Hasta La Creative!

Last week, Cadillac released the online version of Publicis’ “Arena,” the first ad for the brand’s new “Dare Greatly” campaign as well as the first spot from Publicis since winning the account in December, while promising several more ads in the campaign would debut during the Oscars.

Well, now those spots are in, giving a more clear picture of the “Dare Greatly” campaign and Publicis’ strategy to attempt to revitalize the struggling brand. The newly-released ads follow the same kind of philosophy as the first, but tie it more directly to the brand. While “Arena” notably didn’t feature a Cadillac, the Cadillac CT6 is (eventually) featured in the new ads.

In “The Daring: No Regrets” Publicis and Cadillac bring in a host of innovators, such as Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak, fashion designer Jason Wu and Boyhood director Richard Linklater (a nice move for an ad making its debut during the Oscars, given his nomination). The spot makes statements beginning with “How dare…” to show how “Only those who dare drive the world forward,” tying them to the brand with the line, “How dare a 112-year-old carmaker reinvent itself as the CT6 is finally revealed. Also notable is that, like “Arena,” the ad makes extensive use of shots of New York, Cadillac’s new home. Other spots examine the individuals highlighted in “The Daring: No Regrets” more closely, such as the 30-second efforts for Wu and Wozniak below.

It’s clear that Publicis is taking a more image-driven approach, attempting to manufacture a certain philosophy for the brand that will appeal to a younger crowd, rather than emphasizing the selling points of the vehicle itself. “Luxury brands don’t sell products, they sell dreams,”  Cadillac Chief Marketing Officer Uwe Ellinghaus told The Wall Street Journal. “People need to find Cadillac inspiring and having a spirit and attitude, a clear point of view.”

Remember when you had to wait until the commercial break to be bombarded with brand marketing? Probably not, since product placement has been a Hollywood addiction since the 1980s.

Ever since Steven Spielberg featured Reese’s Pieces in 1982’s E.T. (after being turned down by short-sighted M&M reps), brands and content creators have embraced product placement as a sort of commercial symbiosis.

This Wednesday, we’ll be tackling the issue of product placement at #adweekchat, a one-hour Twitter conversation open to all. Join us at 2 p.m. Eastern for a lively discussion of the best, worst and weirdest examples of product placement in TV, movies and video.

In the meantime, enjoy revisiting a few of the more iconic moments of product integration (some paid, some not) that have helped to shape how writers and producers weave brands into their storylines—with mixed results:

 
Superman vs. Zod vs. Marlboro vs. Coca-Cola (1980)

And don’t forget the KFC box on the dashboard. This classic scene set the stage for 2013’s Man of Steel, which reaped an astounding $160 million from promotional tie-ins with brands like Sears and Warby Parker.

 
Wayne’s World Makes Pepsi, Reebok and Pizza Hut Part of the Gag (1992)

Looking back on this classic scene, my favorite part is that Rob Lowe never joins them in breaking the fourth wall. He seems earnestly baffled about why these two public-access TV schmucks are so into Pizza Hut and Nuprin.

 
Get Shorty’s ‘Cadillac of Minivans’ Is Actually an Oldsmobile (1995)

At the very least, you have to appreciate the John Travolta comedy’s commitment to making an awkward product placement (the Oldsmobile Silhouette) into a recurring gag. It popped up throughout the movie as character Chili Palmer’s signature coolness rubbed off on the ride. The original Swagger Wagon, you might say.

 
30 Rock Brings Back the Meta Humor for Snapple (2006)

This is my favorite product placement in TV history, and I hate Snapple. So much for my chances with Cerie (whose last name, by the way, is Xerox for reasons that are never explained in the show). In addition to the TGS Show’s love of Snapple, Liz Lemon also helped us see the magical splendor of products like Verizon Wireless phones.

 
Talladega Nights Really Loves Applebee’s, Except for the Rats in the Cobb Salad (2006)

You can almost hear the awkward conversation as the producer had to tell Applebee’s exactly how this lengthy, seemingly glowing scene set in the restaurant was going to play out. Hat tip to Adweek Twitter follower Heather Taylor for the reminder on that one. 

 
Frank Underwood Loves That PlayStation Vita (2013)

Many viewers were bemused by the House of Cards anti-hero’s obsession with the PlayStation 3 and the (rarely seen on Capitol Hill) portable PS Vita. Of course, many brands make recurring cameos on House of Cards. Check out this slideshow of appearances by Apple (oh so much Apple), Blackberry, Canon and more:

The Netflix show’s creators claim they don’t receive financial compensation for product placements, which are provided gratis by the brands. Discussing the PlayStation Vita mention, episode director James Foley told The Guardian, “If we use real products like people do in real life, somehow that’s perceived as being forced-in product placement when it’s just recording reality.”

 
Hawaii 5-0 Really, Really, Really Loves Subway (2012)

This is the Citizen Kane of product placements, an achievement so gratuitous you almost have to admire it. Although I’m really not sure it makes me want a sub, much less five.

What are some of your favorites? Don’t forget to join us on Twitter at 2 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Aug. 13, for a whole hour of #adweekchat dedicated to product placement.

It took a while, but someone has finally lampooned Cadillac's much-derided "Poolside" commercial starring Neal McDonough. And not just any old someone—Ford Motor Co.

Ford's agency, Team Detroit, shot the parody below, which stars the polar opposite of the McDonough character—Pashon Murray, the founder of Detroit Dirt, a sustainability consultancy and advocacy group. The Cadillac spot showcased the CLR luxury plug-in hybrid. The Ford video shows off the Ford C-MAX hybrid. But Murray's message about today's America is light years away from Cadillac's.

The spoof is posted on its own YouTube channel, not Ford's. But it has Ford's tacit approval. Speaking to the Deroit Free Press, Ford spokeswoman Sara Tatchio described the video as "lighthearted," and added: "I don't think we're mocking a competitor. We're trying to showcase positive work being done in our community."

Yeah, no mockery going on here. GM has not commented.

Diversas marcas automotivas investem em branded content, e dessa vez a Cadillac promete fazer em escala global para promover o modelo ATS.

O carro foi levado para enfrentar diversas estradas no mundo todo, desde as mais modernas até as mais precárias. A aventura começa documentando o ATS no Marrocos e na Patagônia.

Lembra do Mitsubishi na estrada mais perigosa do mundo? A Cadillac promete expandir esse desafio.

Post originalmente publicado no Brainstorm #9
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