story that never happened. Second the Hoax took place in South America. At least the Nova Sheet Metal was used there as it was never sent to Europe. You may want to get your fact straight if you want to be creditable. At this point you can not even get the hoax right.
So names matter The fact is a good car makes the name or number. If the car sucks the best name in the world will never save a bad car. You can build a Pinto and slap the Mustang name on it and it still sucks. The GTO name did little to save the 1974 model. As for numbers they have not hurt the M3 or AMG models at all.
Please point out a car that you bought because of the name? Not what the car represented the name to be but just the name?
With your way of thinking if Pontiac had called the Aztek a Trans Am van that would have saved the day?
GM found out the hard way when they slapped the Cutlass name on 3-4 models in the 80's. The Supreme was a good model that defined the meaning of the Cutlass name and heritage with RWD and sporty looks for the era. The Calais, International and Ciera the name Cutlass did nothing. If anything it damaged the name even for the car that made it.
To be honest this looks more like a uninformed Troll Circle Jerk. It appears you have a lot of opinions but little working knowledge of the auto industry.
Warmth around the brand that is a good one. The warmth many Cadillac owners in the past 30 years was from the leak in their depends running down their leg. Todays buyers are a different breed and it takes different marketing and Dare we say different thinking.
The greatest challenge is just for GM to get asses in the seats to drive the cars. The more people come in contact with these cars they will learn these are not the cars that you claimed surrounded you with warmth unless you turn the seat heaters on.
They need to build on image that these cars can present to a owner. In the last 30 years owning a Cadillac said you were old or could not afford a Benz. Sure we can discount them but then we get back to the fact it says you can not afford a good car so you bought the cheaper one. That is what the 300 is doing today at $31K.
Building an image takes time an patients. and GM has served up both. The new product that the folks who won the culture war inside GM will not be ready till 2020 and it will expand from there. Not any real way to speed it up with out screw up quality. even if it is 2021 take the time to get it right. As it is GM is making money even at the volume they are at so any added sales will just be added profit. this is not Chevy or Ford where you need 250,000 units sold to make a profit.
You do understand it cost really about the same to develop a luxury car as it does a econo car. Only the price of the higher grade content and technology adds to the price. Then they sell the car for 4-5 times of the cheaper car and it is like a truck massive profits. You can make back your investment very easy in this segment. For GM right now it is even easier since they are using Chevy engines.
To differentiate myself from you, I'll admit where I was wrong. I had no idea the Nova tale had been discredited. My bad. For as Snopes suggests, it indeed was in EVERY textbook.
That said, the Nova tale being a hoax doesn't meaning bad names and slogans are a good idea. Only that Nova is a poor example of such. So you can only take that victory lap so far. About three feet.
Now, in your comments with me and others, you keep asking us to give a weak slogan time. This is where you must admit you're wrong.
Bad slogans are like movie titles -- you either like them or you don't upon first impression. You don't need a knowledge of movie history to like or not like a movie title. You don't need to see a movie to decide if you like the movie title after the fact. The point of a movie title is to sell the ticket. Just like an ad slogan.
Look around. Seems others beside me do NOT like the wording of 'Dare Greatly'. We're not trolls. We're objective.
Sorry but this is where you are wrong.
Marketing is like a great book iconic movie or play to judge an entre marketing plan is like judging an entire book on the first page or a movie on the first 3 minute's or even a play on the opening act.
You want to prove me wrong let them revival more than just two months of an opening campaign.
In the end you may be right but at this point you can not prove a damn things as you have not seen all they have coming.
I assume you are the kind that also condemn cars that are still in camo to the point you can not see what it is and predict it will fail? Or do you at least let it show up finished and drive it before you pass judgment?
John you could be correct there but at this point we are not to a place where I can claim I was right or you were right. All I am saying is to this point you have to let it play out. This is not a simple single slogan deal as Cadillac is working to build a long term image. The Dare Greatly I think you will find is just the first act of the program and it will expand and grow as the new products arrive.
