If you’ve seen a clip featuring a bear leaning out the window of a Jeep Grand Cherokee asking for driving tips, you’ve witnessed Stellantis’s all-in bet on Generative AI. Jeep has become one of the first major automakers to utilize AI-generated imagery on a massive scale for its “Wild Thoughts” social media campaign. The initial reaction to the talking bear has translated into millions of views, a win for Jeep’s high-profile agency, Highdive Studios.
While competitors like Coca-Cola faced criticism for their lifeless, glitch-ridden 2024 AI holiday ads, Jeep seems to have found the magic formula. Lean into the absurdity. Experts are actually applauding Jeep’s approach. Using AI instead of traditional animators, actors, and camera operators could save automakers over $7 billion annually industry-wide, noting that Generative AI can slash content production costs by up to 60%.
Jeep’s rough-and-tumble brand identity, paired with the ridiculous content, signals to consumers that the images are obviously fabricated, thus avoiding the feeling of being misled.
Ayalla Ruvio, a marketing professor at Michigan State University, concurs, calling the spots “fun” and perfectly aligned with Jeep’s brand identity of “innovation. Off-road, thrill-seeking, risk-takers”.
The legal landscape is still catching up, but Jeep is covering its bases. The ads feature a microscopic-sized disclaimer that states the animals and vehicles were “created using AI technology” and cautions viewers that “wild animals are not this kind”.
Stellantis Chief Marketing Officer, Olivier Francois, the mastermind behind iconic ads like Chrysler’s “Made in Detroit”, is ecstatic about the technology. For Francois, AI enables the use of life-like animals that also have the ability to speak, circumventing the risk of using real wildlife on set. He even used AI to mimic the voice of his late friend, voice actor Kevin Yon, for another Stellantis ad, with family permission. Francois contends that while AI will take over some human jobs, the creative spirit remains paramount.
As the Jeep sub-agency 1986 Studios noted, they aren’t replacing creatives. They are providing them with powerful, new tools to tell the story of evolution in the most technologically advanced way possible.
