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GM's marketing makes no sense

Just saw an ad for the Caddy ATS on TV late last night. Supposedly it's a really nice little car; I don't know, I haven't driven one. But all the reviews I've read/watched position it as a legitimate competitor to the BMW 3-series.

The specific ad that I saw made a big deal out of the headlights that apparently swivel slightly to follow the road. Which is a great feature, I agree.

Difficulty: the BMW 3er has had "adaptive headlights" since sometime in the middle of the E46 (two generations ago) production run.

Now WHY if you are aiming a vehicle at a target market of owners of a very specific popular vehicle, would you advertise that *your* vehicle has a great new feature when your target market is going to see that ad, think "oh, really, my ten year old BMW has that" and immediately make the assumption that Cadillac is playing catch-up to BMW?

I would really like to see the day where a friend of mine could roll up in a new Cadillac or Lincoln or whatever and I'd look it over and take it for a spin and then say "f**k yeah, America's back!" But with advertising blunders like this... never mind the merits of the car, how can you succeed when you're in effect acknowledging that you're playing follow-the-leader to your most direct competitor?

Or does Caddy's marketing department not agree with what seems to be obvious to everyone else, namely that the ATS is specifically designed to win over current and potential 3-series drivers?

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel
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The Tucker had such a feature nearly 70 years ago.

Reply to
.

Citroen had them too.

Reply to
JR

you beat me to it! GW

Reply to
Geoff Welsh

You guys are right, of course, my point was that I just don't see the point of advertising features that your main competition has had for years.

Then again, if I *did* understand what was good advertising, I'd be a lot more affluent than I am.

To be fair, I don't get BMW's recent price-based advertising campaign, and my local BMW dealer's own ads are not borderline offensive, they

*are* offensive (the one that they run over and over is basically a well dressed couple showing up outside a club apparently for a night on the town, lady spots douchey looking guy in a new red 3er convertible, then cut to shot of her getting in convertible with douche behind the wheel. I mean, really! No, I don't patronize that dealership.)

nate

Reply to
Nate Nagel

As you said, two markets, those who own BMW who might be talked into switching, and those who don't but who might buy either a BMW or New Caddy. So that ad would be aimed at the "those who don't" who probably don't know if or how long either car has had that feature. There really are very few new features of any substance on any of the new cars other then electronic crap no one actually needs. So what can you advertise? Bun warmers, bluetooth, powered lift gates.

Reply to
Ashton Crusher

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