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Cadillac Advertising Then and Now

Started by jdemerson, October 24, 2020, 08:22:13 AM

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jdemerson

For a little context, let me begin by stating preferences. I love old cars, especially old Cadillacs, and am in the midst of some restoration work on my '52. I'm also interested in present-day cars, and I prefer sedans, coupes, convertibles, and limousines to trucks and SUVs. And I'm interested in advertising, especially print advertising, for Cadillacs from 1903 through 2021 (as well as some other makes). Here I will focus mostly on present-day advertising; I'll note that of all Cadillac of the past decade, the model that is most appealing to me is the 2020 CT6 Platinum/CT6-V. That is the model that, for me, best lived up to the traditions of  the great Cadillacs of the 40s, 50s, and 60s.

Over many years -- decades -- Cadillac had some great advertising. Much of it focused on the product itself, and made the case that a Cadillac was indeed "The Standard of the World". This was not the case, however, for the advertising of the past decade. In particular, the "Dare Greatly" campaign was a turnoff, though I vaguely recall one ad that connected the present models to the great models of the 50s. I think Cadillac has made a strategic mistake in abandoning the CT6 in the U.S., especially given that that model is produced and sold in China. I can't help but wonder if the CT6 might still be alive in the U.S. if it had been effectively marketed as the superior, technologically advanced, and highly desirable model that is was.

I just watched an introductory promotion for a German competitor of the CT6 Platinum with Supercruise (my opinion that these models are competitors, but I think I could defend it). I found it very effective advertising for many reasons, including these:

  • It showed s few of the great models that were a part of its legacy from many decades ago;
  • It focuses on the car itself, and what makes it a very superior product;
  • It also focuses on the prospective owner, and just how the superior product brings benefits and satisfaction to the prospective owner;
  • And it does all this in a way that still takes into account 21st Century values (e.g., safety, environmental).


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8wIrkpi64E


As I watched this, I couldn't help but feel that a current Cadillac CT6 Platinum with SuperCruise could make just as strong a case! And, yes, I'd like to see the production line included, and the test tracks, and the design studios. I know the model in the video promotion will be a great car in 2021 and beyond. But Cadillac could still be marketing a large sedan that could credible be called "Standard of the World" even if its sales in the U.S. market were relatviely modest.  A lost opportunity....

John Emerson
John Emerson
Middlebury, Vermont
CLC member #26790
1952 Series 6219X
http://bit.ly/21AGnvn

jdemerson

Can someone tell me what to do to make the above posting wrap properly? When I veiw it the lines spill way out to the right...
Thanks.
John Emerson
Middlebury, Vermont
CLC member #26790
1952 Series 6219X
http://bit.ly/21AGnvn

Eric DeVirgilis CLC# 8621

Quote from: jdemerson on October 24, 2020, 08:27:45 AM
Can someone tell me what to do to make the above posting wrap properly? When I veiw it the lines spill way out to the right...
Thanks.

Amen.
A Cadillac Motorcar is a Possession for which there is no Acceptable Substitute

Big Apple Caddy

Quote from: jdemerson on October 24, 2020, 08:27:45 AM
Can someone tell me what to do to make the above posting wrap properly? When I veiw it the lines spill way out to the right...
Thanks.

Edit your post and replace the link with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8wIrkpi64E

As far as the CT6 goes, it was discontinued here for the largely the same reasons that the Buick LaCrosse, Chevrolet Impala, Ford Taurus, and Lincoln Continental were.  In North America, large sedans simply do not have the appeal (nor profits) that crossovers, SUVs and trucks do right now.  Both imports and domestics have seen sharp declines in sedan sales here, despite overall new vehicle sales being up (ignoring this year).  Record sales that brands like Audi, BMW, Land Rover, Lexus, Mercedes-Benz, etc. have seen here in recent years are thanks to strong growth of their crossover/SUV portfolios.

While Cadillac at least still offers sedans (CT4 and CT5) in North America, domestic brands Buick, Ford and Lincoln are completely out of the sedan business here as of the 2021 model year.

I am hoping that sedans will eventually make a comeback, perhaps in the "electrified" automotive world, but time will tell.

jdemerson

Mr. Langley,

Thank you!  I replaced the link and it worked.  I have no idea why, or what is going on. Have not had this difficulty in the past. So thank you for the fix!

I agree with your comments about the CT6 and sales trends. But note that BMW, MB, Audi, Lexus all still do sell their most premium sedans here in the U.S.  I believe it is a mistake that Cadillac is not doing that. The CT5 may be a fine car, but it doesn't compete in the market mentioned.

