Well the "puffing" isn't working in their long-standing ad campaign, as their long-standing market-share change has been down, down, down.
Maybe what's wrong with this country, and the reason your neighbors are struggling is because much of the country is "puffing, puffing, puffing" like GM and the puffing politicians who support the Puffers, and very few people of any character and substance.
And I don't think it is very helpful, to promote "puffing" as an acceptable norm, when that sort of crap is prevalent, and dragging this country down big-time. The only place I'd expect to see "puffing" is in the WWE, or some other asinine sport.
Hey circle, couldn't help but notice that in all your objectivity, you cut off the article right where the awards were listed.
It wasn't an article. It's Cadillac.com!
The point was it is not puffing. The awards have nothing to do with NOT being a World's Standard. Go to the website, it's real easy if you want to check out the "awards".
Maybe what's wrong with this country, and the reason your neighbors are struggling is because much of the country is "puffing, puffing, puffing" like GM and the puffing politicians who support the Puffers, and very few people of any character and substance.
Great post as always, kernick.
Unfortunately the U.S. has gone from the country that makes things to the country that makes things up.
Like I'd buy a car by what other world leaders drive, BTW.
Completely missed the point. It's not about your choices, it's about those who choose luxury automobiles. Obviously, the global auto leaders do not include Cadillac.
Do you honestly believe that people who choose luxury automobiles would care about what world leaders drive--especially, knowing some of those world leaders? I know that I laugh about people who are very concerned about image, but that has to be one of the most far-fetched examples I've heard recently.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Oh, this whole "Standard of the World" thing has been rehashed countless times in these forums over the years! Cadillac has been using this slogan for over 100 years and it refers to standardized parts.
"Chevrolet! Building a Better Way to See the USA!" Heck I even remember the music from the commercials. That was for the 1972 lineup of Chevy vehicles.
Per the SRX, I wouldn't buy one simply because it's a cross-over and I hate cross-overs. Give me a nice full-size four-door sedan!
I always got a kick out of this Hyundai ad, which has been circulating for eons now. It doesn't really show off much of the car or its features though, other than passenger-side reclining seats that can apparently be remote controlled by the driver.
"Chevrolet! Building a Better Way to See the USA!" Heck I even remember the music from the commercials. That was for the 1972 lineup of Chevy vehicles.
Chevy had another one: "See the USA in your Chevrolet.....". Also good was the Heartbeat of America.
More recently, a great Chevy commercial for a Camaro. A young man with graduation attire and girlfriend nearby mistakenly thinks his parents are giving him a new Camaro for graduation. Think the girlfriend wanted to marry him because he was to get a Camaro.
I don't even like the Camaro--although a lot of people apparently do--but I love the commercial when the elderly couple instantly become thirty-year olds once they are inside the Camaro.
I also love the commercial about the real-life story of the son finding his Dad's old '65 Impala SS and giving it to him. Doesn't hurt that a '65 Impala is my favorite Impala of all and has been for a long time.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Sorry to interrupt but I posted in this in the LaCrosse forum but traffic there is light so I am hoping to get a better response here.
I lost my cell phone and I am in the market for a replacement. I am considering the iPhone 4 S and the Samsung Galaxy S II. Both phones seem very attractive and are available at a discounted upgrade price on the AT&T network. However, I am leaning toward the iPhone.
My questions are: does the iPhone 4S work as advertised? For example, can I really start my LaCrosse from a remote location? And if I use the Siri function does the audio go through the car speakers? And finally, are there any Bluetooth integration problems synchronizing the iPhone to the car?
On the other hand the graphics in the android-based Galaxy S II is great indoors but I am not sure how it holds up in direct sunlight. Also, how trouble-free is the Galaxy? Are there any Gremlins out there frustrating users? And how trouble-free are the apps on the open source android platform?
I can't answer your specific questions, but I can definitely say that the iPhone is going to give you the widest and most possible functionality, simply because it's pretty much the defacto cellphone standard. Most applications will be available on an iPhone before any other phone.