In other words the Dare Greatly is just setting the stage to where this is going and not the long term solution to all that ails them.
This is not a Baseball, Apple Pie and Chevrolet deal here this is image building and this is only the first block.
This is only where they are stating not where the story ends.
They are telling a story here and it will change and build as time goes on. The narrative is that GM is daring to build Cadillac into a car that many would not expect. If you can build a Computer in a Garage into one of the largest computer companies in the world if given the right product then you can take a washed up auto MFG and return them back to even higher glory given the right product.
In years past automakers used this approach for people who could focus more than 10 seconds and told a story of the product in steps. All the top brands used this back in the 20's and 30's. Each of their ads in magazine painted a picture over time. That is what they are doing here.
The fact is the people who came in are trying to undo much of what was planned and elevate the goals higher. The CT6 was extoled as the flagship for a good while and now it is not going to be it. It will be time before the CT8 arrives and they have stated the CTS and ATS will get major reworks too. So to go out and to try to tell everyone that these are the best cars you can do and then turn around in a couple years and replace them will hurt credibility. This gives them time to work with and start off with a good foundation.
I will not claim to be right yet and in no way will I claim you are wrong yet as we still have a ways to go before we can sort this out.
Even you have to admit that in two months of an extensive campaign is a little premature.
The way you INSIST on discussing the campaign instead of the slogan itself is my win.
A first impression can't be taken back. It made me snicker the first time I heard it.
I think the name of the campaign means a lot, it's too cheesy in my opinion... That's if Scott lets me have one... But honestly, if there was a great romantic comedy called "Overweight male siting on the couch eating ice cream" I can tell you my wife will not be watching it.
"I think the name of the campaign means a lot, it’s too cheesy in my opinion…"
Thanks Ken.
Cheesy may be too vague a term. I just know it doesn't off the tongue roll-ee so goodly.
Ahem.
John you are getting delusional. Neither of us win here as neither can prove a thing till we let this run is course. It is like arguing about who will win the Daytona race next week. We can make our calls but you have to wait for the race to be run.
I think this slogan has already worked. All of us here know it by heart no matter if we love it or hate it. Now look around and out side the GMC Professional Grade< Ram Tough and BMW with the ultimate driving machine can you name much of a coherent sales slogan from many others?
Lincoln You have a wacked out movie star rambling?
Benz It's Best Or Nothing. I bet few could have names that. That is if and when they use it. I just saw a 2016 missing it.
Chevy Find New Roads. Well they will find a new one soon as few recall this.
Ok how about Ford? Ok give up well it is Go Further? A far cry from have you driven a Ford lately?
Chrysler ,,, Americas Import. Well there is truth in advertising since their new cars are now based on imported models. Slogan not really much impact.
Honda Start Something Special? I had to look that one up not exactly saying something special.
Toyota Lets go places and have guy get bit by a snake thinking it is poisons.
Any ways you get the point. Most marketing right now is not about the slogans. It is about jokes, Humor and telling of features.
Also note Cadillac has targeted most all publications with their new print advertising and also the web is getting more showing up I have seen pop ups with Yahoo and over on Autoblog they have one that is there almost every time it is up with a box that looks like a story extoling the attributes of the new ATS. Today I am getting a Mazda but the last several weeks it has been Cadillac. It even got me to click on it due to the fact I thought it was a story.
Again I except this narrative from Cadillac will transform as the marketing progresses. The Dare Greatly is not a long term slogan and just one to get peoples attention at the start. Based on the comments one way or the other it has worked.
Lets face it I have never seen debate over a Cadillac slogan in the last 40 plus years.
"Neither of us win here as neither can prove a thing till we let this run is course."
Just won AGAIN because you're STILL talking about the campaign and not the poorly worded slogan. And a poorly loaded slogan DOES matter. It looks and sounds hurried.
