• by Karl Greenberg , May 16, 2014

Cadillac is back with attitudinal ads that posit the brand as unapologetically affluent. The first such ad got some blowback -- not always a bad thing -- from people who took umbrage with its ostentatious tone and somewhat "Screw you, we're American" zeitgeist. That ad touted the ELR plug-in hybrid and featured a type-A personality who has no problem flaunting his cash and scoffing at Europe's lazy culture avec long vacations.

The new ad is something of a human history of how the rich and powerful move about in 30 seconds and set to David Bowie's "Fame." It's all about the Lincolns (not the auto brand, obviously), except in this case the Lincolns include how the ancient Egyptian royals flaunted it on elephants; the Mughals of India likewise, also on dromedary luxury vehicles, Marie Antoinette-types during Louis XVI and up to the present with a diverse group of Americans driving milk-white Escalades through the country, and pulling up to Bauhaus houses in them. 

The work was via Rogue, a dedicated Caddie working group comprising parts of Campbell Ewald, Lowe and Hill Holliday, notes a GM spokesperson. "It’s a creative way to express the fact that the next-generation Escalade is significantly upgraded, especially the interior," he says. "And it’s expressing the unique feeling and experience that is a bit inherent to Escalade." 

The spot is running in some May “sweeps” prime time, and some cable. Online video as well, he notes. 

Detroit-based Phoenix Marketing's monthly auto advertising and marketing report gauges advertising effectiveness and what works by polling consumers via online survey. They found that ads showing vehicles in action with "relatable storylines" were strong in April. The firm ranked an Infiniti Q50 spot most effective because of its focus on "relatable" features such as preventive safety technology. 

"What we find, particularly in the luxury space, is that people want to be informed about the vehicle itself," says Brian Maraone, VP, Automotive Practice. "We found that it's not just enough to engage the audience, you have to demonstrate or talk about the vehicle." 

Dennis Syrkowski, president of Phoenix Marketing, tells Marketing Daily that marketers have to strike a balance between driving action and building the brand through an emotional connection."The point of all ads is to get consumers to take action. We see ads that do well on engagement but don't result in action. Sometimes even a minor action, such as visiting a Web site. But the balance can be struck."