The compact luxury segment is the entry point for new luxury buyers as far as luxury cars are concerned. BMW has managed to hold on to a major share of the segment for almost three decades. Cadillac is trying to make its presence felt through its ATS model. The 2013 ATS is a small car by Cadillac in over 20 years and has been positioned to take on BMW 3 series directly. The car will be launched in the US in late August but will be exported later to tap the Asia and Middle East market. The new car will play an important role in Cadillac’s global expansion plans. The car maker is launching an elaborate advertising campaign to support the ATS model break into a tough segment.
The Vehicle That is Fun to Drive
Molly Peck, director of advertising and sales promotion at Cadillac is well aware of the challenge she faces. It is a significant move on the part of the company and needs appropriate advertising backup. The buyers in this segment are looking for vehicles that are fun to drive and it is not easy to express this element through ads. So the campaign has positioned the new car as a challenger that is taking on the tough conditions around the world. Winding road product demos are used extensively in automotive advertising and Cadillac has put a twist on it. The two minute film that has been launched on You Tube is called ‘Cadillac ATS vs the World’. It showcases the car’s agility and driving performance in the deserts of Morocco and Formula One streets of Monaco, China’s Guoliang Tunnels and Patagonia in Chile.
The Campaign to be Launched During London Olympics
The campaign will be launched formally during the opening ceremony of the London Olympic Games that is expected to have a large viewership around the world. Sixty and thirty second TV spots will be aired on July 27 and continue through the fall. The TV ads will be accompanied by print. In all over 40 ads and online video shorts have been made for the campaign. The films in the campaign have been directed by Joe Berlinger and automotive photographer and filmmaker Jeff Zwart. The series of films is hosted by actor and filmmaker Ross Thomas. He is known for his passion for extreme sports and adventure traveling. He is the perfect host to take you through the dramatic driving conditions in the campaign. Derek Hill, the champion race driver and son of Phil Hill, the only American to win the Formula One World Driving Championship, is navigating the tough roads in Cadillac ATS in the films.
The Cadillac ATSÂ Ad Capture the Essence of the Car
The Monte Carlo portion of the film was shot in May during the Monaco Grand Prix. The ATS takes over 100 corners while covering a three mile course in Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. The car was driven through the Guoliang Tunnel in China. Remote controlled helicopters were used to shoot some of the portions. Peck wanted to project the fact that the car is a nimble, quick and fun vehicle and she is happy that the ads have been able to capture the essence of the car. Cadillac has become active on social sites as well and trying to connect to potential buyers on Facebook.
