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Former Cadillac Marketing Director Melody Lee Responds To Cadillac Move Back To Detroit

Former Cadillac Director of Marketing Melody Lee took to LinkedIn this week to respond to the news that GM’s historic luxury brand is relocating from Manhattan to Detroit – or more precisely, Detroit’s neighboring city of Warren. Cadillac moved its headquarters to Manhattan roughly four years ago in an attempt to immerse itself more deeply in the sort of wealthy, cosmopolitan culture the marque wants to reflect.

“For every single one of you rejoicing in [Cadillac’s] return, there is someone who has given their all to the brand (whether you thought they did it the right or wrong way), and is despondent over the news,” Melody Lee wrote in a post on LinkedIn Thursday. “The reverse was true in 2015, and I didn’t think through how people really were affected. I regret that deeply and ask you not to make the same mistake in the way you’re characterizing this.”

Cadillac House New York City

Lee was a big proponent of the Cadillac move from Detroit to New York four years ago, telling Fortune in a 2014 interview that “physical separation from Detroit was necessary.”

“If we are going to truly be a global luxury brand, we need to distance ourselves a little bit from our mothership,” she said. “Everyone in New York is always just a little bit ahead of everyone else and we need to be the brand that stands for that.”

She also suggested that the Cadillac move to Manhattan would be beneficial to hiring, as top talent would more easily be drawn to a New York location than one in the Detroit area.

As divisive as the move to Manhattan was at the time, many analysts came to agree that it was, ultimately, a sensible move for the brand. It never sat quite so well with Detroit’s citizenry, however, who felt the move was taking valuable jobs away from an already economically depressed area. And it was more than a little perverse, as Cadillac – born from the remnants of the Henry Ford Company – was in fact named in honor of Detroit’s very founder: Antoine de la Mothe Cadillac.

Aaron Brzozowski is a writer and motoring enthusiast from Detroit with an affinity for '80s German steel. He is not active on the Twitter these days, but you may send him a courier pigeon.

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Comments

  1. The lady doth protest too much as Cadillac’s move to New York City didn’t do anything.. Cadillac’s image is still about the same as it was 4-5 years ago while sales have fallen; one has to think Melody Lee possibly knew what was going to happen and why she decided to leave Cadillac.

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    1. Agree. At the end of the day, location of HQ is largely irrelevant — could be in Alaska for all I care. What matters more is whether the product is world-class or not.

      But if you pick HQ in the most expensive city in the US while sales are dwindling, don’t be surprised when the bean counters move it back.

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    2. Thats because there are no new models yet. New models will bring the image. But now without NYC…( What a stupid move from bean counters. *ucking scums..

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    3. I think this is the most relevant point. If we’d seen some shocking improvement in Cadillac’s marketing since moving to NYC, I’d say there would be a real case for them staying there. As it sits however, Caddy’s marketing right now seems little improved over what they had 4 years ago – still crappy. This is true for almost all of GM, with the possible exception of GMC.

      I do think they should keep Cadillac House and some kind of presence in New York for the visibility, but I’m not so worried about them moving Cadillac HQ back to Michigan.

      Reply
  2. ms. lee should concentrate on that her next gig working for a startup that attempts to make money doing something that is absolutely trivial.

    cadillac just needs to build great cars. i don’t care where their headquarters is. the product will speak for itself.

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  3. When they move again they should go straight to silicon valley and poach some talent from Tesla, Google, and Apple. Cadillac’s future is clearly electric and they need the best artists, engineers, and marketers in the world to forge a new identity.

    At the very least they could fix Cue once and for all. Yeah, it’s not that bad anymore, but it’s not great either, and Cadillac need to be 125% better than the competition to have any hope of turning around their reputation and making Cadillacs cool again.

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    1. I agree. I feel that, in order for GM to have a more competitive edge against its opponents, its headquarters and research facilities should be located in areas with highly educated workers like Silicon Valley, Houston, and Boston. This effort would allow the company to hire a lot of smart freshly graduated professionals from top-tier universities, which would help improve their products in the long run. I highly doubt an engineering graduate from UCLA would trade in their sunny California weather, beaches, and Poké bars to live in an economically devastated, polluted, and high crime city such as Detroit.