Again: Daring IS great. You don't need to put GREATLY after the word DARE. It's like selling marble STONELY. Marble IS stone.
Thanks to Ken for admitting the obvious: that Dare Greatly sounds cheesy.
What Cadillac is trying to say is more along these lines: "Success is being your best. Daring to succeed. Success is Cadillac."
Now the buyer is no longer 'daring' to try (or go back to) Cadillac. Instead the buyer IS a success, because they are daring, and so is Cadillac. No one wants to buy a high ticket car that TRIES to DARE GREATLY. They want a car that has already won the race. A success of a car for a successful person.
Who ever exalts himself will be humbled
Never answer a foolish argument of a fool or risk becoming foolish as they are
Now you know why I stopped replying
"This is an article about marketing. Here’s a famous marketing story. It was about a car that was built right and selling well in America. In Europe? It just sat on lots in all the romance language countries. Why? Some pinhead at Chevy never checked to see what Nova means in other countries. ‘No go’.
Names matter. That’s why marketing is an art. Learn quickly."
Learn to fact check. That bit about the Chevrolet Nova is old and throughly discredited nonsense.
http://www.snopes.com/business/misxlate/nova.asp
The only name that matters is Cadillac name.
Graw. It's hard to fact check something originally presented as a fact in a University.
You sound old and dont matter anymore. Take a walk.
Dare Greatly is not a great line, nor a great positioning for the brand.
And history will bear me out - Cadillac is probably the the most impatient, promiscuous marque in the GM lineup: seven agencies in eight years, all with different positionings:
- Leo Burnett Detroit's Super Bowl Fashion Show Disaster
- Hill Holliday Boston 'do you turn on your car, or does your car turn on you?'
- BBH New York (can't remember)
- ATS vs. The World Fallon Mpls (brought back 'standard of the world'). Actually pretty good.
- 'Rogue' - a conglomerate of three agencies, who gave us everything from 'Blowing Doors Off', to 'Stacy's Mom', to the Xenophobic 'N'est-ce pas' guy for the unsellable EVR, creepy wind up chimps, dancing robots, and a sexually ambiguous Cleopatra with David Bowie Music.
- Fire one of the three 'Rogue' agencies (nice to name an agency after a Nissan SUV), hand it to Lowe Campbell Ewald.
- Get rid of Campbell Ewald. Keep Lowe.
- Hire Publicis. Dare greatly. Cross fingers.
(The number of sales VPs, advertising directors, heads of marketing GM has gone through is anyone's guess).
But throwing $12 billion at a car line given their performance over the last five, 10, 20 years (Zig anyone?),
just says bad business decision to me. Or, another way to put it in perspective, Honda's struggling Acura brand is virtually tied with Cadillac in YTD sales. Even the new TLX is tied with ATS and CTS combined. And GMC, as a dance partner, is stepping on Caddy's toes. My Magic 8 Ball says 'Doesn't look good.'
Bingo.
Cadillac should be watching Buick closely. Buick has a small line, 4 out of 5 Consumer Reports RECOMMENDS. The 5th -- Encore -- has stronger customer satisfaction than LaCrosse. And is the #1 selling Buick. So to me, Buick is on the brink of having EVERY car a CR recommend. That's simply AMAZING.
Buick's ad campaign is basically "We're going to surprise you!" They did. Made my first GM purchase ever. Cadillac is trying for "We're going to inspire you!" and that's kind of awesome... but 'Dare Greatly' is painfully bad wording.
Rkt
I bought a. Cadillac exactly 1 year ago. It is by far the best car I have ever owned. Before that I had a Cadillac SRX , and it too was fantastic. In between the two caddys, I had a Buick regal GT . It too was a nice car, but it was not a cadillac. I only had it for 6 mos and 2500 miles when I traded it for my current caddy, an ELR. People give cadillac a hard time about it being too expensive etc etc but when you figure the tesla base price is within $2-3000 of the ELR, and see what is standard on the cadillac , it ends up about $30,000 more resonable .
