Cadillac quietly awards Super Bowl MVP Santanio Holmes an Escalade Hybrid
Click above for a gallery of the 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
For the eighth year in a row, Cadillac has aligned itself with the Super Bowl and has awarded the MVP of the Big Game a vehicle of his choice. This year, the coveted award was bestowed upon Pittsburgh wide receiver Santanio Holmes, who's acrobatic circus catch in the corner of the end zone helped give the Steelers their victory over the Arizona Cardinals. So, what did the superstar receiver choose? A 2009 Cadillac Escalade Platinum Hybrid, which comes with an MSRP of over $85,000.
Why, after years of making a major production out of the event, did Cadillac keep this on the low down? According to Cadillac spokeswoman Joanne Krell, "We made the decision not to actively participate in the Super Bowl. We congratulate the MVP; it is a great achievement. [But] we are very sensitive to the federal assistance loan we have received, and we want to carry on our fiduciary responsibility. The Super Bowl was not a place for us this year." There you have it. So, giving away an $85,000 SUV after taking billions from the taxpayers is "responsible" now?
Gallery: 2009 Cadillac Escalade Hybrid
[Source: Wired]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Kelly 12:08PM (2/05/2009)
Two words: Contractually Obligated
It likely would have cost them more to break the contract with the nfl than to give him the car.
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jharlan 1:00PM (2/05/2009)
85K attached to anything having to do with the Super Bowl is probably very effective use of their advertising dollars. Do you really think it is in anyone's best interest for GM to quit advertising just because they borrowed money from the taxpayers? Come on!
There are many reasons to be critical of GM, but lets be fair. This is not one of them!
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GoodCheer 5:30PM (2/05/2009)
I don't understand it either.
You'd think that every dollar they spent riding the coat-tails of the NFL would be a dollar well spent in advertising. It wouldn't cost any more than any other air time (would it?), and would have a much bigger audience, and free star power... if you count Santanio Holmes as a star.
harlanx6 9:48PM (2/05/2009)
An 85K car, which probably cost GM 50K is really chicken feed when you consider a 30 second spot during the Super Bowl was reputedly going for $3 million.
Robb 1:37PM (2/05/2009)
I would have picked a CTS-V. Mmmmmmm....
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gorr 2:50PM (2/05/2009)
This is nice publicity with a high technology vehicule.
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noz 3:48PM (2/05/2009)
What a turd on 4 wheels. I can't imagine why anyone would be dumb enough to pay for one of these...it's truly a hideous looking vehicle.
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why not the LS2LS7? 6:26PM (2/05/2009)
It's called advertising. You can't make a national-level commercial and air it for $85K. This is not a bad use of their money.
ABG, if you think advertising is so stupid, you will surely stop accepting ads for your site right?
hypocrites.
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Tai 4:13PM (2/06/2009)
GM was merely fulfilling their contract. It's unfair to hold that against them. Besides one Escalade (that was probably destined to languish on a car lot for the next 18 months) is a drop in the bucket of advertising dollars that GM will spend this year.
I'm actually more irritated at Santonio Holmes for requesting an Escalade...hybrid or not. He could've asked for anything but instead he chose the largest thugged out barge available. Just goes to show you how far outside reality most celebrities live. Just check out his wiki: disorderly conduct, assault, domestic violence, drug posession. Just the kind of jerk-off I'd expect to see driving in a vehicle like that.
I guess I wouldn't expect this street thug with talent to ask for anything else. Zero class...
Ok, enough hatin' for one day...
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