John
John Emerson
Middlebury, Vermont
CLC member #26790
1952 Series 6219X
http://bit.ly/21AGnvn

Big Apple Caddy

Quote from: jdemerson on October 24, 2020, 11:16:30 AM
I agree with your comments about the CT6 and sales trends. But note that BMW, MB, Audi, Lexus all still do sell their most premium sedans here in the U.S.  I believe it is a mistake that Cadillac is not doing that. The CT5 may be a fine car, but it doesn't compete in the market mentioned.

BMW, Mercedes-Benz, etc. are stronger brands globally and therefore can more easily justify continuing to offer products even in the weaker segments.  Cadillac, for example, basically has no presence in Europe and Japan.  Around 95% of Cadillac's sales come from the U.S. and China.

Also, Cadillac isn't abandoning the large sedan market forever as the Celestiq is due out in a couple of years.  It will be very pricey to start but will presumably spawn cheaper variants after that, depending on how things go.  I would assume that Cadillac will eventually want to offer something competitive with the Lucid Air, Tesla Model S, etc.  A lot will depend on how the EV market progresses.  It's certainly not going to happen overnight but Cadillac and others seem to be betting a lot on the future of EVs.  The Detroit-Hamtramck Assembly plant, where the Cadillac CT6 had been built, is being converted to EV production.

jdemerson

The points of the original post are these:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8wIrkpi64E


  • The type of advertising posted by a significant competitor of Cadillac seems unusual in this day and age, and I found it VERY impressive. Does anyone else?
  • The focus on the attributes of the vehicle itself, and the arguments for its superiority, seem especially effective in making an appeal for a luxury car.
  • The 2020 CT6 Platinum and CT6-V models could credibly make comparable claims, they are first-rate products that could have gone head-to-head with the new model from the competition.
  • "Back in the day", Cadillac DID make credible claims for being the "Standard of the World". Should advertising for a truly superior product focus on the product itself, as it did years ago?

John Emerson
John Emerson
Middlebury, Vermont
CLC member #26790
1952 Series 6219X
http://bit.ly/21AGnvn

wrench

#7
I am wondering how to separate the advertising from the vehicle.

In the example in the original post, they have done a great job of integrating both.

That may the root of its appeal. I think it also brings the second question into focus.

What is the product? You might say it’s the whole package. Or you might say it’s ‘sustainability, or technology, or safety, or serenity. The advertisers here are very slick and appeal to many ‘products’.

I think they could do it in less than a half hour, but that’s just me.

But see? That’s how marketing is done in this day and age. Post a video on YouTube and generate metrics. How many people watched the whole thing, when did the pause, when did they rewind, what part did they watch more than once?

Who are they? What else do they watch? What is their income category, what is their zip code? What is their email address? Have they signed off on the terms and conditions where we can drill into their consumer identity and start advertising the product to them directly.

And on and on.

It’s predicting your behavior. It’s Madison Ave on steroids.

So if Cadillac wants to participate in this game, they need to suit up and play ball.

The problem is that information flows so fast nowadays, if you drop the ball, everyone knows it in an instant. I’m not sure GM and Cadillac management are equipped for that level of accountability.
1951 Series 62 Sedan
1969 Eldorado
1970 Eldorado (Triple Black w/power roof)
1958 Apache 3/4 ton 4x4
2005 F250
2014 FLHP
2014 SRX

Big Apple Caddy

I think the issue is more about "The auto industry Then and Now" (and going forward)  than "Advertising Then and Now."  I don’t think marketing had much, if anything, to do with low CT6 sales.  The market for large sedans in the U.S. just isn't what it used to be.  This was especially hard on Cadillac which had been so heavily tied to that segment for so long.

Despite brands like Audi, BMW, Lexus, and Mercedes-Benz seeing record sales in the U.S. within the last five years, sales of their large sedans have been/remained poor.  In 2019, U.S. sales of the Audi A8, BMW 7 series, Lexus LS, and Mercedes-Benz S-Class (which includes coupe and convertible) COMBINED were less than 30,000 units.

Cadillac's sales decline in the U.S. (globally they actually had a record year in 2019) is not because of poor marketing.  I think it had more to do with them not having expanded aggressively enough into the crossover/SUV market.  Now we have this shift to electrification going on in the industry which will be Cadillac's next defining moment.