I would think the Buick web site should have some info on it as to what functions are available "app-wise", as well as a list of certified and tested cellphones that work via Bluetooth on Buicks. Try giving it a shot...
The only place I'd expect to see "puffing" is in the WWE, or some other asinine sport.
Speaking of asinine sports, I saw my first "live" Roller Derby last weekend. I expected it to be hokey, and it was to an extent, but still fun to watch.
I always liked Chevy's commercials touting American vacation spots with a clean-cut, good-looking all-American family on board!
I remember when I first saw a '72 Chevelle. The only appearance difference was the grille and front parking lights (and some colors)--and the grille was not an improvement IMHO over the '71. I couldn't recall when a Chevelle was less-changed from the prior model year. I believe this was due to the lengthy GM strike in the '71 model year which pushed the all-new Chevelle back a year, to '73.
My Dad loved the '71 and '72 Chevelle Sport Coupes, but we never bought one.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
My Dad loved the '71 and '72 Chevelle Sport Coupes, but we never bought one.
My great-aunt and great-uncle had a '71 or '72 Chevelle, but I don't remember much about it, except that it was blue. I don't even remember if it was a coupe or sedan. It got passed down to one of my relatives around 1979 or so, and I think it finally succumbed to rust a couple years later.
They also had a '74 Impala, which I'm also having trouble picturing, but I think it was the Custom Coupe with the B-pillar and stationary rear window, that you paid extra for that year, compared to the hardtop. It was white with a black roof, and had a 400. They used to pull a trailer with it, but then got a 1980 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup to handle that task. By 1984 the Impala was pretty rusty, but the engine still ran well. They gave it to one of our neighbors, and he pulled the engine out of it, rebuilt it and hopped it up, and put it in a race car.
I'd always heard that the 400 smallblock wasn't all that great because the cylinders were siamesed (no water jacket between them). But then, I've heard conflicting info, that they're actually good for building up BECAUSE of that fact...maybe no water jacket between the cylinders means that the block is stronger? So, as long as you can find a way to keep it adequately cooled, it works out okay?
Do you think the government ownership stake in GM bothers you? If you think government ownership harms GM’s image, and would like to share your story with a reporter, e-mail PR@edmunds.com with your daytime contact information no later than Friday, April 27, 2012 at 5 p.m. Pacific/8 p.m. Eastern to be interviewed.
Do you honestly believe that people who choose luxury automobiles would care about what world leaders drive--especially, knowing some of those world leaders? I know that I laugh about people who are very concerned about image, but that has to be one of the most far-fetched examples I've heard recently.
You are absolutely correct.
However, regardless of what world leaders buy vs. us, if you were a world leader, probably you'd want the best. And given their choices, they're not choosing Caddy. Hence, the often stated message that Caddy is the new world standard is known to be hollow.
Wouldn't you expect an effective marketing strategy to be not using a slogan that many/most recognize as hollow and not true? IMHO this slogan does Caddy more harm than good. GM should be making changes.
I'm amazed at how much energy is spent disliking Caddy's longtime advertising slogan. If you didn't think Chevrolet 'built a better way to see the U.S.A.', would you have expected them to stop using that slogan?
Unless it's funny, or nostalgic to me, I find most car commercials to be annoying regardless of brand. Ford's smug/thinks he's funny guy playing down to Gen Y'ers is the most annoying of all to me right now.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Now that we borrow over $4 Billion a day to keep this country afloat, The gov stake in GM is a few days worth of borrowed money. Some would argue almost a week's worth.
We will be borrowing $5B a day soon. I doubt we will ever get back to $3B a day.
The good news is that we import only $1B a day worth of oil, mostly from other N.A. countries. This quantity is dwarfed by the amount we borrow daily.
