Jeep is doing a new marketing campaign for the latest Jurassic World film, and while I was initially going to write about how boring it is relative to the original Jurassic Park marketing brilliance, I’m not going to hate. I think it’s fine that Jeep is doing some Jurassic Park-themed marketing, even if the brand will never live up to what it did back in 1993. But this leads me to wonder: Is there a vehicle more defined by its role in a blockbuster movie than the Jeep Wrangler YJ?
The Jeep Wrangler YJ is the “cheap Jeep,” largely due to its polarizing looks (square headlights) and its successor being a significant improvement by pretty much every measure. But there’s always been one thing keeping the YJ’s value from dropping to the level of sauce packet or refill: The vehicle’s starring role in Jurassic Park.
Seriously, you cannot watch Jurassic Park and not fall in love with the charming little YJ and its beige-and-red Jurassic Park livery:
There’s a reason why so many people still put Jurassic Park livery on their YJs; this one that was up for auction at Mecum looks really nicely done:
And there’s a reason why, a couple of years ago, Jeep offered a modernized Jurassic Park-inspired appearance package for the modern JL Wrangler:
Jeep’s latest bit of marketing, meant to ride the wave of Jurassic World Rebirth, which hits theaters early next month, isn’t quite as cool; it’s basically just a 30-second-spot showing a green four-door JL driving among Dinosaurs:
Stellantis gets into other elements of this marketing campaign in its press release, writing:
- 360-degree marketing campaign includes a long-form video to launch across Jeep brand social media channels later this week, including Instagram, Facebook and TikTok; 30-second version to run across television
- New York City Times Square billboard will feature the flying dinosaur (Quetzalcoatlus) as it soars above the Jeep Wrangler
- The campaign is being activated at more than 2,000 U.S. dealerships via a point-of-sale kit that includes a poster, dinosaur egg mirror hangers and dinosaur claw and footprint decals
- Press tour kickoff for the film in Mexico City at CCXP featured a Jeep Wrangler 4xe arriving on stage
- Similar to Jeep brand’s Super Bowl commercial, “Owner’s Manual,” the spot will offer eagle-eyed viewers a cameo appearance of a future Jeep 4×4 vehicle inside the dinosaur lab
- The Jeep brand design team has created a first-of-its-kind Jurassic badge, appearing in the Tier 2 spot, which will be available soon in limited supply to consumers
It’s fine, but it’s impossible to live up to the brand equity the original move created in the Wrangler YJ. Though that makes me wonder: Are there other examples where a movie truly defined a model in the eyes of the general population?
People call the YJ “The Jurassic Park Jeep,” though they never call the XJ “The Boonies Jeep,” even though The Boonies was one of the XJ’s first and most important appearances in a blockbuster film.
There’s Back to the Future, which definitely defined the way the world sees the DeLorean DMC-12, but what are some other examples? That’s todays’s Autopian Asks.
Top graphic image: Jurassic Park/Universal Studios via screen grab
BMW Z3 in Goldeneye.
Not only was that a big deal for Bond breaking tradition from Aston-Martin, but also because it was a highly publicized product placement. One of the first one of its kind on such an obvious scale (ie, not just a Kellogg’s breakfast cereal)
Along those lines, a pretty big deal was made aboud Bond returning to A-Ms in Casino Royale.
He returned to Astons in Die Another Day. The BMW contract was for only 3 movies
Was that the one where the bad guy (or somebody, I haven’t seen it since it was new) had a Jaguar XKR? That one was basically a commercial for Ford’s then-new Premier Auto Group.
Bingo, it’s also the one with the un-ironic space laser and Halle Berry’s Thunderbird
Oh, yeah. The Aston Martin Vanish. Like any sane human, I try to forget about that one.
That’s totally fair lol
For those who weren’t old enough at the time, it’s hard to overstate the shock of BMW taking over as Bond’s automaker. It was such a departure from the nearly pure fantasy of owning an Aston Martin to a make you saw everywhere on the road.
The shift from Rolex to Omega was less jarring.
Watchtopian time!
Right around the time Bond shifted rides from A/M to Lotus (The Spy Who Loved Me to View to a Kill) he also shifted from Rolex to Seiko. Mostly digital, but Moore wore a great Tuna diver in For Your Eyes Only.
I also enjoy the one-offs – like Dalton’s Tag Heuer or Moore’s Hamilton Pulsar.
