Rogue will be headquartered in Campbell-Ewald’s Detroit-area office.
Cadillac says it has selected a new agency called Rogue as its creative agency of record, following a review process. Created specifically for billing Cadillac, Rogue is part of the Interpublic Group of agencies drawing on three existing IPG agencies – Hill Holliday, Lowe and Campbell-Ewald.
Through May, Cadillac’s year-to-date U.S. sales increase of 38% to 70,000 is the largest since 1976, making the 110-year old marque the fastest growing major automotive brand in the U.S., albeit from a small base and still well below historical levels where Cadillac was once the clear luxury leader. Now it is a mere shadow of its former self, and only survived because of a lavish taxpayer bailout in 2009. Nonetheless, it was the 12th consecutive month of Cadillac sales growth.
In a release, Cadillac said Rogue brings “global capabilities, a depth of experience in integrated marketing and a strong understanding of luxury brands” with an automotive marketing background.
“We selected Rogue because its strategic insights, creative vision for Cadillac and strong luxury and automotive experience were the best match for our global growth plan,” said Bob Ferguson, vice president, Global Cadillac.
Rogue will be headquartered in Campbell-Ewald’s Detroit-area office, with much of the creative and strategy work located in Hill Holliday’s Boston office.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, publisher (kzhw@aol.com), is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
Zino is at home on test tracks, knows his way around U.S. Congressional hearing rooms, auto company headquarters, plant floors, as well as industry research and development labs where the real mobility work is done. He can quote from court decisions, refer to instrumented road tests, analyze financial results, and profile executive personalities and corporate cultures.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