To put in perspective, as I spend $400 a month for gas, what if I was borrowing that entire $400, plus borrowing another $1200 a month for other stuff that was less important that the gas that gets me to work? Would I then, after behaving like this for 3 years, be able to belittle someone who borrowed a one time sum of $400? A week's worth of my borrowing rate?
A week's worth of our US borrowing is over $28 Billion. I think that exceeds what GM is 'into us' for. And by 'into us', I mean on paper only. We borrowed the money that GM got loaned, and got a 1% interest rate on it.
I'd hate to be the guy who had to justify each of the $28B lots that make up our $15.6T debt to the extent that GM's $28B loan has to be justified. That would be 557 justification reports, with a new one due every 6 days.
Just stack the reports over there next to the 2600 page health care law I also still need to read.
Unless it's funny, or nostalgic to me, I find most car commercials to be annoying regardless of brand. Ford's smug/thinks he's funny guy playing down to Gen Y'ers is the most annoying of all to me right now.
Yes... The Ford commercial I laugh at is the one where they take "3 young cheerleaders" out of their "imports" and put them into a Mustang convertible... top down and all... which, amazingly, they like better.
I'd hate to be the guy on the B.O.D. who put out this statement which is basically why GM is likely to ask for more support down the road. Some things never change.
The dunce cap
This is a rare case where it seems the company's board of directors worked together to place the dunce cap on the hapless CEO's head.
Based on paperwork filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday, Dan Akerson took home $7.7 million in compensation in 2011. This pay package, which was strongly tied to GM's stock performance, tripled Mr. Akerson's pay from the previous year. However, compared to peers Alan Mulally at Ford (NYSE: F ) , who took home $29.5 million in compensation last year, and Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, who earned $22 million, Mr. Akerson's pay package was in the bottom 25% of the industry.
Now here's where things really got interesting. GM's board, in response to yesterday's filing with the SEC, released the following statement concerning executive compensation:
Appropriately recognizing and rewarding these key contributors and competing with other large, multinational employers to attract and retain fresh talent with critical skill sets is extremely difficult. We are not able to deliver compensation for critical personnel in a manner that will continue to focus and drive their efforts in alignment with GM's internal business plan for sustained long-term growth.
Hang on while I go get my violin. Considering that GM's top 20 executives took home between $1.3 million and $8.3 million in total compensation in 2011, I'd be more than happy to relieve them of their duties if making that kind of money leaves them unmotivated enough that lose focus or drive for their duties. Seriously, GM board? You actually thought releasing this statement was prudent?
I'm amazed at how much energy is spent disliking Caddy's longtime advertising slogan. If you didn't think Chevrolet 'built a better way to see the U.S.A.', would you have expected them to stop using that slogan?
I'm amazed that anybody who wants a brand to succeed wouldn't want the best advertising possible.
The Chevy slogan a) wasn't used for 100 years; and b) isn't claiming world dominance or anything like that. So a bit apples to oranges.
I did think Chevy's "motherhood and apple pie" advertising was pretty shallow and a bit insulting. Fortunately that slogan is long gone.
I guess I'm a pitch man's nightmare. A commercial does absolutely nothing to get me to look at a product that I'm already aware of. If I'm looking for a car, I'll know about the product before any expensive piece of advertising hits me over the head about it.
2024 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2LT; 2019 Chevrolet Equinox LT; 2015 Chevrolet Cruze LS
Some of it is reinforcement so you'll have less buyer's remorse after buying something.
And when you start shopping for something, that's when you (me anyway) start paying attention to ads. The rest of the time they are just background noise.
Ads like "Cadillac is the world standard" reinforce the brand's position too. Builds value and goodwill of the brand, even if that value is a bit fuzzy when you try to put a number on it.
With GM selling more cars in China now than the US (many more Buicks than Caddys I suppose), the world standard may have more relevance now than it did in the 50s.
Ads like "Cadillac is the world standard" reinforce the brand's position too. Builds value and goodwill of the brand, even if that value is a bit fuzzy when you try to put a number on it.
