I Believe Harley Earl Is Turning Over In His Grave!

[Jon S]

Article from Fortune Magazine follows, but first - My opinion - The question becomes who in GM gives a 33 year old such power to destroy a mainstay and why would one move to SoHo from Detroit?  She states "We want to be a global luxury brand that happens to sell cars. We don’t want to be an automotive brand,” Lee said in an interview. “There is nothing that exciting about an ad with a car in it by itself. We need to start injecting more humanity into our brand and into our advertising.”

Personally I never heard such crap in my life!  Perhaps Melody Lee could take some advice from BMW - BMW’s New Ad Slogan Is "Designed For Driving Pleasure" . . . a noble concept!  Their original "The Ultimate Driving Machine" and more recent "Sheer Driving Pleasure" and "JOY" advertising campaigns, the slogans and taglines BMW has come up with have been some of the most memorable in the industry.  Don't gt me wrong, I'm no BMW fan, but they do have the right marketing message.  Cars are driving machines and driving should be fun!

In order to keep its advertising fresh, however, BMW, like any other firm, needs to come up with new lines every now and then.  The automaker has announced it’s about to launch a new international advertising campaign that borrows from the past but also highlights a new focus on design.  And the new slogan for the latest campaign is "Designed For Driving Pleasure."

Cadillac has been the ultimate American driving experience for over a Century - why would GM Brass allow Ms. Lee to destroy that image?  I say toss the bum out!

Here's the Fortune article:

"As Cadillac moves from Detroit to New York City, Melody Lee is rethinking what it means to be a luxury car brand.

In 2012, before Melody Lee joined Cadillac, she wouldn’t have ever thought about buying a Escalade or a CTS Sedan. For the past two years, she has devoted her career to changing her own mind â€" as well as drivers everywhere â€" about what a Cadillac driver looks like.

As the director of brand and reputation strategy for General Motor’s GM -1.05% luxury line of cars, Lee is working to transform the way that drivers perceive the 112 year old brand. Just 33 years old, Lee was a strategic hire for Cadillac as it seeks to be reconsidered by “30-somethings on the cusp of success” who have the income to drive a Cadillac, says Lee.

But to get more millennials like herself to start thinking about buying a Cadillac as opposed to an Audi or a BMW, Lee isn’t focusing on the cars themselves. Instead, she is putting her energy into changing what the cars represent.

“We want to be a global luxury brand that happens to sell cars. We don’t want to be an automotive brand,” Lee said in an interview. “There is nothing that exciting about an ad with a car in it by itself. We need to start injecting more humanity into our brand and into our advertising.”

A large part of Lee’s push to rethink Cadillac’s image is GM’s recent decision to move the brand’s headquarters from Detroit to New York City. Standing in Cadillac’s newly purchased office space on the 16th floor of a building in trendy SoHo with panoramic views of the city, Lee told Fortune that the office will be used a recruiting tool as much as anything else. To become the global luxury brand that Lee wants Cadillac to be, she knows that she needs to attract other great minds to come work for her.

“Physical separation from Detroit was necessary for us,” she said. “If we are going to truly be a global luxury brand, we need to distance ourselves a little bit from our mothership. 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.”

Aside from setting up their headquarters in the middle of the nation’s luxury mecca, Cadillac is also pursuing creative partnerships with other brands to get drivers to see the cars in places other than at auto shows and in car dealerships. Last Christmas, for example, Cadillac took over the store windows at Saks Fifth Avenue in New York and filled them with Escalades. Doing so lets women, who have a huge amount of influence when it comes to purchasing cars, a chance to reimagine what type of person drives a Cadillac, she explained.

Lee also understands that people don’t just drive cars to drive cars: They drive cars to get somewhere and have an experience. With that sentiment in mind, Lee has organized “experimental driving” experiences for drivers thinking about what their next car will be. In five cities across the country, Cadillac has rented out Michelin-star restaurants out for the night and allowed interested buyers test drive a car to the restaurant. They then get a fantastic five-course meal, a cook book and are driven home in another Cadillac model.

Lee believes that these types of programs will convert more buyers than traditional discount programs, but convincing her fellow GM colleagues of the same has been challenging. Referring to the automotive industry as an “old boy’s club,” Lee shared that she is often the youngest person in a meeting and quite frequently the only woman. She deals with a lot of skepticism when she pushes for a different strategy, but she finds that the fact that she embodies one of Cadillac’s key customer targets helps her case.

“I’ll often say, ‘Well, do you want a millennials perspective?’ You have one right here,” she said.

Also, in some ways, the recent recall disaster by Cadillac’s parent, General Motors, has helped Lee and her team’s case for pushing the boundaries of what Cadillac means and represents, says Lee. The ignition switch failure was a signal to senior management that they needed to start doing things differently, providing more support for Cadillac’s move to New York and its new efforts to recruit drivers.

