Cadillac

Revered for generations as the “Standard of the World,” owning a Cadillac remains for many a true symbol of success and achievement. As an American design icon, it has always embraced an individualistic, avant-garde and provocative approach to the ways mobility, innovation and lifestyle converge. As evidence of this pre-eminence and admiration, few brands are as referenced and celebrated in popular media as Cadillac is to this day.

But in recent times, the relevance of Cadillac has been diluted by the aggressive, mass-play entrants of overseas brands many times its sales volume. The allure of German automobiles has particularly increased to create a relatively homogeneous concept of luxury motoring. The result was a market in which the few authentic, pedigreed ‘alternatives’ had to work harder to take on the big manufacturers.

Cadillac challenged FutureBrand to broaden its appeal with the younger consumers driving growth in the luxury automobile category and re-assert their achievements and brand with modern luxury.

The key to Cadillac’s success lay in excavating, elevating and celebrating long-held equities inherent to the brand. Values that the emerging club of individually minded consumers would see reflected in their own. And a truly American story the Germans couldn’t challenge.

The role of identity, brand experience and tone of voice was then to clarify these values and celebrate the emerging club of individuals driven to succeed on their own terms. Instead of the noisy patchwork of imagery and messages convoluting the brand, we built a strong, yet quiet canvas in which Cadillac’s extraordinary vehicle and cultural innovations would stand out.

Managing and sustaining a global brand like Cadillac across everything from vehicle, dealership, corporate, promotional and digital applications demands a tool that is easy to use and update. The Cadillac Brand Center provides brand ambassadors with the elements they need to create consistent, on-brand Cadillac experiences.

The result has been to galvanize a company, a brand and a driver mindset uniquely American and uniquely aspirational.

“FutureBrand understood us from the start. The bad and the good. They uniquely saw beyond communications to the bigger picture. But more than creating, they worked closely with our various internal teams and agency partners to align around one-brand, one-team, one-approach. The result is a foundation for all behaviors, experiences and communications going forward. Their influence continues to be a critical factor in restoring Cadillac to a true luxury mark.”

- Melody Lee, Director, Brand Strategy & Planning, Cadillac