Cadillac ads for Oscars debut new ‘Rise Above' tagline

DETROIT — Cadillac has sidelined its "Dare Greatly" advertising tag line in exchange for "Rise Above" in a new ad campaign that will debut nationally Sunday during the Oscars.

The brand will air four ads, which were posted on YouTube on Thursday night, during the 91st Academy Awards that focus on the brand's crossovers and SUVs, which Cadillac Chief Marketing Officer Deborah Wahl has referred to as the "Cadillac SUV family."

A Cadillac spokeswoman said "Rise Above" is not replacing the "Dare Greatly" campaign. She said it is a tag line made specifically for the Oscars and "Rise" campaign that features the brand's crossovers and SUVs.

"Rise," according to the company, will lead the brand to "literally and metaphorically rise above its past and reimagine its future with its new SUV portfolio," composed of the Escalade SUV and three crossovers with the arrival of the XT6 three-row crossover in the summer.

" 'Rise' gives life to the spirit of perseverance that has always been part of Cadillac," said Wahl.

The new tag line marks the largest change Wahl has instituted since beginning to lead the brand’s marketing and advertising in March 2018. She also has brought more upbeat ads that focus more on the vehicles.

A 60-second launch ad, titled “Rise Above,” is more artistic than much of Cadillac’s advertising in the last year, but it still has focus on the brand’s utility vehicles. It features the entire lineup of Cadillac utility vehicles, including the XT6 that debuted at the Detroit auto show in January. 

The three supporting ads — “Take the Stage,” “Take Flight” and “Make Your Escape” — separately focus on the Escalade full-size SUV, XT5 midsize crossover and XT4 compact crossover.

All spots are set to rapper Childish Gambino's "Me and Your Mama" and end with a collective shot of the full Cadillac utility family. They also reimagine and highlight the Cadillac crest, showcasing its horizontal blue lines to form a staircase shape, which the company says "represents the brand's upward determination and drive to succeed."

This is the sixth year Cadillac will be the exclusive automotive partner of and vehicle provider for the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which hosts the 91st Oscars.

Cadillac's partnership with the Oscars also includes on-site red carpet presence, preshow broadcast integration and other digital and social components.