With GM selling more cars in China now than the US (many more Buicks than Caddys I suppose), the world standard may have more relevance now than it did in the 50s.
Reinforcing a position that is not in existence at the moment is a waste of AD money, afaic. Moreover, stating it is a "fact" is delirious!
Remember, the target market already knows which brands are the world's leaders. Better to send a message that Caddy will be the New Leader and will do all that's necessary, the "Pursuit of Luxury", so to speak.
Stating you have arrived before you take the first step? So "Old GM", don't you think?? Most of their new offerings aren't yet available!!!
Don't agree with you. GM has had the Cadillac standard in their DNA from the get go and it makes a lot of business sense to continue to reinforce that message.
In its catalog of 2014 model year vehicles OnStar listed the Cadillac ELR. That timing seems about right considering GM’s original 2011 announcement and the fact that we’ve recently spotted prototypes for the ELR roaming the streets of Detroit. GM isn’t shedding any light on the subject, so we’ll just have to wait this one out.
Comments
If a 3-series is 30% of Caddie's level, a 5-series is 50% and so on, my question is... Caddie's level of WHAT?
To Uplanderguy... My brother's LeMans was a medium metallic blue...
I'm holding out for a Popemobile. Talk about a sunroof!
Maybe what's wrong with this country, and the reason your neighbors are struggling is because much of the country is "puffing, puffing, puffing" like GM and the puffing politicians who support the Puffers, and very few people of any character and substance.
And I don't think it is very helpful, to promote "puffing" as an acceptable norm, when that sort of crap is prevalent, and dragging this country down big-time. The only place I'd expect to see "puffing" is in the WWE, or some other asinine sport.
It wasn't an article. It's Cadillac.com!
The point was it is not puffing. The awards have nothing to do with NOT being a World's Standard. Go to the website, it's real easy if you want to check out the "awards".
Regards,
OW
Link/article, whatever. You had to know what I mean.
Point completely missed...again.
It's called advertising. Duh.
Great post as always, kernick.
Unfortunately the U.S. has gone from the country that makes things to the country that makes things up.
Regarding posting the awards: "Go to the website, it's real easy if you want to check out the "awards"."
Regards,
OW
Completely missed the point. It's not about your choices, it's about those who choose luxury automobiles. Obviously, the global auto leaders do not include Cadillac.
Puff on that, GM! :shades:
Regards,
OW
"Chevrolet! Building a Better Way to See the USA!" Heck I even remember the music from the commercials. That was for the 1972 lineup of Chevy vehicles.
Per the SRX, I wouldn't buy one simply because it's a cross-over and I hate cross-overs. Give me a nice full-size four-door sedan!
Yeah, I'm going buy a Mercedes-Benz 770 because Hitler had one!
I'm going to buy a bunch of 1975 Lincoln Continentals because Kim Jong Il had a bunch of them!
Heck, I'm going to buy a 1942 ZIS because Stalin was so awesome he had a car named after him!
http://www.cadillac.com/experience/luxury-auto-awards-accolades.html
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7nGDMp_nzk
Prepare to Want One?
How about prepare to feel buyer's remorse and have your car depreciate so fast you're upside down and can't sell it but at least it's under warranty.
Cars That Make Sense was a better campaign for Hyundai. Could even be used again today.
http://www.cadillac.com/experience/luxury-auto-awards-accolades.html
Great post as always, uplander.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Chevy had another one: "See the USA in your Chevrolet.....". Also good was the Heartbeat of America.
More recently, a great Chevy commercial for a Camaro. A young man with graduation attire and girlfriend nearby mistakenly thinks his parents are giving him a new Camaro for graduation. Think the girlfriend wanted to marry him because he was to get a Camaro.
I also love the commercial about the real-life story of the son finding his Dad's old '65 Impala SS and giving it to him. Doesn't hurt that a '65 Impala is my favorite Impala of all and has been for a long time.
