Jeep has decided to take a comedic swing at the “posers” of the automotive world. The brand’s latest campaign, titled The Great Pretenders, features a montage of desperate drivers engaging in what can only be described as “performative mud-slinging”. Set to the iconic sounds of Freddie Mercury, the film showcases urbanites meticulously dirtying their pristine vehicles to simulate a rugged lifestyle they clearly haven’t lived.
From families dumping buckets of filth and dead leaves onto their windshields to cars driving through custom-built “mud washes”, the ad highlights the absurdity of current consumer trends. Amidst this chaos of artificial grime, a clean, green Jeep Compass glides through the city, stopping the fakers in their tracks. Directed by Martin Werner, the film serves as a blunt reminder that while some people buy a lifestyle, others actually drive it. As the tagline suggests: “Some pretend”.
Olivier François, the CMO of Stellantis, isn’t pulling any punches either. He notes that Jeep has always prioritized the “reality of the terrain over artifice”, suggesting that you can love adventure without having to overact. It’s a sentiment echoed by the creative team at BETC Paris, who argue that adventure isn’t a costume you put on, but a way of existing. It’s a romantic notion, though slightly ironic given the impeccable cleanliness of the SUV featured in the ad.
This shift toward humor marks a significant change in tone for the traditional brand. With sales in decline and consumer expectations shifting faster than a 4×4 transmission, Jeep is under pressure to reconnect with an audience that might be more interested in looking rugged on Instagram than actually getting stuck in a swamp.
By embracing the irony of the “adventure” market, Jeep hopes the Compass can steer the brand back toward authenticity. Or at least toward a buyer who doesn’t feel the need to manually apply mud to their hood.
