Caddy Buyers Mindless Status Seekers, Says Buick: In a video from Automotive News, Buick’s marketing chief Tony DiSalle tries to distinguish Buick’s customers from customers of New GM’s other premium division, Cadillac. Referring to Buick buyers, DiSalle says
They’re buying a luxury product to reward themselves and people that they care about more so than buying a luxury product as a marker of their social status. [Emphasis added]
Meow. And here I thought people bought Cadillacs because their new BMW-fighting cars “blend[ed]driving dynamics, performance, and luxury in a way that satisfies enthusiasts and luxury-seekers alike”! …
P.S.: The truth, of course, is that bankrupt, bailed-out GM had to keep its Buick division alive because the brand is big in China. They’ve got to come up with some marketing rationale to justify Buick’s continued existence over here. Needs work, though.