I figure it is much better looking also.
The ELR has recent happen an award as being one of the most beautiful cars in 2015. The only American car to do so. Japanese cars also struck out. They did not have one. The European cars won most of the honors. The cad came in at no 4 on the list. What an honor. !!
I have had many people stop and ask about it as far a mileage, ride handling quality, and every one really liked it. I absolutely love that car
Mileage is great. The computer says it gets 219 lifetime MPG.
There are months, that I never buy a drop of liquid gold. I filled one month and only took .059 gal of gas. That is economy !!!
Cadillac needs to advertise the ELR a lot more. Same as Chevrolet needs to advertise the volt. I have owned 3 volts and loved them all
The fact is GM marketing as a whole has been dismal over the last 25 years outside the Like a Rock line.
But to attack Calillac at this point is a little premature. They started the new marketing line with the intro at the NYC of the CT6.
The Road test on the ATS V are just now really coming out and the CTS V will be out Aug 3rd. These cars will be featured much as the cars near the dealers that are still a month or two away. These cars will focus attention on the entire line from that point. If anyone has noticed there has been a large increase in print ads that has had some of the best photo's I have seen in years in them.
Next will be TV but you do not want to push much in May, June or July as with the 2016's arrivals not due till late August you can peak early and not even have the product in the dealers. What could you do worse than to get people excited and then not have product in the dealers. The changed to the standard CTS and ATS also deserve for the marketing to wait for them as with the improvements it will be something they will want to feature.
Also GM marketing is not going to be fixed right out of the gate. It takes timing and placement to really get the message across. You want the people looking when you are ready and not before.
Ford has done a hell of a job marketing as they have convinced many they invented the DI Turbo with out ever claiming they did. They make it sound as if no one ever made a vehicle out of aluminum when all the Semi trucks and Potato chip trucks have been made from it for decades. They even have people thinking that the Ford trucks are 750 lighter than everyone when the truth is it is just that much lighter than their own over weight truck How did they do that and not lie. Good marketing. It is not so much what you say but how you say it.
I expect Cadillac will be fine but they need to get product into the dealers and the incoming new models are just no there yet. The push starts in August most times and we will see it then. I expect much after the Aug 3 embargo on the CTSV to tie into the entire line.
Scott, the important thing in the world of marketing it is to convince people that what you say is true; you had reason with the Ford marketing issue.
Here in Spain the Slogan of Audi is " A La Vanguardía De La Técnica " "at the forefront of technology " and it is lying in great part, but people think it's true, especially in AWD technology and LED lights, that many people here think that Audi put the first LED light on the story when that is not so.
Cadillac Need a more aggresive message, more visual impact and character; bit something massive
"Cadillac Need a more aggresive message, more visual impact and character; bit something massive."
Agreed.
America is in a transition. Confederate flags coming down. Gay marriage rainbow flags going up. Tradition is dying. Evolution is flying.
Cadillac as brand, in my opinion, must pull of the mind-blowing marketing trick of being both remembering it's heritage while abandoning it. Simultaneously.
Years and years ago Kellogg's had an ad where people were tasting a mystery cereal. The adults tried it, considered it, and thought it was really quite good. But what was it, they asked? The announcer answers, "Try Kellogg's Corn Flakes again... for the first time." All their faces were delighted. To rediscover an old friend.
If I were in a marketing dept, I'd offer something along these lines: "There's nothing more American than Cadillac." Right there, you here a throwback to history. But as I said above: tradition is dying, evolution is flying. And so that nod to classic Cadillac would be married to extremely modern game changer people in the headlines.
For instance: Tim Cook in a Cadillac saying "Nothing is more American than Cadillac" is brand jarring. "Wait... what did he just say?!?" Michelle Obama in a Cadillac. Jon Stewart.
