What's Wrong With Loving a Cupholder?
3/5/08
Cadillac Ad Issues Fightin’ Words
One of my favorite ads is a Cadillac CTS commercial featuring Kate Walsh. It’s the one about how your car should, ahem, turn you on. I love it. Apparently, though, Cadillac’s ad department isn’t foolproof.
I recently saw a Cadillac commercial that features Sofia Vergara discussing cupholders. “Cupholders, researchers say, is one of the top reasons women buy one car over another,” Vergara says in the ad. “Not horsepower, not available features like an 8-inch nav screen or black leather trim. Nope — cupholders. Maybe those researchers need a little quality time with a different kind of woman.”
Psst… Cadillac? I don’t think you should alienate those of us who appreciate a mean cupholder. I have to say that, in my humble experience, the ergonomics of beverage management in a car seem to be a good indicator of the ergonomics of many other aspects of its interior. Besides, even if researchers say that women call cupholders one of their top 10 reasons for choosing one car over another, I’d like to note that I’ve met plenty of dudes who would use the cupholder criteria as well — though they might not admit it.
Does Cadillac not want us cupholder-oriented women as customers? Are non-cupholder girls sexier? Because if that’s the case, Caddy, don’t use sex appeal to get me to like your horsepower and available features. Try pairing the horsepower with some finesse, or perhaps making the navigation system behind that 8-inch screen easy to use. Make a car that actually fits a “different kind of woman.”
Whatever you do, I think you should make a great cupholder — the Cadillac of cupholders, if you will — and be proud of it.
Comments
After one suffers the results of a coffee spill (at a very low speed, no less, and in the middle of a turn), one appreciates good cupholders to a much greater degree!
Posted by: t driver | Mar 6, 2008 7:58:54 PM
I had opportunity to rent a 2008 CTS a few months ago. I was sorely disappointed. My perspective is the boys in Warren (Michigan, where GM's design studios are) couldn't package a decent cupholder in the CTS, and decided it would be a good idea to exploit the natural inclination of women in their 30s and 40s embrace their youth and eschew the pedestrianism of having a convienient beverage that somehow isn't sexy. That being said, having been an auto engineer for getting close to two decades, I found the car wanting. My wife on the otherhand, loved the thing.
Posted by: Michael Ondusko | Mar 10, 2008 11:44:51 PM
So what did your wife love so much that you didn't? Besides the beverage management system, of course...
Posted by: Sara Lacey | Mar 17, 2008 10:35:49 AM
I wish i could find a throbbing cupholder that could hold all my juices :)
Posted by: Austin Hammock | Aug 18, 2008 11:25:18 AM
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I agree, there IS nothing wrong with a great cupholder. I applaud cadillac for acknowledging the fact that WE women are not just out their looking at cupholders and lights on the vanity mirror, we ARE interested in horsepower and torque!
Posted by: Cheryl | Mar 6, 2008 8:30:21 AM