Cadillac advertising gets a new voice
Cadillac’s Liz Vanzura was
reportedly disgusted with the brand’s Super Bowl spot that depicted
the new 2007 Escalade in a fashion show. The ad apparently flopped in all the meters measuring how much the audience
liked the commercial. In response to Cadillac’s flailing marketing effort she has transferred the marketing
duties for some of the brand’s models away from Leo Burnett, the agency responsible for the Super Bowl fumble, to
an agency called Modernista. According to The Car Connection, Modernista will handle marketing the CTS, SRX, V-Series models and other unnamed cross-brand projects while Leo Burnett will retain the Escalade, DTS, STS and XLR.
Vanzura previously held a job at Volkswagen as head of advertising when that brand’s marketing was on fire and had everyone humming “Da Da Da” all day long. The agency responsible for those ads was Arnold Worldwide and the talent behind the concept was one Lance Jensen who went on to start Modernista.
Modernista currently handles marketing for the HUMMER brand and created the Super Bowl ad in which a HUMMER H3 is born out of the taboo love between a giant lizard and robot. Heh, a giant lizard and robot… marketing gold.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
bernie 5:13PM (3/07/2006)
Hey Liz, what do you expect for $30 million? LOL
Look at the bright side. Hines Ward the MVP chose the POS Escalade instead of the $80,000 XLR. That saved you 30 grand.
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Michael Karesh 5:24PM (3/07/2006)
And I thought I was the only one who found the Superbowl ad pathetic. Escalade as supermodel? Please.
The new Escalade is a tough pitch any way you cut it. The interior is a significant upgrade, but the exterior doesn't look much different than the old one.
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arthur 6:28PM (3/07/2006)
This is a well written and well diagramed post.
Thanks for the info.
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JayP 6:51PM (3/07/2006)
Anyone remember the duck?
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Christopher 8:04PM (3/07/2006)
LOL, yes, the duck, I had forgotten about that! ;-)
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Andrew 9:35PM (3/07/2006)
Um...the exterior doesn't look that different? Go to a GM dealership and go look at a new Escalade parked next to a older model and it's night and day.
Tough pitch? How is that...Cadillac is 2nd only to Lexus in luxury sales and the Escalade is the full size sales leader and will continue to be so.
Please...when you post...think about what you are typing.
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Steve 9:51PM (3/07/2006)
GM should move all its ads to modernista. The Hummer ads are the best they've got. All of them.
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Mike 10:15PM (3/07/2006)
Leo Burnett agency were the brain surgeons who gave us the 'Army of One' ad campaign, despite heavy protest from...the Army.
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speed42 10:18PM (3/07/2006)
At least the Hummer ads are more believable. Giant fire-breathing, earth-destroying monster mates with a giant fire-breathing, earth-destroying robot and their offspring is an H2. Not too far-fetched, actually.
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Michael Karesh 11:56PM (3/07/2006)
Andrew,
I do think about what I type.
What you don't seem to realize is that the average person doesn't see the sort of details you and I see. Yes, I notice a 2007 when I see one. But my wife, my parents, my sister, my friends, etc. don't.
Heck, just look at what you typed. If you have to see them side by side to spot the differences, they're not night and day.
Cadillac is not nearly the sales leader it once was. And it's only the leader in the U.S. Look at global sales, and it's nowhere near the leaders. Maybe in another ten years if GM can afford to keep pumping money into it--it's going to take a lot to hang with Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus.
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the chad 12:12AM (3/08/2006)
The immediate reaction when I hear they're dropping the agency who did the superbowl commercial: AMEN!!!
Worst commercial I've seen in a long time, right up there with the dorky Emerald Nut commercials.
And can we please see an Escalade with something besides the disproportionate 21" wheels? They RUIN the rest of the overall flow of the car, completely detract from the overall fairly nice appearance of the car. And the rounded grill is too similar to the new Yukon's. Needs to differentiate more.
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Tom Design 8:11AM (3/08/2006)
Karesh => I think Cadillac sales in the U.S. are more than Lexus, Mercedes, and BMW combined. Throw in Jaguar while you're at it. You don't have to like the brand, but, a lot of people do and are buying this as a hot luxury vehicle line.
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ZoomZoomin' 12:04PM (3/08/2006)
I thought the ad was kind of cool, but I can easily see how it wouldn't stick well. Cadillac's ads from the previous two Superbowls were pretty awesome though.
It doesn't help that the new Escalade looks less stunning/chiseled/impressive than the old ones on the outside. It's more like the original Escalade...a barely dolled up Tahoe/Yukon. I'm surprised they never compared the aesthetics last gen Escalade (and other Cadillacs) to a diamond or some other cut stone.
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newman 4:16AM (3/09/2006)
Cadillac once ruled the market. Then came the 80's where they lost their identity and became over dressed Oidsmobiles. They bounced back and became Caddy's again and now they are losing it again.Is it just me or is a pickup just flat wrong? There is one in town that has a lift kit and loud exhaust system. Smooth quiet power was their game back in the day. I will always remember Pop flooring his 64 fleetwood at a 110 and getting set back in the seat.That car would move. Too bad the bean counters keep wanting to bring the 80's back. Will I buy a 4 wheel drive thar never see's a dirt road? Nope. I took my 67 mustang (used) and 79Camaro (new) more places than most Escalade's will ever see.
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Don Bass 11:29PM (6/04/2006)
forget the escalade and focus on the hot 41yr old global marketing director. im thinking about buying one after seeing her. very nice pic of her in fast company this month page 28.
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