Cadillac Looking For New Advertising Agency

EMILY FREDRIX

MILWAUKEE (AP) — General Motors Co. is looking for an advertising firm for its Cadillac division — a bright spot for the company — but its incumbent agency won't be among the candidates.

The luxury division of the troubled auto maker said in a statement Friday it has started a review process to get a new creative advertising agency.

"We think we can do better. We have done some good marketing and advertising in the past, but we do think we can take it up another level," CEO Fritz Henderson said on a Web chat Friday.

Companies often hold agency reviews, where agencies pitch new work, and then make a selection. Industry insiders say incumbent agencies typically resubmit themselves during a review, but that's not what current agency, Modernista!, chose to do.

Modernista!, which had done Cadillac's advertisements for nine years, said in a statement it decided to part ways due to "creative and strategic differences."

The company, an independent Boston firm with about 130 employees, also had done Hummer advertisements and spokeswoman Tracy Brady said that would end this winter.