Cadillac vs Ford

[anethum]

I've never seen either of these ads on TV.

The Cadillac guy comes across as an arrogant jerk. The Ford ad is an amusing parody, but I don't think either ad will be effective at selling anything. Maybe I'm wrong about the ad effectiveness, however, since a certain brand of imported car I can think of seems to attract arrogant jerks.

I think a more effective Ford parody would have involved an emphasis on the quality/price/value of Ford vehicles versus Cadillac.

As for the French at the end of the Cadillac ad, I took that to be a petty insult directed toward the French people and their stereotypical month-long August vacations (which are not quite as common today). I would presume that the ad-makers think that arrogant jerks hate the French, which could very well be true. The use of the identical French phrase at the end of the Ford commercial was simply part of the parody.

 

[Andre1969]

I've never seen either of these ads on TV.

I think a more effective Ford parody would have involved an emphasis on the quality/price/value of Ford vehicles versus Cadillac.

Ford tries that, to a degree, although it's Lincoln versus Lexus. IMO, the ads come off as a bit desperate. Luxury cars are supposed to sell on image and status, not on value. That's why Chrysler no longer sells Imperials.

Although, with the way Lincoln is going, who knows? They seem like they're going downscale to me. One of my friends came up with a slogan for them..."Lincoln: What a Mercury SHOULD Be!" (meaning, that Mercurys had become little more than tarted up Fords, where they should have been more like the contemporary Lincolns, while any Lincoln-badged car should have been much more upscale)

 

[Katsmeow]

I hadn't seen these before. I thought the Ford parody was hilarious. I did think the guy in the Cadillac commercial was acting like a jerk and it didn't make me want to buy that car.

 

[ERhoosier]

I hadn't seen these before. I thought the Ford parody was hilarious. I did think the guy in the Cadillac commercial was acting like a jerk and it didn't make me want to buy that car.

+1

 

[travelover]

Just as long as it's not that smug dude in the blue jeans and baseball cap who looks like he never worked a day in his life, advertising pickup trucks................

Those guys are the most profitable pickup buyers.

 

[ziggy29]

I note for purposes of irony (not for political debate) that while Ford is playing this "everyman" ad, they just gave their CEO an 11% raise to just over $23 million a year....

 

[youbet]

More money is made gathering pennies from the masses than dollars from the elite.

 

[walkinwood]

The guy in the caddy ad has played as about every sleazy character you can think of. Didn't care for the ad or him as far as that goes.

You've got to admire the acting. It is acting, y'know

 

[unclemick]

You've got to admire the acting. It is acting, y'know

He's a good actor - liked him in Space Above and Beyond. Also like the Allstate guy - his series didn't last that long either. And my personal experiences with Ford pickups sucked.

None of which would invalidate a good technical review of said products - a cute/grabber TV ad no - it would invalidate my ER forum credentials and strip INTJ rank and nobody would sell me any generic Dollar General dryer sheets.

BUT some ads are good entertainment.

heh heh heh - and then there's the Jaguar guy - I still have love/hate memories of my 1967 2+2 E coupe. Red of course.

 

[Hermit]

... And my personal experiences with Ford pickups sucked...

Gee, and I was just hoping I could scrape enough bucks together to trade in the '92 F250 heavy duty work truck on a much newer version!

 

[Jack_Pine]

Gee, and I was just hoping I could scrape enough bucks together to trade in the '92 F250 heavy duty work truck on a much newer version!

I am on my 4th ford pickup. Except for the 04 (which had a few engine issues) I have had very good luck and have been very happy.

 

[jerome len]

Hmmmmm........if Ford doesn't think you should buy a Cadillac.......why would anyone buy a Lincoln? Oops, just saw sales numbers.......very few do buy Lincoln......wonder why and if Ford is a little jealous of GM's success with Caddy compared to Ford's success with Lincoln.

 

[JOHNNIE36]

Ford has always been jealous of Cadillac and it's sales leads. It's been years since Lincoln has even had a sniff of Cadillac's exhaust. Why even attempt
to include Cadillac in an ad?

PS: I think the new Cadillac XTS is one of the best looking vehicles on the market.

 

[brett]

In the past we have had products from both manufacturers. No caddies, but one heck of lemon of a Lincoln.

We would not buy anything from either of them.

 

[imoldernu]

Well golly gee...
I have a Cadillac AND a Lincoln.
'96 Cadillac SLS
'98 Lincoln Signature Town Car
Have owned them for a total of 24 car-years at a cost of $1300/yr, including cost/depreciation and repairs. IMHO, the only way to measure value. Have you ever checked your cost per year?

