Inside Jeep’s Frantic Race to Drive Harrison Ford to Super Bowl LIX

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Harrison Ford seldom participates in television ads, and it’s unlikely that he will star in a Super Bowl commercial for Jeep.

The news was not favorable for Olivier Francois, who serves as the global chief marketing officer at automotive giant Stellantis. In late November, he was tasked by John Elkann, the company’s chairman, with creating a powerful Super Bowl commercial for Jeep – a challenge Francois had successfully tackled on numerous occasions in recent years. Notably, Francois has overseen the production of iconic, inspiring Big Game ads featuring Eminem, signaling Detroit’s economic revival; Clint Eastwood urging post-recession Americans to rejoin the game because “it’s halftime in America”; Bill Murray recreating his 1993 movie “Groundhog Day” for Ram Trucks, and Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan making unexpected appearances to encourage consumers to buy Stellantis vehicles.

In Ford’s Sunday evening commercial, the speaker emphasizes that Americans have the ability to craft their own narratives and highlights the flexibility of choice in America as “Yes, or No, or perhaps.” The advertisement showcases both electric Jeep vehicles and those with traditional combustion engines. The actor continues, saying, “Freedom is the thunderous sound of one person’s engine, and the tranquility of another’s.” He concludes by acknowledging that we may not always concur on our paths, but our disagreements can be a source of strength.

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During Sunday night’s commercial, Ford encourages viewers that Americans are free to write their own stories and freedom in America is about having the choice between “Yes, No, or Maybe.” The ad displays both electric Jeep vehicles and those with conventional combustion engines. The actor then states, “Freedom can be the loud roar of one person’s engine or the quiet hum of another’s.” He finishes by acknowledging that we may not always agree on our paths, but our differences can serve as a source of strength.

Near the conclusion, Ford climbs into an electric Jeep Wrangler following the removal of its charging cables, and remarks, “Pick something that brings joy,” followed by a quick quip: “This Jeep brings joy… despite the fact that I’m called Ford.

Since 2011, Francois has produced 35 Super Bowl ads, two of which aired on Fox last Sunday. However, his superior asked for something unfeasible. Francois wasn’t planning to create a Super Bowl ad for Jeep, hadn’t courted any celebrities, and hadn’t reserved any airtime from Fox, as they had announced they were already fully booked.

Getting a Jeep ad put together under such circumstances, says the executive, was “pure madness.”

This year’s Game presented a unique opportunity for Stellantis, as it was the sole automaker airing commercials during the event on Sunday morning. Typically, giants like General Motors, BMW, Volkswagen, and others have invested billions in Super Bowl ads over the years, with commercial breaks looking like a bustling car lot due to the abundance of auto promotions. In 2024 alone, automakers spent approximately $49 million on Super Bowl ads, as reported by ad-tracker MediaRadar, and $56 million in the previous year.

Over the past few years, numerous companies have marketed electric vehicles, recruiting celebrities like Will Ferrell and Mike Meyers, as well as collaborating with “Sopranos” creator David Chase for an ad featuring some of the original cast members from the show. However, with President Donald Trump assuming office, there seems to be a growing sentiment that these products may not appeal to consumers as much. Francois believes that many automotive giants have been promoting their new models ineffectively.

Francois expressed that U.S. car buyers weren’t giving electric cars much attention. As a producer of electric vehicles, he wishes there was more enthusiasm for them since it would benefit his business and potentially help the environment too. However, he understands that not everyone in America shares this perspective. Americans, it seems, value having options when it comes to their vehicles. Some are hesitant about the concept of charging a car, while others find the cost prohibitive. Essentially, they want a variety of choices available.

Crafting a Super Bowl commercial is an already challenging task, made even more complex by various other pressures. For instance, the cost of a 30-second spot during the Big Game has significantly increased over time, jumping from $4.2 million in 2014 to $7 million in 2024, a rise of approximately 67%, as reported by MediaRadar. On top of this, costs include securing celebrity talent and music rights, arranging social media marketing and retail initiatives, and often purchasing additional advertising space from the network airing the football event. To make matters more demanding, the company’s CFO and Board of Directors will require evidence that the investment was justified in the end.

Because many advertisers for the Super Bowl begin strategizing their campaigns several months prior, companies like Bud Light, which has long been associated with the event, often start contemplating the following year’s plans immediately after the current one concludes. As Todd Allen, senior vice president of marketing for Bud Light’s parent company Anheuser-Busch InBev, puts it, “We essentially begin thinking about next year straight after this year’s Super Bowl finishes.” Jessica Grigoriou, senior vice president of marketing for condiments at Unilever, who managed this year’s Super Bowl plans for Hellmann’s mayonnaise, elaborates further, stating, “We start the process a few months following last year’s Super Bowl. We conduct a post-campaign evaluation — how did everything turn out?” They then generate numerous ideas and conduct extensive consumer testing to ensure that their concepts are well-received by the public.

