Cadillac Gets Stars to Encourage Hands-Free Driving

Cadillac is following up on its humorous and nostalgic Super Bowl spot with Edward Scissorhands' son last month with a release Thursday of a celebrity-studded series of ads promoting its Super Cruise "hands-free" driver assistance technology. The new spot, titled “It’s Time to Let Go," was created by Weber Shandwick and highlights how Cadillac—and the 2021 Escalade—are at the forefront of new automotive technology. By tying iconic luxury with technological advances, the brand and its parent, General Motors, are able to tell an "ongoing story" anchored in a traditional sense of luxury and amusement, Cadillac CMO Melissa Grady told Adweek. Cadillac Pitches Hands-Free Driving With the Son of Edward Scissorhands in Super Bowl Ad Cadillac’s previous Super Bowl spot, "Scissorhandsfree," spotlighted its first all-electric vehicle Lyriq and the hands-free technology. The ad starred actress Winona Ryder reprising her character from the 1990 film Edward Scissorhands. She sat in the Lyriq's passenger seat along with her son Edgar, who was played by Timothée Chalamet (and who bore a striking resemblance to his father in hair, pallor and scissor-hands). The newest spot adds even more star-studded whimsy. Directed by Hollywood actress, director and producer Elizabeth Banks, "It's Time to Let Go" features an A-list cast of celebrities test driving the Escalade with hands-free technology, including Sofia Vergara, Joe Manganiello, the Jonas Brothers, Tiffany Haddish, Stephen "tWitch" Boss and his wife Allison Holker Boss. https://youtu.be/MDTmNBGvcUY Cadillac's latest push for hands-free tech was directed by Elizabeth Banks. Cadillac Hands-free and carefree In each case, the celebrity's demeanor turns from curious skepticism to surprised exhilaration. By the time the stars let the vehicle navigate curves on the road—and even change lanes with the flick of a switch—they appear as carefree as they are hands-free. The brand's focus on the new Super Cruise feature is Cadillac’s way of ensuring it's continuing to be viewed as a technology leader, said Banks. “The first time you use a new technology like Super Cruise, there’s always a 'let go' moment, where you gradually begin to trust it more and more,” added Banks in a statement. “I wanted to capture and then build on that moment. It really showed how much a thoughtful technology like Super Cruise can help transform your everyday experience." Apart from seeking to calm fears about a still theoretical future of driverless cars, the new ads also represent the way electric vehicles have been steadily gaining ground at Cadillac and General Motors. Stephen “tWitch” Boss and his wife Allison Holker Boss variously test driving the Escalade with hands-free technology. Cadillac and GM’s new and old stories In January, Cadillac's parent company GM appeared at the virtual Consumer Electronics Show to show off its new "electrified" logo and underline its plan to sell only zero-emission vehicles by 2035 and roll out 30 new electric vehicles within four years. Cadillac's new ad series heralds a lineup of vehicles that tie into the electric car future that GM is actively pursuing. In February, GM’s Super Bowl ads starring Will Ferrell played up a mock rivalry with the country of Norway over the number of electric vehicles (while taking a not-so-subtle jab at electric car maker Tesla). “We had two big goals this year,” Grady said. “First, we have an amazing lineup of new vehicles. The XT4, which came out in late 2018, is the oldest vehicle in our lineup right now. We have to keep the momentum going. That’s what the Escalade launch was about.” Cadillac is attempting to bring its celebrated past as a groundbreaking brand well into this century. "Cadillac is an iconic American brand," Grady said. "We've always been known for innovation. But as we move into EV, we need to tell the right stories so that consumers understand why they should believe that Cadillac is going to be the leading EV luxury brand. The stories we're going to tell include showing what the Lyriq can do and the technology we have. The Super Cruise is one of the big stories we have to tell." Cadillac Diversifies Media Approach for New Campaign Touting ‘Halo Vehicle’

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Cadillac Gets Stars to Encourage Hands-Free Driving and ‘Let Go’

The brand ties iconic luxury with technological advances, says CMO Melissa Grady

David Kaplan

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David Kaplan