I lost my cell phone and I am in the market for a replacement. I am considering the iPhone 4 S and the Samsung Galaxy S II. Both phones seem very attractive and are available at a discounted upgrade price on the AT&T network. However, I am leaning toward the iPhone.
My questions are: does the iPhone 4S work as advertised? For example, can I really start my LaCrosse from a remote location? And if I use the Siri function does the audio go through the car speakers? And finally, are there any Bluetooth integration problems synchronizing the iPhone to the car?
On the other hand the graphics in the android-based Galaxy S II is great indoors but I am not sure how it holds up in direct sunlight. Also, how trouble-free is the Galaxy? Are there any Gremlins out there frustrating users? And how trouble-free are the apps on the open source android platform?
Any and all comments are much appreciated.
I can't answer your specific questions, but I can definitely say that the iPhone is going to give you the widest and most possible functionality, simply because it's pretty much the defacto cellphone standard. Most applications will be available on an iPhone before any other phone.
I would think the Buick web site should have some info on it as to what functions are available "app-wise", as well as a list of certified and tested cellphones that work via Bluetooth on Buicks. Try giving it a shot...
http://www.buick.com/tools/intellilink-car-radio.html
Good luck!
One of the better Super Bowl Ads this year:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8dIUJH6wV4E
This ad should have appealed across a number of generations. Youngsters to parents to grandparents.
Speaking of asinine sports, I saw my first "live" Roller Derby last weekend. I expected it to be hokey, and it was to an extent, but still fun to watch.
Yep! That's the one!
I wonder how many liters/100KM it rated, not that any despot that owns such a vehicle could care....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pu-TnCo4yQ8&feature=results_video&playnext=1&list- =PLA4734D824965EEBB
I always liked Chevy's commercials touting American vacation spots with a clean-cut, good-looking all-American family on board!
I remember when I first saw a '72 Chevelle. The only appearance difference was the grille and front parking lights (and some colors)--and the grille was not an improvement IMHO over the '71. I couldn't recall when a Chevelle was less-changed from the prior model year. I believe this was due to the lengthy GM strike in the '71 model year which pushed the all-new Chevelle back a year, to '73.
My Dad loved the '71 and '72 Chevelle Sport Coupes, but we never bought one.
My great-aunt and great-uncle had a '71 or '72 Chevelle, but I don't remember much about it, except that it was blue. I don't even remember if it was a coupe or sedan. It got passed down to one of my relatives around 1979 or so, and I think it finally succumbed to rust a couple years later.
They also had a '74 Impala, which I'm also having trouble picturing, but I think it was the Custom Coupe with the B-pillar and stationary rear window, that you paid extra for that year, compared to the hardtop. It was white with a black roof, and had a 400. They used to pull a trailer with it, but then got a 1980 Chevy 3/4 ton pickup to handle that task. By 1984 the Impala was pretty rusty, but the engine still ran well. They gave it to one of our neighbors, and he pulled the engine out of it, rebuilt it and hopped it up, and put it in a race car.
I'd always heard that the 400 smallblock wasn't all that great because the cylinders were siamesed (no water jacket between them). But then, I've heard conflicting info, that they're actually good for building up BECAUSE of that fact...maybe no water jacket between the cylinders means that the block is stronger? So, as long as you can find a way to keep it adequately cooled, it works out okay?
You are absolutely correct.
However, regardless of what world leaders buy vs. us, if you were a world leader, probably you'd want the best. And given their choices, they're not choosing Caddy. Hence, the often stated message that Caddy is the new world standard is known to be hollow.
Wouldn't you expect an effective marketing strategy to be not using a slogan that many/most recognize as hollow and not true? IMHO this slogan does Caddy more harm than good. GM should be making changes.
Unless it's funny, or nostalgic to me, I find most car commercials to be annoying regardless of brand. Ford's smug/thinks he's funny guy playing down to Gen Y'ers is the most annoying of all to me right now.