Francois only had a few weeks left. Initially, his team considered a humorous idea they’d already developed. However, Francois felt it wasn’t suitable for Ford. Yet, one of the ad agencies collaborating with the company had presented this concept to Ford’s representatives at UTA, and they were informed that Ford would discuss it. Francois learned that Ford “appreciates” the idea, but he was apprehensive. He found himself taken aback. “I’m surprised,” he mused. “This isn’t how I envision him.

It turned out that Ford’s gut feelings were correct. During a crucial meeting to address the issue, Ford was conspicuously missing. Instead, Jim Berkus, a former UTA chairman who collaborates with Ford, delivered disappointing news. According to Francois, Berkus stated, “This gathering will be brief.” Essentially, Ford wasn’t keen on it; he doesn’t fit the advertising mold, isn’t financially motivated, and is pressed for time. Hence, the plan was abandoned.

Despite various agencies and teams revisiting the humor-based idea, Francois was already exploring an alternate theme. Over a barbecue dinner at his Miami residence, Francois confided in Ed Razek, the former chief marketing officer who spearheaded promotional efforts for Victoria’s Secret stores, about his predicament. Francois felt that Ford should be portrayed as a respected figure. “He’s well-liked,” Francois reminisced, “he’s not overly political.” He suggested using Ford to impart his wisdom and address topics that align with Jeep’s values, such as freedom and adventure. Within a day, Razek texted Francois some potential ad copy lines, which Francois subsequently incorporated into a possible script.

As Berkus was wrapping up the call, François inquired from him whether Ford would be amenable to a more profound, motivational advertisement, where the actor encourages viewers to “select what brings you joy.” This shift in language altered the tone.

In the specified location, Ford participated in a shoot with only a limited number of people present. During filming, executives came up with an ending gag that incorporated Ford’s surname. At first, Ford wasn’t fond of the joke, according to Francois. “He was reluctant because it didn’t fit the tone,” Francois said. “We were dealing with something quite serious.” However, the executive persuaded him to give it a try, explaining that Ford had the final say on his performance. “Go ahead and see how it goes,” the executive advised. “I might be correct or incorrect. It could turn out fantastic, and if it doesn’t, it won’t be shown. If I believe it’s great, you’ll still have a chance to alter it.” In the end, Ford chose to say his last name, which left onlookers in fits of laughter. The concept proved popular and remained.

Francois mentioned that Jeep initially aimed to fit all of Ford’s statements into a 60-second advertisement, but the final product fell flat. He pointed out that the speech was overloaded and required space for Ford’s words to have impact. “There was no introduction, there was no conclusion, there was no space for music,” he explained. Instead of trimming down content, they decided to include more scenes showing Jeep vehicles traveling on highways and even a few featuring soldiers to emphasize the hard-won nature of freedom. Surprisingly, the commercial ended up being extended – all the way to an impressive two minutes long.

Originally, Jeep was informed by Fox that “there’s no space for you.” Since Stellantis wasn’t a sponsor for the upcoming 2024 game, it didn’t have the privilege of being called an “incumbent,” despite being a significant advertiser throughout the year. Typically, sponsors from previous Super Bowls are given the first chance to renew their contracts before the opportunity is extended to others. However, due to unexpected cancellations by sponsors who found it inappropriate to advertise amidst the devastating California wildfires, Fox had to fill up its remaining ad slots. This sudden vacancy led Fox to sell the 30-second ad spots for a staggering $8 million each.

Currently, Francois aims to ensure the advertisement appeals positively and motivates rather than irritating audiences. He understands some might perceive it as involving politics, a aspect he strives to steer clear of. The ad can only prosper if politics are kept out of the equation. He expresses his doubts about this, stating that predicting consumer reactions to a commercial produced so swiftly is challenging. The advertisement may be criticized for soft-selling electric vehicles or associated with environmental issues, both of which he refers to as “nonsense.

Francois expresses, “I’ve got quite a variety of things to sell, but I want to find words that resonate with people.” Much like how Harrison Ford brings success to diverse characters such as Jack Ryan, Rusty Sabich, Indiana Jones, Han Solo, and others in films, it’s his task to produce results under pressure.

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2025-02-10 05:47