Luxury vehicle Essay

1. Cadillac introduced it’s new luxury SUV that is called the Escalade, and they had no idea in what direction it would lead to. To their surprise, it becomes a instant classic and the most popular truck on the market. They weren’t set out to target a specific customer base, they just wanted to keep up with the SUV craze. They saw other companies putting out similar vehicles, so they wanted to dip into that market. Once it released, it seemed to become a staple in the hip hop community, sports world, and for regular customers looking for a luxury SUV. It became most prominent however in the hip hop and sports cultures. You see tons of athletes arriving to the games in their escalades, and a lot of hip hop artists have them featured in their music videos. For some reason, it just excelled in the market, and there is really no particular reason for it. It could be because of how unique it looks, the luxurious features, or just off the time it was released. The music and sports industry started to boom so there was a lot of money to be spent and the Escalade was the newest and hottest item on the street. 2. The Escalade became so popular I believe for the power it represents. I feel that if you own a Escalade, you have a sense of power in a way. Whether it shows that you have money, a sense of style, or anything else, it just brings off a certain type of vibe. It shows some type of boldness as well, because you think of personality when you think of an Escalade. When you look at one, you notice first how the shiny grill stands out and just how luxurious the car is. I think in a way Cadillac has extended its appeal because now a lot of the Cadillacs feature the shiny grill. You also see its influence on other vehicles, because a lot of competitors base their models off of it and try to make some similarities. 3. Other companies have a lot to learn from the Escalade. If they do it right, maybe they can become the leader in luxury SUVs. It’s all about whom you have to endorse your product and how you market it out to the public. Cadillac know it has many endorsers that are famous and widely known throughout the world. When you have people of that magnitude openly using your products, you gain a tremendous amount of recognition. Also, before you come up with a new concept or design, you should allow potential customers to see the product to see if it would be something they would like. If you market your product correctly, there is a good chance that it will be successful just like the Cadillac Escalade. Case Study Cadillac is one of the most popular vehicle brands in the United States to this date. As Americans, we tend to treat it differently because it is the luxury brand of our Country. Since it is an American made car, we take a sense of pride in it, and owning one is something special. In 1998 there started to be a craze for mid size SUVs, and just like every other vehicle company, Cadillac had some thoughts in mind. They released their brand new line of the Cadillac Escalade, a large luxurious SUV. When they originally released it, they felt that their market would be traditional customers, but boy, where they wrong. In fact, it was the complete opposite. The Escalade seemed to become nationally recognized when it was constantly featured in hip hop videos, commercials, and the sports industry. While Cadillac didn’t intend to get into those specific markets, I’m sure they aren’t complaining because of how much recognition it gave them. However, it does seem to brush off a certain bad image when you see it featured in some of those ways. When you see a Escalade in a hip hop video that has drugs, half naked women, and curse words, it may rub some of your other customers off. It can be seen as a gang car, and you certainly don’t want to be driving one of those in certain areas. A regular family can be in the market for a SUV, but they may get a negative vibe from the Escalade because it may come off as being too â€Å"hood† or â€Å"ghetto† for them. I’m not too sure how a car can gain that characteristic, but I understand by it being featured and abused in certain ways, it can portray a negative image. Cadillac can feature their products in certain ways, and be able to be seen as a positive vehicle that is made for everybody. They can limit their exposure in hip hop videos if they feel that is necessary. When you see certain commercials you notice that the brand symbol is blurred out. If Cadillac saw this as a dilemma, they can gain access to have their emblems blurred out in rap videos that feature bad behavior. They can still gain national recognition by more of a formal type of commercial. This way, you do not offend any particular race, and show that the vehicle is suitable for people of all ages, color, and race. Cadillac has become on of the mot powerful and influential car brand, that I feel they don’t need to do too much to market themselves. They already have a tremendously large market.