Add Cadillac to the list of companies rolling out feel-good ads in a rocky political atmosphere.
“We are a nation divided. That’s what they tell us, right?” the ad says, as it pans across a crowd of protesters. “But what they don’t tell you, what doesn’t make the news, is this: We carry each other forward.”
The spot features shots of an African American protestor hugging police, college softball players carrying a player from another team around the bases, soldiers carrying a wounded comrade, and a someone in a helicopter rescuing a victim off the roof a home flooded by Hurricane Katrina. Despite the line about not making the news, most of those clips come from news footage.
“No matter who we are, or what we believe, or where we come from, we’ve had the privilege to carry a century of humanity,” the ad says, including black-and-white shots of 20th century immigrants.
Cadillac then seeks to remind people of its place in America’s history featuring Marilyn Monroe, Muhammad Ali and Dwight Eisenhower all posing with earlier versions of the car.
“But maybe what we carry isn’t just people. It’s an idea. That while we’re not the same, we can be one. And all it takes is the willingness to dare.”
The spot ends with the Cadillac logo and it’s current advertising slogan “Dare greatly.”
Advertisers often try to avoid themes that could be interpreted as taking one side or the other of controversial issues. But During the Super Bowl, a number of advertisers such as Coca-Cola, Airbnb and 84 Lumber, featured somewhat political messages which were viewed by many people as criticism of President Donald Trump.