J. Skelly

Cadillac hasn't had the selection of body styles and wheelbases to compete with M-B's and BMW's car product lines in quite some time.  Now the trend is toward SUVs and crossovers.  The electrification market in the U.S. is quite limited until the infrastructure improves enough where people feel confident in taking their vehicles on long trips.  The market share for electric is still quite low, and will probably remain low until it becomes a national priority to provide charging stations such as we had with the interstate highway system in the 1950s.
Jim Skelly, CLC #15958
1968 Eldorado
1977 Eldorado Biarritz
1971 Eldorado (RIP)

jdemerson

Quote from: jdemerson on October 26, 2020, 06:23:59 AM
  • The 2020 CT6 Platinum and CT6-V models could credibly make comparable claims, they are first-rate products that could have gone head-to-head with the new model from the competition.
  • "Back in the day", Cadillac DID make credible claims for being the "Standard of the World". Should advertising for a truly superior product focus on the product itself, as it did years ago?

Not sure it's good manners to quote one's own previous post... I was reminded of this thread again when I saw a report that Consumer Reports tested 27 different "driver assistance" packages on various new cars, and the Cadillac CT6 SuperCruise came in #1 in the list. It was well ahead of that of a well known electric car company in California that gets a lot of press for its moves toward autonomous driving (NOT something I want!). BTW I haven't seen the actual report yet.

When Cadillac models from years 2011 through 2020 are 40 to 50 years old, I believe that the CT6 Platinum and CT6-V will be among the most collectible luxury cars in the world -- at least tied with a certain "S-Class" and ahead of another certain "Model S". I'll disagree with those who give all the reasons that cars like these won't be restorable because of their electronics, technology, etc., etc.  It will be a very different world 50 years from now, and there will always be car enthusiasts who are devoted to excellent cars from the distant past.

John Emerson
Middlebury, Vermont
CLC member #26790
1952 Series 6219X
http://bit.ly/21AGnvn

59-in-pieces

A contribution from Mr. Blunt Aza Spoon.

It seems to me that the Standard of the World advertising addressed a very real need for a car with reliability in an era of poor roads, few and far between places for repairs, and lets not forget the frugal man - even with means - wanted his purchases to last = get his money's worth.
A depression a war - after all - spawned a couple generations of - I remember.....

Today however: Look at me, vacuous, hedonistic, self absorbed, members of the disposable society run rampant.
It's the glitz, splash, glamour, and cutting edge GRAPHIC tech that lures buyers- younger as they are (still playing video games) - while the rest of us are getting longer in the tooth, while hording our hard earned shekels for old age.
And oh sure, reminiscing references to how well it's made - echoes parental admonishments - but by no means a strong motivator for the younger consumer.

And those kinds of seductions are reinforced by the 2 or 3 year term LEASE - for who buys cars any more - after all I wont drive it all that long - that's the next guy's problem.

In conclusion, GM and perhaps even more, the Cadillac Division are consistently late to the party to recognize and provide the next WHAT EVERYBODY WANTS - not used to need - car.
I fear that Cadillac has lost its Ingenuity, Innovation, and design genetic edges, and replaced them with the Follow the Pack gene.
Where is Harley E., when we need him.

Have fun,
Steve B.
S. Butcher

Big Apple Caddy

Quote from: jdemerson on October 29, 2020, 08:03:06 AM
Not sure it's good manners to quote one's own previous post... I was reminded of this thread again when I saw a report that Consumer Reports tested 27 different "driver assistance" packages on various new cars, and the Cadillac CT6 SuperCruise came in #1 in the list. It was well ahead of that of a well known electric car company in California that gets a lot of press for its moves toward autonomous driving (NOT something I want!). BTW I haven't seen the actual report yet.

When Cadillac models from years 2011 through 2020 are 40 to 50 years old, I believe that the CT6 Platinum and CT6-V will be among the most collectible luxury cars in the world -- at least tied with a certain "S-Class" and ahead of another certain "Model S". I'll disagree with those who give all the reasons that cars like these won't be restorable because of their electronics, technology, etc., etc.  It will be a very different world 50 years from now, and there will always be car enthusiasts who are devoted to excellent cars from the distant past.

This will depend on a few factors, including how popular sedans are 40 to 50 years from now.  If sedans make a comeback then old/classic sedans will have appeal similar to how old SUVs like the Chevrolet Blazer, Dodge Ram Charger, Ford Bronco, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Toyota Land Cruiser, etc. do today thanks in part to the popularity of new SUVs.  Same with pickups.  If, however, sedans are out of favor then the CT6 and other sedans like it may not have much appeal especially since they also didn't have much appeal when new.

I agree with you about restorability.  Just as cars become more advanced as far as electronics, technology, etc. so will the technology, tools, etc. to restore them.  The biggest hurdle for the collectability of ICE cars in the future may be environmental regulations and/or general attitudes regarding ICE cars.  Time will tell how all of  that plays out.