This type of idea was recently tried by marrying Ellen DeGeneres to JCPenney. With disastrous results. Not entirely her fault, but because a vocal minority of the base customer hated 'the gay'. If Cadillac has the same base customer, and only that customer, this would be a very bad idea.
However, if that's not the case, re-branding Cadillac as part of the 'new' America might work. After all, I think many of us who've been buying foreign cars for ages have done so with one regret: that American cars haven't been stepping up to the plate. That American cars haven't been 'in the game'.
I know that's changing. As is America. I'm just connecting the two.
Johnathan we are two months in on the new marketing you need to let them follow through.
Once the new cars for 2016 are release or nearing the dealers you will see more.
Good marketing is like a stage play and this is only the first act.
And some stage plays get cancelled after a week of bad reviews and dwindling attendance.
I said this before in an earlier post, "The Head Of Cadillac Marketing Should Be Fired Now", I got Lambasted for that comment and then I Figured out why, because them Morons are the Enemy and Love that Cadillac is keeping their Great Cars on the Down-Low, that's the only reason I can figure out how someone can Justify that the Marketing is fine when it's non existent!!! I like Scott3 cause he be bringin it, but to say wait till model year 2016 for the Commercials to start rolling when you had Awesome Cars in 2014-2015 with 0 Marketing and while they just sit on lots from people not knowing their Greatness is Insane!!! Start the Marketing Now and roll into 2016 and beyond Extremely Stronger........ ;)
Scott,
Halo vehicles as the ATSV and CTSV are not going to "save" Cadillac. As stated before, need to move volumes of the regular lines, and that is not happening.
Just another point August 2015 Car & Driver has comparo of ATSV, M3, and C63. Cadillac comes in last Bimmer 1st. The biggest knock was the interior, cheapness, and smallness. Where not thrilled with sound of turbo V6 either. Found the handling to be top notch.
Martin I never said these would save GM. Look at my post and see that I made no mention of this.
The fact is the next cars up are the V models and that is where they are going to start off the 2016 Season along with the CT6.
The folks who came into Cadillac had nothing and were not happy last August. They have gone to new agencys and new marketing that took 6 months to start with on the Dare Greatly we saw intro'd on the CT6 at NYC.
The next step it to get the next 3 new products out and show case them and not only draw attention to them but to the entire line of CTS and ATS models.
Mid year the CT5 should be out and that will also be featured.
My point was only that by the time the new marketing was starting the present cars had two months at best to be ordered and the new 2016 info was being released. With that said you do not market cars that you can not buy heavily till they are reaching the dealers.
This is why we see cars like the Camaro now but we will not see road test etc till they are near reaching the dealers.
The worst thing you can do it hype the new 2016 ATS with all its changes and then the customer walks in to see it in May and you have to tell them to come back in September.
Car companies do a lot of marketing in August September for the new models. They do more around slow time at Christmas with special to help dealers. Show season is January through March and they market then to sell off the remaining cars and clean up the years sales. May, June and July you just sell off last years models to get them off the floor plan and move to the new models that most customers want.
Just another point publications are all subjective. Others loved the car and even in Autoweek last week they show how they compared the top performance sedans from Germany, Asia and Cadillac and the ATSV won the vote by a wide margin with real people who can afford this car. They were all impressed with the car inside and out and loved the Turbo engine. I could show you more results where the ATS is seen very favorable. Even when it loses they still say they would recommend it as it is nearly as good and often cheaper than a 3 series.
You have to use a little common sense here as you have to view this as what it is subjective results. Toss out the best and the worst and you will find the truth in the middle and Cadillac has done well base on this though process. I can show you similar results for the M3 too.
There is a cultural war going on with GM and Cadillac that no advertising in the world can fix. Cadillac does not know what it is or wants to be, and it's reflected in their product. They appear to want to be American-German sport sedan makers. But secretly do their best work on the modern/old idea of Cadillac as a isolation barge...the cash cow Escalade. Which if sales are of to be noted; IS their best seller and most recognized vehicle across ALL demographics...
