I joined the Cadillac team at the genesis of "Dare Greatly", a campaign that celebrated America's entrepreneurial spirit and the brand's willingness to be different from its German competitors. I got to drive cool cars. I got to write dozens of retail ads for those cool cars. But nothing was quite as cool as the surprise sub-campaign I helped drop on the night of the Oscars.




Set against a contentious political climate, we left the cars in the trailer and drew the curtains on the nations unwavering compassion and understanding. We reminded viewers of optimism and our shared responsibility to carry each other forward. Of course we snuck in some mentions of historical figures in our cars and a surprise first-look at Cadillac's latest flagship sedan, the CT6.
PRINT
The story began on Oscars' eve with a New York Times open letter from CEO Mary Barra  me. It was a simple message; we can transcend wars and walls together.
“CARRY” OSCARS TVC
Our Oscars spot focuses on poignant moments of compassion and understanding throughout history and emphasizes that, despite the political unrest in America, its people will persevere and continue to help one another.
TEASER
This moment also coincided with Cadillac's relocation from Detroit to Manhattan, where it drew inspiration from the entrepreneurial spirit of the city. And what better place to amplify its call for unity than the streets it now calls home? We partnered with Humans of New York to create Greater Together Portraits, a guerilla-style gallery in two parts.




ONLINE EXPERIENCE
Our Oscars spot celebrated not just our own desire to move forward, but of individuals whose stories could move others to do the same. I had the pleasure of meeting with several of these inspiring figures and sharing their stories in long-form fashion on DareGreatly.com.

Great Together Stories: Ken Nwadike

Great Together Stories: Cont.

     

     
CURTAIN CALL

Eric Witman, Gina Wall: Sr Creatives
Peter Defries, Alan Wilson: ACDs
Andy Bird: CCO, Ryan O'Keefe: CD




CREATIVE DIRECTOR (DELUXE EDITION)
Includes state–of–the–art personality, 10+ years of agency experience and a very exciting wardrobe. Interchangeable hats include managing teams large and small, winning new business and championing agency culture. Lights up in collaborative environments.