“There is a real desire to change the future and the behaviors at General Motors,” she said. “We got this ground swell of support from people who said this is absolutely the kind of risk that we need to take. The recall fueled this change at Cadillac.”

But fancy office buildings, cars in the windows of luxury department stores and “experimental driving programs” aside, will Cadillac’s plan really work? The verdict is still out, says David Whiston, a senior equity analyst for Morningstar. Cadillac is selling around 270,000 cars annually, compared with Audi, which sells over 1.5 million. Luxury is a crowded spaced, he added, and it will take time for Cadillac to see results. Alec Gutierrez, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book, added that although Cadillac “completely overhauled their product portfolio from top to bottom,” their cars are still not at the at a point to justify their high price point.

For Lee’s part, she believes if she can get drivers to see Cadillac in a different light, sales with follow.

“I don’t buy products, I buy brands,” explained Lee. “I don’t use Apple computers because they are the best computers, I use them because Apple is cool. We need to show drivers what the Cadillac lifestyle is all about.”

[Walter Youshock]

Oh, my.  What a sad state of affairs

Reminds me of the tart who approached me years ago at the local dealership when I took the '82 Brougham in for an oil change.  Her claim to fame was she was a graduate of "Catera College".  She didn't know a damn thing about cadillacs outside of the fact that they carried her dead relatives from the funeral home to the cemetery.

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

It sure seems that the Division (Cadillac) will need its own pall bearers soon if the current trend towards obscurity and anonymity continues.
Greg Surfas

[Jon S]

Oh, my.  What a sad state of affairs

Reminds me of the tart who approached me years ago at the local dealership when I took the '82 Brougham in for an oil change.  Her claim to fame was she was a graduate of "Catera College".  She didn't know a damn thing about cadillacs outside of the fact that they carried her dead relatives from the funeral home to the cemetery.

"tart" is a nice word!  Seriously, it is sad what is happening . . .

[Walter Youshock]

This was 15 years ago.

Part of her sales pitch was fwd.  I asked her if she knew what the weight distribution of rwd cadillacs was.  And the distribution of weight on the 67 and subsequent full-frame Eldorado and seville.   She hadn't a clue.  Or that these cars had ever been built by Cadillac.

I proudly drove away in my time-bomb Brougham.

[Jon S]

This was 15 years ago.

Even worse.  I thought in 2000 people still hired competent employees.  Guess not!

[Bill Balkie 24172]

Sadly , Al good things must come to an End . There is nothing else to say  .  I wonder if she ever sat in a 66 Fleetwood ? or any other Cadillac built before 1970 .

  Bill

[Walter Youshock]

I would hope she no longer includes "Catera College" on her resume.

By now, she most likely doesn't need to "work".  I'm sure she's not married to a Catera customer. ..

[savemy67]

Jon,

Thanks for posting the article.

I don't think Ms. Lee realizes the impact of what she is saying when she says, “I don’t use Apple computers because they are the best computers, I use them because Apple is cool..."  Cool comes and goes, so I guess she will dump Apple computers when they stop being cool.  Does she expect Cadillac buyers to dump Cadillac when Cadillac stops being cool?  That would appear to be one possible outcome of her strategy.  I am generalizing, but I get the feeling that technology has made millennials confused over what is real and what is ephemeral.

European and Japanese makes became "cool" because the manufacturers paid attention to performance and quality, while Cadillac lost sight of these factors in the 80's.  If I have the money to buy a Cadillac, I probably have the money to buy a BMW, Audi, Lexus, or any number of cars.  If Cadillac wants to be "cool", it needs to build a hot, reliable car.  Virtue is its own reward.  Becoming again the "standard of the world" will generate far more "cool" than a five course meal. 

Christopher Winter

[Walter Youshock]

Wonder what's in her garage?   A Tesla?  A Prius?

[55 cadi]

I would hope that in a possition that she is in, or anyone in that kind of position would represent the brand they are in charge of. I know it's not the way it is, but should be.

She should have a Cadillac in her garage, to not have one as a GM is a shame, and to me says you don't believe in what you are there for, and don't believe in the product you are representing.

Someone should ask her what she drives, furthermore she should come out and say what she drives in her comments about the company, the fact that she doesn't proudly state what Cadillac she drives I think proves she doesn't have a Cadillac in her garage.

I would bet whatever was labeled as a "cool" or treandy car to have is what she has.

Horrible to think, that is who is running Cadillac! So to be expected now, Cadillac will be changing on a yearly basis on what represents Cadillac. Following the next trend.............instead of being the trend and status 

So long to the saying " it's the Cadillac" meaning best of the best of a brand..........best of the best does not follow trends, it makes them.

