U.S. Auto Sector Tries to ‘Out-German the Germans,’ Says Cadillac CMO, from Advertising Age.
Uwe Ellinghaus keeps finding himself in hot water for the things he says. Most recently, he took flack from the auto industry for declaring, “When I recruit people, I do not need ‘petrolheads.'” He defends his statement, saying Cadillac’s issue isn’t the product, it’s the brand.
“While there are no great brands without great products, having a great product isn’t always sufficient for winning customers over, and this is what we currently experience,” Mr. Ellinghaus said.
He maintains that Cadillac is the last American luxury auto brand, “but if you look at the success that BMW, Audi and others in the sector have had, Cadillac has fallen behind,” he said. Mr. Ellinghaus believes the brand is simply trying to be something it’s not — and has lost its way in the process. He outlined for Ad Age his plan to reinvent the brand and “bring it back to the glory it once had.”
