Another new marketing agency in a line of changed agencies:

 

DETROIT – Cadillac announced today the appointment of Publicis Worldwide as its global creative agency of record. Publicis Worldwide is the largest creative agency of the Publicis Groupe network and its appointment to Cadillac is effective immediately.

A fully dedicated team, comprising key managers from Publicis Worldwide, will lead the account and have access to specialist and premium resources within the larger Publicis Groupe.

“This appointment is designed to accelerate the global expansion and elevation of Cadillac into a truly global luxury brand,” said Cadillac Chief Marketing Officer Uwe Ellinghaus. “We have spent much of this year refocusing on the core values of our brand. Adding Publicis Worldwide to our team —with its undisputed expertise in luxury brand building — will further our progress globally.”

Arthur Sadoun, CEO of Publicis Worldwide added: “For us, this appointment is an honor and a privilege. We will work passionately with the client leadership team to strengthen the power of the Cadillac brand.”

Cadillac’s creative and strategic agency of record since 2013 had been Lowe and Partners, part of the Interpublic Group of Companies.

“We sincerely appreciate the dedication and service the Lowe team has brought to our brand,” Ellinghaus said. “The agency has aided Cadillac in a time of transition and contributed significantly to the development of its brand positioning.”

CT6.  So the new large Cadillac is like a 6-Series BMW, and the current CTS should be renamed CT5?  And the ATS can be a CT3?  Hmmmm

DETROIT – Cadillac announced today that its new, high-technology car positioned at the top of its range will be called Cadillac CT6.

“The Cadillac CT6 continues our brand’s elevation and global growth,” said Uwe Ellinghaus, Cadillac chief marketing officer. “CT6 will constitute an entirely new approach to the prestige sedan, emphasizing a dynamic driving experience and advanced technology.”

When it launches in late-2015, the CT6 will expand the Cadillac range upwards – meaning it will not replace any current product. Positioned above today’s CTS and XTS product lines, the CT6 aims to join the elite group of top-class large luxury cars.

Currently in development, the new RWD-oriented sedan uses advanced, lightweight materials and new body construction techniques to reduce fuel consumption while enhancing driving dynamics and safety.

“This Cadillac will be the lightest and most agile car in the class of top-level large luxury sedans,” said Travis Hester, executive chief engineer, Cadillac CT6. “Using the lessons learned from our dynamic ATS and CTS product lines, we have developed an entirely new vehicle architecture for the CT6. It will employ a mixed material philosophy that combines the best and most efficient components optimized for each area of this new top-of-the-range car.”

The model name CT6 is derived from Cadillac’s use of CTS for its centerpiece carline, the current version of which is Motor Trend Car of the Year for 2014, Road & Track’s Best Luxury Sedan and one of Car and Driver’s “10Best.” The name also indicates a coming shift to a simplified naming convention for future Cadillac models. Under this strategy, familiar lettering like “CT” would be used for car models, with the number indicating the relative size and position of the cars in the hierarchy of Cadillac models.

“As we expand the portfolio, we can assist consumers in placing the cars within a structure, as they compare cars both within our showroom and across the market generally,” Ellinghaus said. “However, this will be an evolutionary process – we will only change a product’s name when the product itself is redesigned or an all-new model is created, as in this instance.”

The Cadillac CT6 will be assembled in Detroit, part of a previously announced $384 million investment in the Detroit-Hamtramck plant. Tools and equipment unique to the CT6 were installed recently at the plant. Production is slated to begin in the fourth quarter of 2015.

Cadillac continued to show strong sales of the Cadillac SRX crossover in July.  Surprisingly Escalade sales were up sharply, bringing Cadillac to a 37% share of the large luxury SUV market.  GM’s Truck and Crossover sales were up across the board.

ATS continued around 1/4 of where it should be in sales — about 9k-10k per month to match the 3-series, and 1/2 of Cadillac’s initial target of 5k/mo.  CTS just edged out XTS at 2039 vs 1939 units.

Cadillac found the key to ELR sales, with 188 off to happy new owners in July.  Easily the best sales month for the electric Cadillac ever.

“Sales of utility vehicles soared in July because American families feel better about the economy than they have in a long time, and they are finding an incredible variety of redesigned and all-new models in our showrooms,” said Kurt McNeil, U.S. vice president of Sales Operations. “Small, compact, medium, large – sales were strong across the board.”