There is something almost quaint about an automobile company deciding, in the year 2025, that its best path forward is to remind Americans that it once built vehicles for the Army.
Jeep, the Stellantis-owned brand that has consistently topped Brand Keys' annual survey of patriotic brands, this month introduced a campaign called "This Is Jeep Country," which connects the marque's 85-year history to the founding of the republic itself. The effort, created by the Chicago agency Highdive, opens with black-and-white footage of Jeeps being shipped to war and proceeds through Revolutionary War reenactments, boxers in training, and what the trade might call rough-and-tumble outdoor footage.
"America was the Jeep brand's first customer," said Jeremy Adams, a creative director at Highdive, describing the line that inspired the work. "It feels more like a truth and a fact than an opinion."
The timing is notable. American pride has hit a 25-year low, according to researchers, and the nation remains politically divided under President Trump. Jeep's solution has been to split the difference — celebrating American identity while acknowledging, in subsidiary spots aimed at Hispanic and African-American consumers, that the story is more complicated than a parade float.
A voice-over in the African-American-targeted spot says "freedom was never a finished road — it's one we're still paving." The Hispanic-targeted spot, in Spanish, notes that "America is who we are, and you are America." (One suspects the internal review meetings were lively.)
"We really wanted the creative to feel extremely culturally grounded," said Lindsay Dyer Fifelski, who has led Jeep's United States advertising since May.
The campaign arrives amid considerable shuffling at Stellantis, which announced a five-year, $70 billion strategic plan in May. Anthony Filosa became chief executive last summer; Branden Coté took over as Jeep's chief executive in August; and Olivier François, the longtime global chief marketing officer, departed last month.
"This campaign represents a bit of a tonal shift for the brand," Ms. Dyer Fifelski said. "It's a little bit more bold and forward."
The effort will run across NFL broadcasts and streaming services including Disney+, Paramount+, Max and Peacock, and features the full Jeep portfolio, including the new all-electric Recon. Stellantis reported a 6 percent sales increase in the United States in the second quarter, outperforming the broader industry.
As for whether "Jeep Country" can travel beyond American borders, Ms. Dyer Fifelski was optimistic. "Jeep Country isn't a specific place," she said. "It's an attitude. It's a mindset."
Which is, of course, exactly what you say when you are hoping to sell the same commercial twice.
Original story published in Marketing Dive: "How Jeep is charting a new course for its marketing"