automotive

Cadillac Launches Web Campaign For V-Series

Cadillac CTS-V site General Motors is going on with the show for the launch of its performance version of the Cadillac CTS. Cadillac's performance sub-brand, V-Series doesn't get a lot of marketing muscle, as it is a relatively low-volume, high-performance car.

So, the company used a three-day, invitation-only, test-drive event as the basis for a Web campaign that launched last week at www.Cadillacdrivinglab.com. The effort, via AOR Boston-based Modernista, is a record of over 660 hot laps by invitees to the Monticello Motor Club racetrack in Monticello, N.Y.

Michael Tabtabai, interactive creative director at Modernista, says the agency captured multiple-angle videos of invitees behind the wheel of the XLR-V roadster, CTS-V and the all-wheel-drive CTS, as well as detailed telemetry data that was captured in real time as they drove around the private racetrack.

advertisement

advertisement

On the Web site, each test-lap presentation offers a split-screen video (an in-cockpit shot of the driver and a forward shot) of each participant's lap, with real-time telemetry data such as speed, RPM, g-forces, brake and throttle position, and GPS position of the driver on the track, benchmarked against a professional driver's performance on the track.

"Part of the goal was to take a relatively limited production budget and stretch it as far as we could. We captured lots of media, including HD video, photos, and we did lot of work to get benchmarks," says Tabtabai.

"It was kind of planned as a consumer outreach event to get the new CTS-V on the track and invite regular people who are part of GM community of fans," he says. "What we wanted to do with the Web site is stretch the production budget as much as possible." He says the participants noticed the cameras, but had no idea their laps would be Webcast.

"The Web site with drivers' videos and analytics was meant as a surprise 'thank you' to participants. But we wanted to make it into a social media project that spoke directly to consumers and enthusiasts--including those who couldn't make it to event [about a 1,000 were invited]."

Each driver has a unique ID number that creates a direct link to the video, intended to fuel viral dissemination of the site. Tabtabai says the company will launch a rich-media Web campaign in January to drive people to the site. There are also links to the site from Cadillac.com, per Tabtabai.

2 comments about "Cadillac Launches Web Campaign For V-Series ".
Check to receive email when comments are posted.
  1. Walter Graff from Bluesky Media, December 22, 2008 at 8:59 a.m.

    Yet another waste of money considering the web has one of the least influences in the purchase of a car (as recently shown again by BigRecearch). Leave it to GM to make another bad decision based on some marketing person who incorrectly thinks the web is good for car sales. And it isn't even a mainstream car so will get little notice.

  2. Todd Weil from Yahoo!, December 22, 2008 at 9:42 a.m.

    I disagree.. It was a small plug for the new performance vehicles for people who are caddy enthusiasts.. notice the limited invites.. I think you need to reevaluate..For the people who were unable to attend the meet, the people who embrace the performance aspect of these cars can see normal guys and girls like themselves test driving the potential cars of their dreams. They aren't targeting performance all wheel drive CTS's to people who aren't going to buy them.

Next story loading loading..