Cadillac Targets Modern Middle East with ‘Arabs of New York’

25/10/2017

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25/10/2017

Luigi Pane shoots film celebrating New York’s innovative and dynamic Arab community

US car brand Cadillac has launched a new campaign to inspire millennial drivers in the Middle East. Using the brand’s mission to ‘Dare Greatly’ as a springboard, the first film ‘Arabs of New York’ showcases three creative entrepreneurs living and making in the Big Apple.

The featured creatives are Emirati composer Mohamed Fairouz, Lebanon-born architect Michel Abboud and Hala Abdul Malek, also from Lebanon, who is a curator and design critic. The creative bridges American and Arab culture just as the brand is trying to make inroads into the region.

The campaign was devised by agency Interesting Times in Dubai, directed by Luigi Pane and produced by The Italian Job.

Over the past year, the brand has also been working with creatives and entrepreneurs who personify the brand message, including Jordanian designer Naksika Skourti, who created a racing red trouser and top ensemble inspired by the Cadillac brand.

LBB caught up with Ashraf Mansour, Strategy Partner at agency Interesting Times, to find out more: "We didn’t get a specific brief from the client, but we were given a clear idea of the problems they were facing. We know that German cars are leading the luxury sector where Cadillac operates. German cars have very strong reputations, and American cars are not directly associated with Luxury. The brand also launched a new tagline, ‘Dare greatly,' but it didn’t connect with the Middle East audience.

"A few things led us to this campaign. First we noticed that the brand had moved their offices three years ago from Detroit to New York to be more associated with luxury. So strategically we decided we wanted to associate the brand with New York (like other luxury brands that are associated with their cities). And New York is different from the rest of the US and the rest of the world. Its art, fashion, music, and many other aspects are different and its statement of luxury is different. It is also a city that resembles the ‘dare greatly’ ethos of the brand.

"On the other hand we wanted to make this message relevant to our audience and for the brand to connect with our audience. There was a time at the beginning of this year when America's brand was not on the rise. Arabs were not sure of their opinion of the US because of the socio-political tension. As an American icon we wanted to be the brand that would reaffirm our connection and appreciation of such an audience and their contribution to making New York the city that never sleeps. Hence the creation of Arabs of New York.

"Finding the right people was hard and easy. Active and successful people are hard to get hold of and hardly answer emails from unknown sources. When we managed to find them and explained the campaign to them, they got excited. We had a long list of people but as mentioned before either they were hard to reach or hard to pin down around our shooting schedule. Some of these people were found either randomly while watching the news or through friends or online."