We will be borrowing $5B a day soon. I doubt we will ever get back to $3B a day.
The good news is that we import only $1B a day worth of oil, mostly from other N.A. countries. This quantity is dwarfed by the amount we borrow daily.
To put in perspective, as I spend $400 a month for gas, what if I was borrowing that entire $400, plus borrowing another $1200 a month for other stuff that was less important that the gas that gets me to work? Would I then, after behaving like this for 3 years, be able to belittle someone who borrowed a one time sum of $400? A week's worth of my borrowing rate?
A week's worth of our US borrowing is over $28 Billion. I think that exceeds what GM is 'into us' for. And by 'into us', I mean on paper only. We borrowed the money that GM got loaned, and got a 1% interest rate on it.
I'd hate to be the guy who had to justify each of the $28B lots that make up our $15.6T debt to the extent that GM's $28B loan has to be justified. That would be 557 justification reports, with a new one due every 6 days.
Just stack the reports over there next to the 2600 page health care law I also still need to read.
Yes... The Ford commercial I laugh at is the one where they take "3 young cheerleaders" out of their "imports" and put them into a Mustang convertible... top down and all... which, amazingly, they like better.
Who knew???
That's the Old GM peeking out! :lemon:
Regards,
OW
The dunce cap
This is a rare case where it seems the company's board of directors worked together to place the dunce cap on the hapless CEO's head.
Based on paperwork filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday, Dan Akerson took home $7.7 million in compensation in 2011. This pay package, which was strongly tied to GM's stock performance, tripled Mr. Akerson's pay from the previous year. However, compared to peers Alan Mulally at Ford (NYSE: F ) , who took home $29.5 million in compensation last year, and Chrysler-Fiat CEO Sergio Marchionne, who earned $22 million, Mr. Akerson's pay package was in the bottom 25% of the industry.
Now here's where things really got interesting. GM's board, in response to yesterday's filing with the SEC, released the following statement concerning executive compensation:
Appropriately recognizing and rewarding these key contributors and competing with other large, multinational employers to attract and retain fresh talent with critical skill sets is extremely difficult. We are not able to deliver compensation for critical personnel in a manner that will continue to focus and drive their efforts in alignment with GM's internal business plan for sustained long-term growth.
Hang on while I go get my violin. Considering that GM's top 20 executives took home between $1.3 million and $8.3 million in total compensation in 2011, I'd be more than happy to relieve them of their duties if making that kind of money leaves them unmotivated enough that lose focus or drive for their duties. Seriously, GM board? You actually thought releasing this statement was prudent?
Regards,
OW
I'm amazed that anybody who wants a brand to succeed wouldn't want the best advertising possible.
The Chevy slogan a) wasn't used for 100 years; and b) isn't claiming world dominance or anything like that. So a bit apples to oranges.
I did think Chevy's "motherhood and apple pie" advertising was pretty shallow and a bit insulting. Fortunately that slogan is long gone.
And when you start shopping for something, that's when you (me anyway) start paying attention to ads. The rest of the time they are just background noise.
Ads like "Cadillac is the world standard" reinforce the brand's position too. Builds value and goodwill of the brand, even if that value is a bit fuzzy when you try to put a number on it.
With GM selling more cars in China now than the US (many more Buicks than Caddys I suppose), the world standard may have more relevance now than it did in the 50s.
With GM selling more cars in China now than the US (many more Buicks than Caddys I suppose), the world standard may have more relevance now than it did in the 50s.
Reinforcing a position that is not in existence at the moment is a waste of AD money, afaic. Moreover, stating it is a "fact" is delirious!
Remember, the target market already knows which brands are the world's leaders. Better to send a message that Caddy will be the New Leader and will do all that's necessary, the "Pursuit of Luxury", so to speak.
Stating you have arrived before you take the first step? So "Old GM", don't you think?? Most of their new offerings aren't yet available!!!
Regards,
OW
NICE!!!
Regards,
OW