I'm sorry, sir, you'll need to put on this jacket before getting into the Cadillac

Okay, I guess that Cadillac is probably the best-known brand of American luxury car, and is sort of synonymous with high lifestyle. But was this really necessary?



Actually, now that I've watched it a couple of times, this commercial seems to be using its haughty attitude to cover up an air of desperation. See, it turns out that Cadillac sales are dropping, because Cadillac makes enormous luxury cars that also happen to be gas guzzlers - and I don't know if you've filled up lately, but gas kinda costs a lot these days. So, what would be the best way to market a Cadillac in this climate? Hey, how about as an ostentatious status symbol that declares anyone in the vehicle to be a classy individual? A "gentleman," if you will?

Never mind that I'm pretty sure Cadillac doesn't put any actual restrictions on ownership. If you've got the money, I imagine you can walk into a Cadillac dealership in a wife-beater and Zubaz and drive off in an Escalade. (In fact, many rappers have probably done exactly that. Minus the Zubaz, I guess.) Hell, I'll bet that even women are allowed to drive Cadillacs! Welcome to the world of ladies, ladies!

Cadillac had a reputation for a long time as being kind of an old-person car, so the commercial's other angle - "No! It's totally classy and cool no matter what age you are! And you should want validation of your classiness from the previous generation!" - is understandable if also kind of pathetic. And yes, it's random that these guys are pulling up to a diner (presumably the old guys are leaving, having gotten there in time for the early bird special), but given what it probably cost them to drive there in the Cadillac, I suppose they weren't going to be able to afford Spago.

Announcer: "The spacious Cadillac DTS. Room for four grown... gentlemen."

Wait a minute - a car that can seat four people? You are fucking shitting me! I take it all back, Cadillac - truly, you have cornered the market on seating! Sure, the gas mileage is appalling, but the idea of getting four people into one car is just... I mean, what an age we live in. Four people. Simply astonishing.