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  4. The thriving, energetic place that birthed Cadillac in 1902 is far different from the decaying corpse that that same town has become today. There is no shame in leaving it even if one’s name comes from the town’s founder. As I see it, Detroit in the early 20th Century was then what Silicon Valley is today. It was a town flush with cash and filled with innovators and pioneers that were quite literally changing the world. In the process, they were building a great city filled with stunning monuments to themselves and their companies, and great public spaces. They and the City were on the ascent and seemingly unstoppable.

    Today’s Detroit, in the early 21st Century, is the polar opposite of what it was over 100 years ago . Cadillac was wise to leave and most unwise to return.

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  5. NYC is not a car-centric town. Yellow cabs and Uber are preferred transportation. All the poor employees that had to relocate to one of the most expensive areas in the country. Now move back to Mich. Stupid

    Reply
    1. “NYC is not a car-centric town.”

      No but it is, by far, a luxury-driven town; the largest on Earth.

      It isn’t about just selling cars anymore. It’s about the experience.

      Reply
      1. You could argue that Las Vegas is more luxurious and larger than NYC…

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  6. Wise bunch of posters on here today. Build a world-class quality product, regardless of where the headquarters is and the product will sale. AMEN!

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  7. Mercedes just moved from NE NJ, just outside NYC, to Georgia.

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    1. How is that relevant compared to Cadillac. Mercedes is an autonomous automaker to itself.

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  8. Porsche’s US HQ are in Atlanta, as well.

    But – I still shake my head re: the amount of rope Cadillac gave Ms Lee and Mr Ellinghaus.

    Men’s fashion line. Men’s Fashion Week. Chartered helicopters to the Hamptons for a chosen few. Book by Cadillac. Dare Greatly. Flying the XT5 into Manhattan (during Fashion Week).
    Fashion shows & art exhibitions at Cadillac House (NY, Shanghai and -um- Munich?).

    With the art and fashion crowd Ms Lee was running with, I’m surprised she doesn’t have a gig already.

    There is, you’d suppose, some wisdom in doing something in the absence of new product.

    But, it’s hard to think of one thing Cadillac really got right during the Melody & Uwe years. Not trying to be harsh – and I’m sure everyone worked their tails off.

    NY would’ve made sense if there was brilliant mktng or stellar adverts or something, in the absence of product.

    But it’s hard to think of one, just one, idea that actually worked.

    Reply
    1. No these ideas didn’t work in the 4-year timeframe you gave them.

      So let’s do some philosophy instead of group-assuming here. Has brand-marketing worked before? Are you ready to deny that it has worked ever, for anyone?

      Let’s look at Ferrari, now helmed by the Marlboro cigarette company simultaneous-CEO. In the 1990’s under Di Montezemolo, Ferrari launched themselves as a “brand” not just a OEM. They started selling models, hats, shirts, key rings, badges, patches, all the little trinkets that are meaningless but attach to one’s body as jewelry. By 2000, Ferrari was making shed loads of money from this stuff, partly from the people who bought the shiny sh!t, and partly from Marlboro for the subliminal marketing to kids for cancer sticks as they bought historical models and picture-shirts with cancer branding all over them. By 2018, they were making so much money from the subliminal marketing that it was far more important for their profits than long-process-engineered cars which must be built in Italy (unlike the millions of cancer sticks made in Vietnam and southern China). Ferrari carmaking is now only a tiny part of the profits generated from the cancer-sticks that Ferrari “branding” is selling so hard.

      Cadillac wanted some of this. They were moral enough to avoid the cancer-stick co-habitation, but they thought the fashion-&-trinket market would be good for them. And they were right. Until you rightwingnut bob’s bottom cushion complainers jumped on the bandwagon with your “Cadillac should be Livery, Cadillac should be Hearse, Cadillac should be Retired Accountant’s cars !!!” After the kids heard that (and today’s kids hear everything on the internet) they said “not for me, nope, old curmudgeons aren’t my style”.

