The mystery surrounding Fiat-Chrysler’->ke5312s two Super Bowl commercials->ke1469 was lifted when a pair of Jeep->ke40 ads were shown during the game. Both commercials continued a recurring theme from FCA to deviate away from engaging in humor and histrionics. Instead, we got a pair of ads that highlighted Jeep’s 75th anniversary in two distinct ways.
The first ad, called “Portraits”, touched on Jeep’s long and storied history dating back to its birth in 1941 and the many people and moments that have helped make it the brand that it is today. In as much as Jeep is an auto brand, the ad wanted to send the message that the brand was born from a collaboration of people from all walks of life, particularly those who have helped shape the history of the world. To illustrate that point, Jeep relied on a montage of curated images, including celebrities like Marilyn Monroe, BB King, Steve McQueen, and Amelia Earhart, as well as pop culture films like the Terminator and Jurassic Park - two movies that the company played prominent parts in - and iconic moments in the world’s history. The tagline, “We don’t make Jeep, you do”, perfectly captures the sentiment of the commercial and it’s only fitting, at least in Jeep’s eyes, that it uses its 75th anniversary to indirectly say thank you to all of its customers.
The second ad, called “4x4ever”, wasn’t as sentimental as Portraits. Instead, it picked up from where the first ad left off and showed the brand’s outlook for the future, especially for its customers. According to Jeep, 4x4ever isn’t just a tagline but a representation of the brand’s identity as the go-to companion for adventurers all over the world. It’s also a far more upbeat commercial that relied on the custom musical track provided by recording artist Morgan Dorr.
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Why it matters
While I did expect FCA to use one of its two Super Bowl commercials for either Jeep or Ram, I was pretty surprised that both went to the former, especially when I was hoping that one of the ads would be for the Alfa Romeo Giulia. But, I can’t fault FCA for taking this approach because 2016 really is a big year for Jeep.
In addition to celebrating its 75th anniversary, Jeep has a busier-than-usual year ahead with a handful of new models on the horizon, including an all-new, yet still unnamed C-segment crossover that’s been rumored to make its debut in the middle of 2016.
Using these two advertisements to basically touch on the company’s past, present, and future is a good way to establish an emotional connection with viewers. And, as the automaker has proven over the past two years, nobody does emotionally captivating Super Bowl ads quite like Fiat-Chrysler. Just don’t expect the ads to be springboards for future success. That’s not how it works. But, for the purposes of starting its 75th anniversary on the right foot, a nod to all those who have helped Jeep get to where it is and a promise of future adventures ahead were the perfect messages to convey to everyone who was watching the game. It expresses how far Jeep has come and how far it will continue to go.