Jeep - The Middle / Bruce Springsteen (2021) 2:00 (USA)

Bruce Springsteen tells us about a church in the middle of America. As he drives to Lebanon, Kansas, which is in the geographical middle of the lower 48 states, he makes a point about polarisation, and meeting in the middle. This is the first time that Bruce Springsteen has appeared in an ad. 

Ad agency: Doner

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Anonymous Adgrunt's picture
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Lebanon's picture

This was just insulting. Bruce Springsteen is well known for hating Republicans, and here he is LECTURING people about meeting in the middle, when he does not? He promised to move to Australia if Trump was elected, but didn't. He endorsed and campaigned for John Kerry, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. He called Busch "radical". THIS is the guy that JEEP chose to talk about the "REUnited states"? You couldn't have found a worse person to talk about "middle" if you tried. This came across as super cynical.

And aside from that, the spoken word bullshit is as tired as having brands lecture me.

NoJeepForMe's picture

This ad was just condescending.

K.Atta's picture

The Jeep ad is not just tone deaf, but it doesn't even reflect the image of America today in diversity, in inclusion, or even fundamentally. An old Christian Church. A Cowboy. The riding off into the sunset, but with a Jeep. Was this lecture only for Christian Jeep driving Cowboys?

Anonymous Adgrunt's picture

The Anheuser-Busch ad did a much better job of speaking to unity and the common experiences that bring us together than Jeep did. The Jeep ad was trying too hard and it felt polarising, while the AB ad really showed all the experiences that we share and share together.

Rich L.'s picture

I have no problem with the unity message. The voiceover is a bit laboured, the shots and music are beautiful. My issue us with the symbolism of the red star at the end of the Jeep Super Bowl ad. What is that about?

JeepMan's picture

Bruce Springsteen was calling for a White House 'exorcism' 3 months ago. I'd believe him if he bought Super Bowl ad time himself and promoted meeting in the middle at your local food bank, showing himself handing out meals and helping his community. Instead he served up an inauthentic cynical nothing burger that insulted 1/2 country. And Jeep slapped a logo on it. I love Jeeps, I still have the Wrangler I bought in college, but man, I hated this ad.

Anonymous Adgrunt's picture

Yeha not thanks I don't feel like finding the common ground with Christian nationalism and alt-right cowboys.

Anonymous Adgrunt's picture

Yeah I’m curious what my BIPOC and LGBTQ+ folx think of this ad that encourages people to “meet in the middle” as he’s sitting in a small Christian church in the middle of a rural, likely all white, and probably very far right Kansas town. What does that mean for us?

kidsleepy's picture

Fairly certain the Jeep ad was only wanting one particular part of America to move to the middle. If I want to hear a sermon I'll go to a chapel. I don't need a brand throwing God in my face.

Dabitch's picture

Wow, you guys, at least the ad didn't leave you with a "meh"