Not content with its current campaign, Cadillac has officially dumped its advertising agency and put the account up for grabs.
"As we continue the renaissance of the Cadillac brand, we are looking for the best agency partner to deliver outstanding advertising that attracts the luxury vehicle buyer," said Bryan Nesbitt, the designer turned general manager of Cadillac.
The announcement comes as somewhat of a surprise as Cadillac's advertising was generally considered the best creative within GM. Not sure what direction Nesbitt is expected to take, but it will go down as one of his first big decisions as the new general manager.
cruiserhead1 says:
01:03 PM, 10/ 9/09
The problem with Cadillac ads is that they speak to trendy, hip markets and don't speak to luxury, quality or premium luxury experience.
It's a good decision, I hope they take the marketing out of the playroom and start appealing to the demographics that regularly spend $50K on a sedan.
desmolicious says:
01:19 PM, 10/ 9/09
The screen shot demonstrates the problem. Now matter how cool and sexy that woman is, it sold the Caddy as a 'chick' car just by the association.
Which is a huge turn off for men. They should have aimed it at men, and women would have bought it anyway.
Kinda like a woman can wear a man's dress shirt and look great doing it, but a man putting on his g/f's blouse? Not so much...
thejohnp says:
02:11 PM, 10/ 9/09
Hope they're not trying to go to Sterling Cooper, because they're going to find out too late that it's just on a TV show.
brn says:
02:12 PM, 10/ 9/09
Isn't always considering ad agency options SOP?
compliance says:
02:15 PM, 10/ 9/09
I hate those Cadillac ads. They're too smug and self important. The woman in them needs to lay off the cigarettes.
questionlp says:
02:36 PM, 10/ 9/09
@compliance,
And the problem is? That's the demographic that fits perfectly with non-enthusiastic Cadillac owners!
[end slight-sarcasm]
ctpax says:
02:44 PM, 10/ 9/09
the setting in caddilac ads is always dark night sky with street lights on each side of the road. Not very attractive. I can't even see the details of the car! And the drivers who drive then aren't very convincing either.
blueguydotcom says:
03:02 PM, 10/ 9/09
The ads work if all of you remember this much detail and who was in them. I can't tell you a thing about any ad from inifiniti, bmw, lexus, mb, audi. Nada. Zip. Are there people in the ads? Music? Taglines? I got nothing. But caddy hit it out of the park when you guys actually remember something. Negative is better than zero reaction.
actualsize says:
04:26 PM, 10/ 9/09
I hated the ads shown in the photo, too. And they played incessantly during the Tour de France programming I watched this summer. Good riddance. GM needs to focus more on product and less on emotion -- in their ads and in their vehicles.
estreka says:
04:37 PM, 10/ 9/09
Infiniti used to have awesome commercials in the 90's.
I always thought Caddy had great commercials. Aren't Caddy sales WAY up since this campaign started?
desmolicious says:
05:14 PM, 10/ 9/09
"The ads work if all of you remember this much detail and who was in them."
Disagree. I, for one, only remember the ad because there is a big photo of it at the top of this story. Jogs the memory. I'm sure we would have the same reaction if a photo was posted for anyone else's nationally run commercial.
zoomzoomn says:
05:50 AM, 10/10/09
Yeah, Kate Walsh is HOT, but that does not make me run to the Caddy dealer...unless, of course, she is in the Caddy!!!
stovt001 says:
09:17 AM, 10/10/09
I can see where the Cadillac ads could use some improvement, but overall they're a nice change from the usual luxury car ads that feature the same soft-spoken narrator going over the same luxury car cliches. Cadillac's ads at least stirred passion and excitement.
isellcars00 says:
10:25 AM, 10/10/09
stovt001:"Cadillac's ads at least stirred passion and excitement."
Yeah! More automakers should include scantily clad women speaking in sexual innuendos in order to stir our "passion and excitement".
hondacura4 says:
01:20 PM, 10/10/09
Although this commercial is easily memorable mostly because of the celebrity, the exploitation of the product shouldn't have to rely on a celebrity to explain how competent the product is. The commercial should give the potential consumer just enough information to stir his/her interest to go analyze and test the product themselves. That way the product speaks for itself.
Cadillac is smart for the change but they certainly aren't the only ones who've used a celebrity to potentially stir interest.
sylvia says:
04:12 PM, 10/10/09
I guess someone or something didn't return the favor...
zoomzoomn says:
04:48 AM, 10/12/09
sylvia says:
04:12 PM, 10/10/09
"I guess someone or something didn't return the favor..."
Good one! See? Someone paid attention to the ad. So how's that new Caddy drive, Sylvia?
steve_ says:
02:09 PM, 10/13/09
What I see in that screen shot is a very uncomfortable looking driving position. Hipsters slouch. Gotta sell to your market.