Waiting on invitation from CarMax to do a commercial.

Can't imagine why anyone would buy a product that loses 3 to 5 thousand dollars in value as soon as it leaves the dealer's lot, but that's why we have commercials, eh whot?

 

[razztazz]

Waiting on invitation from CarMax to do a commercial.

Forget it. I drove the same Dodge for 20 yrs and Chrysler doesn't even know my name!

 

[Spanky]

I am not convinced by either commercial to purchase a Caddy or Ford EV. Ford is also targeting Honda buyers with commercials depicting reasons to switch from Honda to Ford.

 

[CaliforniaMan]

When I saw the Cadillac commercial on TV for the first time, I actually thought it was a parody, and expected the final scene to show mourners dressed in black around a casket at his funeral. It wasn't until the end that I realized that it was a real commercial for Cadillac. It was so far out I just couldn't see how any company would see this kind of life as a desirable thing. As for the Ford commercial, sure it was a bit cheesy and over the top in the opposite direction, but that was what they were shooting for I am guessing. I have to admit, I was disgusted by the GM commercial. I think Ford did a good job making fun at it.

 

[FIREd]

I think that both commercials did a good job catering to each brand's demographics, which are obviously quite different.

 

[daylatedollarshort]

When I saw the Cadillac commercial on TV for the first time, I actually thought it was a parody, and expected the final scene to show mourners dressed in black around a casket at his funeral. It wasn't until the end that I realized that it was a real commercial for Cadillac. It was so far out I just couldn't see how any company would see this kind of life as a desirable thing. As for the Ford commercial, sure it was a bit cheesy and over the top in the opposite direction, but that was what they were shooting for I am guessing. I have to admit, I was disgusted by the GM commercial. I think Ford did a good job making fun at it.

I thought it was going to be some kind of parody at first, too. I kept waiting for the punchline.

I was wondering if they were trying to send an anti-ER kind of message. Many people who post here are in their demographics assets or income-wise, and many can surely afford to ER and buy luxury cars, too, but overall wealthy people choosing to buy time freedom instead working more hours or years and making more money has to cut into luxury good makers' profit margins.

 

[ERD50]

When I saw the Cadillac commercial on TV for the first time, I actually thought it was a parody, and expected the final scene ... .

Now I recall, when I first saw it I was expecting a punch-line. It reminded me of that one a few years ago, where the guy is cutting his well groomed lawn with a shiny new riding mower, in front of a nice looking suburban home, with a couple new cars in the driveway, and he's talking about all the 'stuff' he has, and then at the end, almost tearfully, "And I'm up to my eyeballs debt - heeeeelp!!!".

-ERD50

 

[Jack_Pine]

When I saw the Cadillac commercial on TV for the first time, I actually thought it was a parody, and expected the final scene to show mourners dressed in black around a casket at his funeral. It wasn't until the end that I realized that it was a real commercial for Cadillac. It was so far out I just couldn't see how any company would see this kind of life as a desirable thing. As for the Ford commercial, sure it was a bit cheesy and over the top in the opposite direction, but that was what they were shooting for I am guessing. I have to admit, I was disgusted by the GM commercial. I think Ford did a good job making fun at it.

I thought the pool was pretty nice.

 

[robnplunder]

When I saw the Cadillac commercial on TV for the first time, I actually thought it was a parody, and expected the final scene to show mourners dressed in black around a casket at his funeral. It wasn't until the end that I realized that it was a real commercial for Cadillac. It was so far out I just couldn't see how any company would see this kind of life as a desirable thing.

I hear you. I had similar reaction and was quite put off by it. For sure, I won't be buying any caddy.

IMO, nothing dents future RE fund like buying an expensive, luxury car. Besides the car's cost, it has higher gas mileage, maintenance cost, and insurance fees. It's like giving up 1 - 3 years of RE for a device that gets you from one place to another. But that's LBYM in me.

 

[ls99]

I am truly astounded, people actually watch car commercials, pay attention to them and debate their merits. Whaddaya do allday?

OTOH couple of months ago DW decided she needed a new car. Went off to replace her perfecly functioning, prisitine looking but seven year old Buick with another Buick.

She came home with a Cadilac CTS. Go figure.

 

[robnplunder]

I am truly astounded, people actually watch car commercials, pay attention to them and debate their merits. Whaddaya do allday?

OTOH couple of months ago DW decided she needed a new car. Went off to replace her perfecly functioning, prisitine looking but seven year old Buick with another Buick.

She came home with a Cadilac CTS. Go figure.

Do you think the ad did it?