Cadillac is a big fan of user generated content (UGC) and loves to see how drivers are showcasing their experiences online.
“This is as genuine as it gets and we have a ton of examples of how we aim to build brand advocacy using UGC,” said Akshaya Sikand, Head of Marketing, Cadillac Middle East.
It recently launched a series called Garage Gems where it chronicled Cadillac classic car owners and their journeys collecting and restoring vehicles they are passionate about.
“We are constantly leveraging our community of advocates on social platforms rewarding super fans with merchandise and creating bespoke experiences for that community.
“All this helps us to unlock advocacy (word of mouth), the most powerful advertising format.”
Gaming
Cadillac is also a big fan of gaming, and calls its recent foray a “natural step” for the luxury American car brand.
Last year, it invited Saudi gamers to “Maseerat Cadillac,” the brand’s first game parade on the video game Forza Horizon 5, to celebrate Saudi National Day.
The campaign drew inspiration from Saudis’ passion for gaming and combined it with the tradition of decorating cars with KSA flags or colours to take part in parades across the country.
Saudi Arabia is home to a growing gaming community, and the Kingdom has made significant efforts to bolster the local gaming industry.
“This is particularly interesting for the automotive industry as the two worlds are often connected, allowing users to experience the thrills of luxury and high-performance cars virtually,” said Sikand.
“With many Cadillac fans amongst the community of passionate gamers, it was a natural step for us to bring our experience to a wider audience, particularly youth and tech-enthusiasts.”
Content creators
When it comes to content, Cadillac’s strategy is “to keep content and partnerships relevant, trustworthy and real.” It looks for talented influencers as brand ambassadors who can elevate its campaigns.
“When choosing our partners, it is essential to ensure relevance with the audience we want to reach. If the audience does not relate to the content, it does not serve the purpose no matter how good it is.”
A common denominator across its campaigns are automotive profiles who can speak to car enthusiasts of all ages, tastes and levels.
“They deep dive into the vehicles and their offerings, shining the light on the latest features as well as areas of improvement, keeping content reliable. We consider them an extension of our family and they remain the bread and butter of our industry,” added Sikand.
With influencer partnerships and the choice of the partners “authenticity is uncompromisable”.
Cadillac is an American icon and a brand known for luxury, but also synonymous with pop culture.
“Even in countries where we are not sold, people know the name Cadillac. Our marketing strategy have that at its core- making Cadillac relevant in pop culture in a modern context- this underscores the importance of territories like gaming, racing and influencer driven content”.
