In a recent study by J.D. Power and Associates, new-vehicle owners were asked to cite the reasons they chose a particular make and model of a vehicle they purchased. Of the 10 reasons most frequently cited? “Like the image the vehicle portrays.” So what if your automotive brand doesn’t portray the image you want? Content marketing can help. In this guide, we’ll take a look at three automotive brands (Lincoln, Land Rover and Cadillac) that are leveraging content marketing to transform their brand perception and engage their desired audiences.

1. Trends + Trendsetters
The Best in Automotive Content Marketing

2. NewsCred Trends + Trendsetters
NewsCred’s Strategy Team helps brands build and hone their content
strategies, taking into consideration marketing goals, brand positioning and
the competitive landscape.
Our Trends + Trendsetters guides aim to educate marketers on trends,
opportunities and content strategies that best-in-class brands are utilizing to
engage their audiences. In this guide, we’ll take a look at content marketing
in the automotive industry.
Interested in learning more? We’d love to hear from you! Feel free to reach
out at strategy@newscred.com
- Liz Bedor, Associate Brand Strategist, NewsCred

3. In a recent study by J.D. Power and Associates,
new-vehicle owners were asked to cite the
reasons they chose a particular make and model
of a vehicle they purchased.

4. Of the 10 reasons most frequently cited?

5. “Like the image the vehicle portrays”

6. So what if your automotive brand
doesn’t portray the image you want?

7. Content marketing can help.

8. In this guide, we’ll take a look at three
automotive brands leveraging content
marketing to transform their brand perception
and engage their desired audiences.

9. Lincoln Now
The Lincoln Motor Company

10. According to research by Polk, an automotive
market research firm, the average Lincoln
buyer is older than the buyers of any other
luxury car brand.

11. Wanting to introduce itself to sophisticated,
younger drivers, Lincoln decided to reimagine
tradition through content that is interesting
enough to grab attention on its own merit.
Source: Adage, ‘Content Marketing: It’s Not About Shock, but Good Storytelling’

12. “We know it’s important to
authentically engage customers
according to their lifestyle.
- ANDREW FRICK -
Group Marketing Manager
Lincoln
”

13. Introducing: Lincoln Now
Site lives at www.now.lincoln.com
A comprehensive storytelling
platform designed to celebrate
individuality.
Features intriguing artisans,
makers and craftspeople in the
fields of art, design, fashion
cuisine, engineering and more.

14. Content topics are a balance between luxury and culture and
Lincoln automobiles and brand history.
Auto Shows
Future Vehicles
Heritage
Lincoln Artisans
Lincoln Automobiles
Film
Ideas
Music
Architecture
Detroit Stories
Everyday Icons
Hello Again
Inspiration
The Reimagine Project

15. Luxury Uncovered Content
• All things luxurious, including film, ideas and music.
• Features artists, musicians, directors, filmmakers, actors and entrepreneurs.
• Tells stories of interesting people who embody Lincoln values.

16. “Rhythm is a Danger”interviews
Damien Chazelle, screenwriter of the
Academy Award Nominated film,
Whiplash.
Violinists get back problems and
singers get nodes – it’s something I
hadn’t seen before in a music movie.
You see it sports movies all the time.
We don’t really think of music as
physical, but it is.
“
“

17. Lincoln Automobiles Content
• Lincoln history, iconic models, new models, behind the scenes and inspiration.
• Celebrates Lincoln heritage and historical company moments.
• Spotlights interesting venues, events and announcements.

18. “Artisans of Lincoln: Inspirations of
the MKC”interviews Lincoln’s color
and material designers, Janet Seymour
and Jenny Kubinec.
We pulled off the end of an orange,
where the flower end is, and we were
looking at the shape inside the orange
just by chance. We ended up doing a
wheel based on that. It turned out
pretty cool. Everything inspires us.
“
“

19. Lincoln Culture Content
• Features everyday icons, speaking to their passions and motivations.
• Detroit stories spotlight inspirational people who have contributed to bringing
culture into the city.
• Shares small businesses and initiatives that are working to enrich the Detroit
communities.

20. Interview with Naomi Long Madgett, City of Detroit’s Poet Laureate.
I got engaged by mail because my
first husband was still in the army.
“
“
My first poem was published by a daily
newspaper in Virginia when I was 13.
“
“

21. Imagery is high-quality, powerful, emotional and people-focused.

22. Content is a mixture of video, articles, photos and interviews.

23. Lincoln’s social media consistently incorporated throughout.
Instagram and
Twitter
account feeds are
displayed at bottom
of every page.

24. Every photo, video and highlighted quotes are easy to share with
pre-populated text.
Hashtags are incorporated throughout
posts to categorize campaigns, such
as #FilmUncovered.

25. Social accounts have consistent look and feel as Lincoln Now hub.

26. Social accounts link back to Lincoln Now sites, rather than main
Lincoln website.
now.lincoln.com/YouTube www.now.lincoln.com

27. YouTube channel hosts all Lincoln Now video content and also
various commercials and video campaigns.
Again, consistent look and feel as Lincoln Now and other social channels.