      Do you think Marlboro invested so heavily in Ferrari, and reaps so much cancer-cash in return, only to let Ferrari pose an image of “Ferrari’s are only for old rich guys”?

      Cadillac genuinely tried to get out from under the Livery image, but you rightwingers won’t let it. Make America Great Again? Not by constantly criticizing every effort Cadillac makes. Stupidity, again from rightwingnuts.

      Reply
      1. Hey Cupcake, how are you enjoying your 401K? The GDP that’s grown at over a 4% rate for the last two quarters? ISIS (Obama’s “JV Team”) getting wiped out? How about peace suddenly breaking out on the Korean peninsula?

        With that aside, I have never noticed any on my side ever say that “Cadillac is only livery, or hearses, accountant’s cars.” In fact, I’d wager that the #MAGA crew buys American cars at a greater rate than those who vote straight blue.

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      2. MAGA

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      3. This guy (old trumbone) is clearly butt-hurt. He finds some way to bash Trump on every post, even when they have absolutely nothing to do with politics.

        Its one thing to have a differing opinion, but its another to act like a sore loser and b**ch about it every chance you get.

        Reply
        1. Oh there’s plenty of guys here who find a way to fluff Trump on every other post. I come here to get away from politics so I don’t take the bait, but don’t think that silence indicates agreement with Trump’s bloated demagoguery.

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        2. Hey Henry, want your safe space back d’you? Want your trigger-warning labels put on the pages I write in?

          I’ll make you a deal, that’s your kind of politics isn’t it? – if rightwingnuts want to start using reality and science to make their decisions instead of doing everything Rupert Murdoch (the Australian who directs Fox from the top) tells you to, then I’ll stop and give you your safe space back. But since y’all just continue to believe the most fantastical lies by Murdoch/Fox who literally isn’t American, and who is proved to be a mate of Putin, and you continuously attack school teachers to the point that 30% leave after 3 years, 50% leave after 5 years, all owing thousands in debt they would rather clean toilets to pay rather than teach your kids in America, and they commit suicide at rates way higher than any other nation on earth, while you rightwingnuts continuously yell crap at your own kid’s teachers, then try to get this message:

          Teaching in America used to be worthwhile and respected. Along came an Australian infiltrator and used your own media to set you against your own kids’ teachers and turn your entire nation into the dumbest on earth in just 20 years (see how Putin and Murdoch work together here?), for proof look at the PISA, PIRLS and TIMSS scores, American kids are dumb and just getting dumber, and it’s because y’all got triggered by this Australian and how did he do it? By getting you to come into school safe spaces and yell political crap at us teachers. So I’m giving you some back. If you have a problem with Australians giving you crap, then get rid of Murdoch and I’ll go out with him.

          If you have a problem with yelling political crap in spaces it doesn’t belong, then stop doing it to your own kids’ teachers. Treat others as you expect to get treated, or we will come and treat you as you have treated us all these years. In YOUR space….

          Reply
          1. You are one dumbass democrat leftwing nut. Take your misinformed excuse of a mind and go to Red China or North Korea where you will be appreciated. Keep your politics to yourself. Not interested.

            Reply
            1. Not interested? So don’t read it. Obviously, you’re really interested in being the one who responds to it. Triggered.

              Reply
              1. Wasn’t typing to you. Notice where the reply was. Duh.

                Reply
                1. It doesn’t say who the replies are towards, and your post was indented from mine, making it look like a reply to me. Duh.

                  Reply
                  1. Trombone, you’re a genius. I give up.

                    Reply
  9. Still a good idea to have a NYC location to showcase the brand.

    GM must have reviewed the total cost to operate in NYC, which includes many flights and hotels to go back to headquarters, and vice versa.

    The main thing is that Cadillac has many new vehicles to come out over the next two years.

    I did see the new CT6-V sport at the NYC auto show, and if you look at a side by side comparison between the 2018 and the 2019, you will appreciate how much refinement went into this new Escala influenced design. Add to this the twin turbo V8, and it’s a World class performance sedan.

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  10. Eventually vehicles have to go over the curb. JdN, Uwe, Lee all did basically nothing to promote the existing product, specifically the ATS and CTS. In fact you could argue that both of these nameplates were “run into the ground” , so when “their” vehicles came along , they could claim huge gains.

