Cadillac isn’t playing dumb. The luxury brand knows its in dire need of new products, specifically in the hot crossover and SUV space, but those vehicles won’t be arriving until next year. So, what’s a brand to do in the meantime? Build and shift perceptions.
That is Cadillac chief marketing officer Uwe Ellinghaus’ job for 2017. The marketing executive recently told of how he plans to continue building the brand through its “Dare Greatly” marketing motif and with a greater ad presence.
Ellinghaus spoke to Nasdaq regarding what 2017 means for the brand and how it plans to utilize the time before all-new product begins to arrive for the brand. Specifically, the Cadillac CMO said in no way is 2017 a “brand pause.”
“There’s no denying we need more SUVs,” Ellinghaus said. “But this will all come from 2018 onwards,” he said. “So for me, 2017 is a great year of creative freedom. It’s by no means a brand pause.”
This year will include ads featuring the Escala concept vehicle, which has no plans for production. But Ellinghaus sees it as an excellent tool to build the brand.
“We need the brand to be even more desirable to also generate sales for our existing portfolio — and I don’t think we have anything more sexy and exciting than the Escala.”
We can expect two new crossovers and overhauled CTS and ATS sedans starting in 2018 after this product hiatus, and for dealers, they can’t come soon enough.
Comments
So we’ll see an XT3 and XT7 and also a CT2 (ATS) and CT4 (CTS)? Here is where I’m confused with CT6 a bit. Shouldn’t they have called it a CT5 and than ATS a CT1 and CTS a CT3? Man, It’s confusing.
Assuming odd numbers = 4 doors, even numbers = 2 doors? Ala BMW e.g.? Or are they going to switch it around and have it the other way?
Since 2018 will be the year of the product blitz and coming out hiatus then will 2017 be the year of the reveal meaning that if a XT3 or CT4 will be available in early 2018 then wouldn’t Cadillac want to introduce these models at car shows 6 to 9 months in advance to whet the appetite of the public and create a buzz?
New product cannot come soon enough. We know what to expect with the SUVs and crossovers, but I am more interested to see what Cadillac does with sedans. Sedans are a shrinking segment, and the CT6 kind of complicated the lineup. It is more of a tweener between midsize and fullsize. Here are some of my thoughts on fixing the lineup:
1. They stay in the same markets. ATS becomes CT2 and CTS becomes CT4, CT6 is still an tweener.
2. ATS and CTS merge to become a tweener CT4, leaving CT6 to be the midsize option and room for a larger flagship sedan above, while also opening room for a CT2 Subcompact.
3. Reposition CT6. ATS and CTS stay in their markets, but ATS becomes CT4, CTS becomes CT6, and room is left for a larger CT8 and smaller CT2.
Just some thoughts, I’m sure Cadillac has a plan, but I think CT6 really threw a wrench in the lineup. Also, I wish they had adopted a naming structure more in line with BMW (sedans and crossovers are odd numbers, coupes and coupe-like SUVS are odds).
Generally agree with you but the monkey wrench in the sedan plans has been the mass exodus to crossover vehicles.
I think Cadillac intended to do a sub ATS, a CTS, CT6 and a ‘CT8’ but now that sedan sales are petering out they have to rethink that strategy and focus on crossovers.
The naming nomenclature will be similar to BMW (1,3,5,7) in the end with the CT6 being the odd ball.
It’s still a safe bet that we’ll se the refreshed XTS debut in New York given that there have been recent spy shots of the car looking pretty much production ready.
I have a feeling that sedans will be pushed aside in favor of utility vehicles….thats is why the CT8 have been caned….I dont see a real future in sedans since they probably have the ability to make CUVs lightweight, roomy and powerfull in the future.
Luxury sedans will be around for years to come.
Yes they are playing a smaller role in the marketplace but for all segments, sales of luxury sedans in 2016 totaled over 880000 units.
Cadillac and other manufacturers are not going to run away from that kind of volume anytime soon.
In comparison luxury crossovers and SUV’s were over 1150000 units.
It’s a wise move by Cadillac to focus on increasing brand awareness during this short product hiatus. Hopefully the message is clear that Cadillac is here to cater to genuine luxury buyers who’re in this market willing to spend top dollar on the best they have to offer! Display more of what makes Cadillac Cadillac! Showcase the engineering and technology powering their latest offerings! Avoid the gimmicks! Then get to work on those much-needed CUV and SUV models, while ironing out the shortcomings of the current sedans!
True, this is the perfect time to enhance the brand’s meaning and relevance.
On a separate note, I can’t help but notice that Uwe (and Melody) use ‘I/me’
more than they do the more team-friendly ‘we/our’ descriptors. Which makes it seem like they’re as concerned with building their own personal brands as they are building the brand that hired them.
Just an observation. Could probably use a little PR coaching.
I can’t say that I have a great deal of faith in Mr. Ellinghaus. Being a retired Advertising Executive, I believe I know what good advertising is. I also know that good advertising sells product. The Dare Greatly Campaign is simply not good advertising. It is, in my opinion, the reason Cadillac sales are soft. if Mr. Ellinghaus believes the Dare Greatly Campaign has been successful, he should be fired. I can only hope that someone figures this out before its too late.
Showcasing the Escala as to what we will see as the new face of Cadillac starting in 2018 is the way to go if that happens.
If its to radical a change then the face of the XT5 and CT6 will look old or out of place with whats coming .
One change that has been showing up lately on wheels and front fenders are a colorless shield and I hope that isnt a sign of doing the same to the shield on the grill and decklid . It would be a mistake , its just to plain looking .
Cadillac refreshing its current sedans and coming out with new crossovers will finally be a complete portfolio .
I believe the Escala in the early 2020’s will show up in some form as their flagship . I don’t believe the CT8 has been canceled but just put on the back burner . Had the public not gone crazy with crossover fever the car may have shown up sooner in a more production ready concept .
The Dare Greatly advertising theme has got a year to get the public interested in whats coming , I hope its better than what we have seen in the last few months .
they said that they have no plans to put the Escala in production and the fastback A7 design won’t work for Cadillac.
Too bad !!! the Escala is a gorgeous design that deserves to be built.
The Escala may or may not actually make it to production in it’s current showcar form but it’s design language and looks will filter down to other Cadillac models that will make it to production.
Rye maybe you don’t want the Escala to make it to production because if it did you wouldn’t be able to post your usual gripe about ‘slab sided and boring’ Cadillac designs.
good point….the concepts don’t have the same slab-sided profile that the current Caddys do.