28. The Vanishing Game
Land Rover

29. In 2014, Land Rover embarked on a unique
branded content project–an interactive
digital book, The Vanishing Game, written by
British author, William Boyd.

30. The project aimed to build the brand’s
reputation as a vehicle for adventure,
discovery and exploration.

31. The adventure thriller, which can be found at
www.thevanishinggame.wellstoried.com, follows protagonist
Alex Dunbar on a mysterious driving adventure across the UK.

32. “What I tried to achieve was to make the Land Rover
an inherent presence in the story, something always
there–implicit, strong, solid, reliable, ready to
function–very like the part it plays in my memory.
- WILLIAM BOYD -
Author
The Vanishing Game
”

33. The story is brought to life online through a multi-sensory
experience, comprised of video, photography, animation, sound,
music and narration.

34. Land Rover also promoted The Vanishing Game
through an intricate multi-media marketing campaign
to further enhance reader engagement and activity.

35. Custom content by NewsCred was shared on media outlets,
including Vox Media, Quartz, NYTimes.com and Travel + Leisure.

36. Readers and actual Land Rover owners were encouraged to share
personal driving adventures with #WellStoried.

37. The images were collected and showcased on a dedicated Tumblr
site, www.wellstoried.com, searchable by keywords or location.

38. Dare Greatly
Cadillac

39. Despite a strong year for the luxury automobile
market, Cadillac sales dipped 6% in 2014.
Source: Forbes, “Cadillac Risks Break From Detroit with New ‘Dare Greatly’ Campaign”

40. Realizing the brand needed to redefine itself,
Cadillac launched“Dare Greatly.”

41. “The Cadillac brand needed to change.
We needed to have a new point of view
to show why we’re relevant.
- UWE ELLINGHAUS -
CMO
Cadillac
”

42. The effort seeks to differentiate the brand
through what Cadillac stands for, rather than
one-upsmanship such as‘more horsepower,’
or‘more torque’.
Source: Forbes, “Cadillac Risks Break From Detroit with New ‘Dare Greatly’ Campaign”

43. “Cadillac wants to create interplay among the brand
values of boldness, sophistication and optimism,
and yet be inviting and approachable. We want to
inspire. We want people to dream Cadillac again.
- UWE ELLINGHAUS -
CMO
Cadillac
”

44. Introducing: Dare Greatly
Site lives at www.dare-greatly.com
The hub celebrates the daring,
whose passion and vision have
reshaped their industries, our lives
and our future.
Content includes video interviews
with accomplished risk-takers on
the dares they’ve taken and unique
perspectives in life.

45. Jason Wu, Iconic Designer
Jason Wu came to the US as a boy of 9 with a love for dressing dolls.
He dared to follow his passion and went from fashion intern to an arbiter of style
tasked with revolutionizing one of the world’s most iconic fashion brands.

46. Jason Wu on how his mother’s daring inspired him.
I really admire my mother for daring,
despite what people said, she bought
me a sewing machine and she let me
play with dolls. That was something
that growing up, culturally was quite
unacceptable. She dared to let me be
different, and in fact, embraced what I
wanted to do. I definitely wouldn’t be
here without her.
“
“

47. Anne Wojcicki, Health Care Advocate
Anne Wojcicki was a successful stock analyst on Wall Street. She dared to risk it all
and devote herself to DNA research in hopes it could unlock the secrets to curing the
world’s diseases.

48. Anne Wojcicki on why she took such a risk, leaving Wall Street and
starting her genomics company 23andMe.
When I was working on Wall Street, I
felt slightly trapped in that I was
investing in a healthcare industry I
didn’t really believe in. For years I
really struggled with this idea that
people were making money off my
illness and I wanted to do something
different.
“
“

49. Steve Wozniak, Visionary Inventor
Steve Wozniak was a college dropout with a talent for computer circuitry. He dared to
quit the only job he’d ever known and market his invention, the personal computer,
and founding what has become one of the world’s most valued companies.

50. Steve Wozniak on how he feels about today’s technology.
Technology these days intimidates
me all the time, but it also makes
me feel like, ‘Gosh there are a lot of
people that are going to fast having
more fun than I am with the
technology!’ Technology is the fun
of today.
“
“

51. Videos are of high-production value and show the interviewees in
casual, authentic environments.

52. Content is easy to
share on viewers’
social channels.

53. “This is a reinvention, not just a
repositioning. This is not a campaign.
We want people to say,‘Look how
much Cadillac has changed.’
- UWE ELLINGHAUS -
CMO
Cadillac
”

54. Cadillac social accounts have consistent look and feel.

55. Much of social content is inspired by and tagged #DAREGREATLY.

56. “Luxury brands don’t sell products, they
sell dreams. People need to find
Cadillac inspiring and having a spirit
and attitude, a clear point of view.
- UWE ELLINGHAUS -
CMO
Cadillac
”

57. Want to learn more?
Our team of strategists can help your brand build a
marketing growth engine. From ongoing support and
program management, to customized strategy sessions
and workshops, we’ll set your brand up for success.

58. NewsCred
is the most
comprehensive
content marketing
solution.

59. Get in touch!
STRATEGY@NEWSCRED.COM