Working with Entourage creator Doug Ellin, Cadillac created a mini-episode of Entourage that revealed something fans of the show wanted to know: what happened to Ari Gold between the end of the Entourage TV series and the Entourage feature film. “Ari Gold is Back” reveals what caused the iconic character to return to Hollywood during his short-lived retirement in Italy. The short film also introduces the iconic Cadillac Ciel concept car, setting the stage for the Ciel to appear in the feature film as a key plot point. To further support the Entourage film release, Cadillac created a robust partnership that included an influencer event, sponsorship of the premiere, and influencer film screenings throughout the country.

“Ari Gold is Back” was released online three weeks before the Entourage feature film came out in theaters. The short film was housed on the Warner Bros. YouTube channel as official Entourage content and released on Facebook through the Entourage page. Additionally, it appeared on Hulu for three weeks on the site’s main carousel, positioned as a true piece of entertainment. This was the first placement of its kind on Hulu for a brand.

On TV, a :30 execution ran across cable, network primetime, sports properties, all driving to the short film online. Additional awareness was drawn to the campaign through OLA and search display execution.

Doug Ellin also hosted a premiere party for the release of the short film, drawing over 250 influencers to the Beverly Hills event.

“Ari Gold is Back” garnered 11.5 million views across Facebook, YouTube, and Hulu. Fans enthusiastically weighed in on their love of the Ciel, with 99% overall favorable sentiment. The campaign was featured in an AdWeek cover story, and was named a Creativity Editor’s Pick. The Cadillac Ciel was featured in much of the official advertising and promotion around the Entourage film release, including early social media posts and press as well as the trailer. The Cadillac Ciel was a major set piece appearing for several minutes throughout the second half of the Entourage feature film.

“Ari Gold is Back” is a pure piece of entertainment, a mini-episode of Entourage made for fans of the show that tells a story which otherwise would not have been told. The short film was the centerpiece of an innovative approach to a movie partnership that also featured a marquee integration of Cadillac in the film, a launch event, and private influencer screenings of the film. By establishing a shared interest with a key content creator (Doug Ellin), Cadillac was able to turn the movie partnership into a creative collaboration that enhanced both brands in popular culture.

The Cadillac Entourage collaboration was established several years before a script was even written for the Entourage feature film. A strategic partnership with Doug Ellin emerged after Cadillac gave Doug access to the top-secret General Motors Design Center. Doug fell instantly in love with the Cadillac Ciel concept Car. After this meeting, Doug organically wrote the Cadillac Ciel into the Entourage feature film script, setting the stage for a multi-faceted marketing partnership around the release of the film. Doug then wrote the script for the four minute “Ari Gold is Back” short film and directed it, ensuring a consistent, authentic creative voice.

Cadillac played a key role in the Entourage TV series (which ran 2004-2011), with the Cadillac Escalade being an essential part of the characters’ world. In recent years, Cadillac has struggled with its perception in pop culture as an older, stodgy brand, not in line with the future-focused luxury brand it was becoming. Cadillac has earned raves for its updated product line that places it among the best performing luxury cars. Our goal was to put Cadillac in pop culture in a way that reflected its modern luxury positioning and make it relevant to a younger, high income audience. Because of Cadillac’s rich history with Entourage, Cadillac created a formal partnership for the Entourage film release and made Cadillac a part of the conversation, but in a new way.