Cadillac signs on as sponsor of CBC’s Dragon’s Den reality series

What could be more symbolic of the aspirations of the entrepreneurially-minded contestants on the upcoming reality series Dragons' Den than a spiffy new Cadillac STS-V? That was evidently the no-brainer notion that prompted GM's Cadillac brand to sign on as the series sponsor in a deal brokered by Cadillac AOR MacLaren McCann.

'The opportunity to be involved with the show made a lot of sense for Cadillac, a brand that reflects its co-stars' cachet and maverick spirit,' explains Richard Phillips, group account director at MacLaren McCann. 'This show stands apart from the typical bravado of 20-something-targeted reality shows. It's an exciting and fast-paced look at how big money wheeling and dealing goes down.'
By Terry Poulton
July 27, 2006

What could be more symbolic of the aspirations of the entrepreneurially-minded contestants on the upcoming reality series Dragons’ Den than a spiffy new Cadillac STS-V? That was evidently the no-brainer notion that prompted GM’s Cadillac brand to sign on as the series sponsor in a deal brokered by Cadillac AOR MacLaren McCann.

‘The opportunity to be involved with the show made a lot of sense for Cadillac, a brand that reflects its co-stars’ cachet and maverick spirit,’ explains Richard Phillips, group account director at MacLaren McCann. ‘This show stands apart from the typical bravado of 20-something-targeted reality shows. It’s an exciting and fast-paced look at how big money wheeling and dealing goes down.’

Along with traditional media on both CBC Television and CBC Newsworld, Cadillac will receive category exclusivity and presence in the pre-promotion campaign. In addition, the Caddy in question will be integrated into the show’s opening when the multimillionaire ‘dragons’ arrive on-set.

The 60-minute Canadian version of a reality show that took the U.K. by storm premieres on CBC on October 4th with a similar format, i.e. entrepreneurs from all walks of business pitch their best ideas to powerful venture capitalists, or ‘dragons,’ who will invest a combined million dollars in the winning propositions. The show will air Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on CBC and Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET, repeating on CBC Newsworld.

Four of Canada’s wealthiest venture capitalists have signed onto the project: Jim Treliving, owner of the Boston Pizza chain; Laurence Lewin, president of LaSenza; Robert Herjavek from the Herjavec Group technology firm; and Kevin O’Leary, a savvy investment guru and ROBTV host. One more dragon is still being sought, and cross-country tours are scouting out interesting and bright entrepreneurs.

‘The partnership between Cadillac and Dragons’ Den is a perfect example of how CBC is pushing the boundaries of traditional broadcast media,’ says Dave Scapilatti, GM of CBC media sales and marketing. ‘Now, more than ever, we are able to deliver ground-breaking and high-value media solutions to our customers.’