[57eldoking]

The current branding strategy of Cadillac and to a lesser extent Buick is appalling! It seems they're hellbent on turning Cadillac into BMW with full blessing from GM. The Facebook post below from this past Thursday made me cringe. Trying to draw some obscure connection between a re-badged Opel and design icons like the Y-Job and 53 Skylark is distasteful! Mr. Earl would not approve!!

[Walter Youshock]

This has been building for decades.  The 1975/76 Seville was purposefully designed to compete with Mercedes.

Cadillac has been following rather than leading for many years.

[Rich S]

Although I hope for the best for our favorite marque, I am truly disappointed with GM management for following these sad examples of individuals with paper credentials but little business sense. They seemingly admit their ignorance about the brand and its heritage through what they advocate. Johan DeNyscheen and Ewe Ellinghaus are others who come to mind in the present Cadillac Motor Division management that are determined to match the German brands model for model. Sales continue to plummet. The ELR has been a flop, the ATS Coupe is selling far less than the CTS Coupe (which they foolishly discontinued) and now they are on the brink of a new model naming scheme (one that is merely alpha-numerics--something that should be reserved for export versions). March 31st the 2016 Cadillac "CT6 Sedan" will be revealed at the New York Auto Show, and hopefully it will be such a fine automobile it won't matter what it is called--but I'm not holding my breath. It leads me to believe all this is done with the approval of Mary Barra, whom I read was a "car person," and even possesses a vintage GM classic Camaro, but alas, permits these misguided attempts to re-invent the Cadillac brand. It saddens me that this may quite likely be the beginning of the end for a great American brand. When an established brand tries too hard to reinvent itself (remember the "New Coke") it is likely to fail; similarly, when a brand becomes merely an "imitator" of another brand, it will be doomed. Bring out some of the DNA that is Cadillac in each new model (exclusive paint colors, ultra-posh interiors materials and exclusive colors, bold styling, automatic parking brake releases and cornering lamps--even the Tesla features those! Other examples abound) and Cadillacs will sell!

[Big Apple Caddy]

A problem at Cadillac is that today's luxury buyers don't want what made a Cadillac a Cadillac decades ago i.e. full-size sedans and coupes.  Full-size personal luxury coupes went "out of style" starting in the 1990s and full-size luxury sedans followed shortly after that.

Another problem is that today's luxury buyers don’t seem to want a Cadillac pretending to be a BMW which is basically what the ATS and CTS are.

Cadillac's success right now is largely coming from its crossovers and SUVs like the SRX, the brand's #1 seller since 2010 but due for an update, and the new Escalade.

[Jon S]

All these CTS, CT6, etc badges drive me nuts. I have no clue what is what. Bring back the sedan de Ville AND Coupe de Ville, Fleetwood , etc. and display our heritage. Even Lincoln and Chrysler are dropping nameplates in favor of numbers. Cadillac Management needs a revamped marketing plan playing on Cadillac's heritage BUT I hate to say it, the next generation has no idea of Cadillac's heritage. Maybe they need to follow Corvette's policy. The Stingray was reintroduced and the Z06 has been a stable for some time. Buick is a lost cause and their advertising is horrible. Cadillac needs to demonstrate sophistication, power and success as their theme. It's not too late, but the clock is ticking.

[Walter Youshock]

Buick is the new Cadillac.   It has some fine traditional American cars.  Sadly, the Park Avenue was sold only in China.  It was a luxury sedan that hardened back to the 1966/67 Fleetwood brougham. At least Buicks have names.  Not some alphabet soup spoonful of inane letters that supposedly mean something.   

Several funeral directors I know (myself included) drive buicks as their daily cars.

[Jon S]

I personally think Buick's 4x4's are ugly and the advertisements to find the Buick are lame. I used to drive Buick Electras and Oldsmobile 98's up until 1984. After that I gave up.

[Big Apple Caddy]

Buick is a lost cause and their advertising is horrible.

Buick's sales have climbed steadily since 2009.   Still not where they used to be in the U.S., although at record levels worldwide, but at least moving in the right direction with some nice product.   Their newest model, Encore, is exceeding sales expectations right now.

It may or may not be built but the Buck Avenir concept car also received a lot of positive press recently.

[Jeff Rosansky CLC #28373]

When I think of Cadillac, I think of old and big.  There was a time when a Cadillac had options you couldn't get in an anything else.  You would get in them and just be in awe.  Now, you can get an Impala equipped almost as nicely as a CTS, TDS, or whatever they are now.  A Cadillac used to be a status symbol.  If you had a Cadillac, you have "arrived."  Now the local Cadillac dealer has a sign in the window saying "Credit Help Here."  You knew what they were at night with the vertical taillights.  Now, I can't tell one from another.  I don't even know who their target buyer is now.  What a shame. 
Jeff