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  11. Interesting discussion points both for staying in NYC and for coming back to Detroit; I would have voted for staying in NYC; I think Johan de Nysschen had a good plan going, which we are starting to see unfold; soaking up and participating in Coastal culture (ala Ms Lee and company) seems like a good approach to me; and de Nysschen’s flamboyant approach to things fit the Cadillac mark. GM management got into too much of a rush. Btw, Ms. Lee is a very attractive young woman (sorry, I guess we’re not supposed to notice that these days), in my opinion, and I am sure, very intelligent and capable for the previous NYC assignment.

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  12. Okay Ms. Lee go ahead and be sad about it, but what I can remember and see about Cadillac marketing since the move to NYC occurred is it was pathetic under your control. Nothing compelling about the adds. Even before bankruptcy we had the 2nd gen CTS being advertised by Kate Walsh. She was beautiful, well spoken, was behind the wheel and described the feeling of driving a world class car. Under you, we got base models in silver on a catwalk style assembly line with dancing robot arms. No emotion, no description, just a whole lot of stupid.

    Just like you believed you needed detachment from HQ, your ads were completely detached from the customer. NYC, you, JDN, Ewe, and the GM bean-counters under Ms. Barra have failed miserably with Cadillac over the last few years. There is a reason why a lot of you are former to GM, whether by choice seeing the writing on the wall or the outright removal by leadership.

    Even Lincoln is way out in front on advertising and their spokesperson is one of the slimiest looking dudes in Matthew McConaughey. He always looks dirty, but It is all perception of the product with his story line. It is warm, explanatory and emotive, showing the best of their product. Dare greatly and robots were cold and with no real spokesperson, seemed distant and elusive.

    During her tenure, Ms. Barra has led GM to a stagnant stock, little to no growth in any segment, a back slide on interior quality, and a corporation losing its identity in America while focusing on mostly boring products for the Chinese market that have no overall appeal in the USA.

    This is just one persons opinion, but it is what I see from being a GM household for as long as I remember. I believe I could probably find a higher quality product, but I have never had my GM vehicles let me down mechanically and that keeps me coming back. I do wish for better interiors though, and of course more power.

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  13. Ms. Lee: Waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah. You didn’t get the job done. That is why you aren’t there, and the rest of the gang. Your ideas stunk. Period.

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  14. Is it not ironic that the car pictured in this article is the CTS-V, a car the NYC marketing team inherited and did absolutely nothing with?

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  15. How many car cos. have any updates or even presence in NYC?

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  16. Who cares what she thinks of it. She can stick it somewhere the sun ain’t shinin’

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  17. Such vitriol as usual towards Ms. Lee, who was not Cadillac’s marketing director, but rather the Director of Brand Marketing before heading up Book.

    Ewe Ellinghaus was Cadillac’s Chief Marketing Officer before being replaced by who the hell knows, and even he didn’t do a bad job considering what he had to work with: a post bankruptcy GM only half focused on their home market, with little compelling product.

    I think Cadillac’s branding efforts failed spectacularly, and that she was probably a bad fit to begin with, but to lay that all at her feet would be unfair. She was an important player, but ultimately she was just a cog in the wheel, who, like Ellinghaus, was working from a bad script to begin with.

    Cadillac fails the same reason GM fails repeatedly, time and time again: incompetence at the HIGHEST levels, shortsightedness, power struggles, an incoherent/misguided product strategy, and a lack of synergy. This unfortunately seems to be the American way.

    So be disappointed in Ms. Lee’s tenure if you want, but be disappointed with all the other people at GM and Cadillac that are equally, if not more so, responsible for their current predicament.

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  18. When will car companies stop trying to market $75k+ cars to millennials who make only make $75k per year? Step away from the narcissistic advertising world and get real. Cadillac has an identity crisis and in case you haven’t noticed, Detroit’s becoming a very energetic hip place with some serious car making talent .. yet still affordable enough to attract the next wave of talent. How many up and coming young people want to spend every ounce of income in high rent areas like LA or NY?

    Reply

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