Bruce Springsteen stars and narrates a two-minute Super Bowl ad called “The Middle” for Jeep.
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Bruce Springsteen is encouraging Americans to meet “in the middle” during a Jeep ad in the Super Bowl LV – his first appearance in a commercial.
The iconic musician, known as “The Boss”, stars and narrates the two-minute scenic ad, which features far more American culture and scenery than Jeeps. The only vehicles in the ad are a Jeep CJ-5 1980 and a Jeep Willys CJ-5 1965. Both models are predecessors of the brand’s current Wrangler SUV.
During “The Middle”, Springsteen talks about a chapel located in the center of the country called US Center Chapel in Lebanon, Kansas. He uses the extremely small chapel as a basis for talking about the country’s need to “meet here, in the middle” before the announcement ends with “To the United States of America”. This is followed by a Jeep website and logos, which is celebrating its 80th anniversaryº anniversary in 2021.
“It’s no secret … The environment has been a difficult place to be lately. Between red and blue. Between servant and citizen. Between our freedom and our fear,” said Springsteen. “Now, fear has never been the best of who we are. And as for freedom, it is not the property of just the lucky few; it belongs to all of us.”
The ad is reminiscent of previous Super Bowl ads by Olivier François, director of marketing for Jeep’s parent company, Stellantis (formerly Fiat Chrysler). Specifically, a 2013 Super Bowl commercial called “Farmer” featuring the voice of iconic radio announcer Paul Harvey and another semi-political ad starring Clint Eastwood called “It’s Halftime in America” in 2012. Both were pro country featuring few real vehicles.
“It is absolutely destined to be a successor,” François told CNBC. “This is our style. This is our language. This is our approach to the Super Bowl. We were really trying to achieve some of what we have achieved in these other commercials, which is really relevant and significant and something that will really touch the time.”
Opportunity and relevance are the cornerstones of François’ advertising style. He is also known for scaling A-list celebrities who are generally not associated with advertising in unconventional commercials. Previous Super Bowl ads included Detroit rapper Eminem, musician Bob Dylan and a narration by Oprah Winfrey. Last year, François persuaded the elusive actor Bill Murray to reprise his role in the 1993 film “Groundhog Day” for a Super Bowl ad.
A spokeswoman for the company declined to say how much the ad cost, including Springsteen’s fee, which is not known for appearing in ads, but lent its voice to a campaign commercial last year for Joe Biden.
Olivier Francois (left), CMO of Fiat Chrysler, with actor Bill Murray during the filming of the 2020 Jeep Super Bowl commercial.
Fiat Chrysler
François said Springsteen was closely involved in creating the ad and worked closely with director Thom Zimny. He wrote and produced the original soundtrack for the commercial with another of his frequent collaborators, Ron Aniello.
“Olivier François and I have discussed ideas for the past 10 years and when he showed us the sketch for ‘The Middle’, our immediate reaction was, ‘Let’s do this,'” Springsteen manager Jon Landau said in a statement. “Our goal was to do something surprising, relevant, immediate and ingenious. I think that’s exactly what Bruce did with ‘The Middle’.”
The ad was created in partnership with Doner, Michigan. The spot was shot for five days in late January in Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska.