While it is still one of General Motors’ core brands, Cadillac will distance itself from the Detroit automaker to avoid the stigma of the parent company’s $50 billion U.S.-backed bankruptcy last year.

According to Nick Twork, a Cadillac spokesman, the brand will erase the GM name from its marketing and dealerships, will change its e-mail addresses from @gm.com to @cadillac.com and will exit companywide promotions such as GM’s Red Tag Event. Twork said that the strategy is driven by GM’s restructuring.

“Cadillac, which has really turned itself around with new levels of quality and exemplary products, doesn”t want to be associated with something that will drag it down,” said John Grace, president of marketing consultant BrandTaxi LLC. “With GM”s bankruptcy comes lower credibility in the ability to build quality products.”

Moving Cadillac away from GM and increasing sales of the brand is central to CEO Ed Whitacre’s efforts to revive the Detroit automaker.

- By: Omar Rana

Source: Bloomberg