The new guard wants to completely throw off the old historic lore and tradition of "old Cadillac" while the old guard wants to keep making snooze mobiles. The problem is that they are both right AND wrong but refuse to compromise.
Cadillac will never be and should not try to be a European interpretation of luxury. And Cadillac cannot be relevant in the future and to younger consumers as a "traditional American luxury car".
That means no aping the Europeans in the Nurburgring time slip wars (an absolutely asinine pursuit for luxury cars anyway - it ruins the ride, and reduces everything about the car to a sports/performance benchmark - both of which are actually not luxurious at all) and stop with the alphabet soup naming nomenclature. The Europeans have been nurturing those for generations. They actually mean something for them. They mean jack sh#t on the rump of a brand new Cadillac. And just as Cody stated, when uttered to a prospective buyer; all they do is garner a blank response. Again the Escalade is THE most recognized and best selling Caddy for a reason. And the Name has alot to do with it.
Next, look at what luxury is actually about - REFINEMENT, Opulence, effortless power, a completely relaxing isolated ride, the feeling of superiority and making the owner feel special and coddled. That is Luxury!
GM/Cadillac needs to make Cadillac the end all be all of those things. And use the latest and greatest in tech and engineering ability to do so. They need to design cars which stand out and look uniquely AMERICAN. They need to remove the bullzeye from BMW, Mercedes, and etc, and put it on the the much more tangible one of pure/ultimate luxury.
Lets be real, Audi, BMW, Mercedes are sold primarily to badge snobs. Most who know next to nothing about why their cars are special or desirable. Nevermind that anything short of a S-Class or A8, or maybe even the 7 series...or not (sorry, BMW does not make Luxury cars, they make really good, expensive, DRIVERS cars) is not a LUXRY car. An E-Class, or 5 series is just a well refined run of the mill German sedan. Nothing more or less. They occasionally are optioned up with alot of unreliable features...more often than not they aren't. Cadillac can't aim for those cars and think they can compete on a even footing. Because the vast majority of the buyers aren't buying them for what physically makes them good. They buy them because of perception.
Cadillac needs to get busy marketing and designing cars that wow people, and immediately impress. Something they did extremely well in their heyday. Cadillac needs to have a design language and product that makes it clear they are playing to their own higher and better standard of "luxury". A standard that compels a buyer to participate in. Cadillac needs to be in TV shows, movies, (the Ceil in Entourage is a very good move, but I can't go out and buy one so nice fail GM) music videos, Video games, the choice ride of celebrities (Escalade is actually doing well here with sales to back it up; unlike the copy-cat, Alphabet soup, ape-mobiles) but I digress.
Come to think of it, Cadillac needs to be what Cadillac was, BUT completely updated for the 21st century.
Sorry, but there is absolutely nothing that compels anyone to buy a modern Cadillac Car except a desire to own American. Frankly all they have going for them is that they are really good European sport sedans from America. If that's all they have, then most will just buy the real deal. Where is the modern AMERICAN Luxury car that everyone keeps asking for? Cadillac - and by extension - Lincoln, sure isn't building one. Chrysler is not doing too bad, but they don't have the money to really exploit and develop a car worthy of the niche they reinvigorated with the 300. So they soldier on moving to their own band, with the 300 appealing to those who wish it was 1955, but understand they are in fact in 2015...and on a budget.
The culture war was won last August when they were given $12 Billion a move to NYC and all the bits they need to be successful. Now the only issue is time to get all the work done.
At this point the good guys won and are in charge but it takes time to fix things from where just good enough was being played.
Mark Ruess fought the culture war and won an now has his people in place so they no longer have to argue over the price of a door handle.
There is a lot going on and you just need to give it time to happen now. Building new cars and their own engines along with the marketing was not going to happen in 10 months.