Is that the same movie as him driving a Mondeo? that was shocking for me.
Maybe not a blockbuster but the YJ in Clueless may have sold more of them than Jurassic Park I’d wager due to opening up a whole new demographic.
You can usually tell people’s rough ages by if they know that in the decade prior to those movies, Macgyver made the YJ an icon first. Everyone knew his dirty Wrangler was as much a part of the character as his swiss army knife.
I’ve joked with more than one person that I carried a Swiss army knife and drove a yj before Macgyver made it cool
As if!
“It’s got four-wheel drive, dual side airbags, and a monster sound system.” Clueless is THE Jeep movie for me.
The first generation Ford Taurus cop cars in Robocop. It’s crazy how futuristic those old heaps looked to my child eyes back then.
I still enjoy that decades later, we actually got both a hellhole Detroit AND Taurus police cars for real.
The Jeep was never the hero car for Jurassic Park, it was all about the Explorer.
Ronin: Audi S8
My first thought, as well +1
I was always partial to the E34 M5 in Ronin, but the S8 definitely captured more people’s attention since it was brand new then.
Gimme the Benz 450 SEL.
Bullit Mustang
Italian Job Mini Cooper
Back to the Future Toyota truck
Wayne’s World Pacer
Toyota Previa, due to Carpool
Orange Dodge Charger with a confederate flag on the roof was in a movie but the TV show is better known.
It was pretty well marketed that Christopher Nolan’s Batman drove a Lamborghini, especially the Murcielago which poetically means Bat
Because of Speed, we all think city buses can jump the gap of a highway overpass while maintaining 50 mph.
Cadillac Ecto-1 from Ghostbusters
DeLorean – The Time Machine, Back to the Future.
1959 Cadillac hearse/ambulance – Ecto1, Ghostbusters
TransAm, Smokey and the Bandit
VW Beetle – Herbie. Just saw a New Beetle on the way to work with the iconic 53 and red and white stripe livery.
Eleanor – Gone in 60 Seconds (both original and remake) How many of these cars have caselaw built around them?
DB5, James Bond franchise. Any time I see a silver DB5 I can almost hear the original Bond theme.
’74 Dodge Monaco – no one remembers it’s a Monaco, only a ’74 Dodge sedan and we call it the Bluesmobile.
Nailed it!
I would add the Mustang Fastback- Bullitt
Audi A8L- Transporter
Honorable Mention:
Minivans- Get Shorty, thanks to the way Travolta totally sold the minivan as a cool tough guy luxury auto.
Cougar? Try Torino.
But otherwise, yes, good choices.
True that, thanks for the heads-up. I removed it before seeing this because it was supposed to be from a movie and I was talking about the show. God only knows how many people got hurt trying the hood slide from the beginning of that show, especially with bell-bottoms on.
Well there was the Ben Stiller/Owen Wilson movie. But I wouldn’t exactly call it a blockbuster. But it did have the Torino.
“It’s the Cadillac of minivans.”
Yes, that’s the line! He sold it so well that Danny Devito’s superstar character bought one.
Eleanor, bandits fire chicken. Max’s interceptor take my top choice.
I always wanted those Explorers with the glass roof but do you think it was never produced bc the T-Rex destroyed it?
In reality, I think cutting out the roof like that compromises the car’s structure. I believe I’ve read of someone who created a replica Explorer but noted it was no longer roadworthy with the bubble roof.
I cannot see a yellow Rolls Royce without thinking of the film “The Yellow Rolls Royce”.
For those of us who came to the James Bond movies in the 70s and early 80s, the Lotus Esprit.
Indeed!
The whole reason I fell in love with the Esprit in the first place was from seeing it in The Spy Who Loved Me.
For me it was that bronze Esprit Turbo in “For Your Eyes Only”…
I used to have the Dinky Dally or Corgi toy with the popout fins.
For others that loved the turbo whine during the pursuit scene, the two Lotus Esprit turbos in Basic Instinct.
Let’s not forget Julia Roberts drove one in Pretty Woman, too.
Mk4 Supra-Fast and Furious series.
To a much lesser and obnoxious (to the owners) degree: Volvo C30 and Twilight.
Honda Insight Gen 1 – Mean girls movie
If we include TV shows, the ’68 Charger. Which has technically been in a movie, but only afterwards.
Similarly, the Lincoln Futura.
Pontiac Trans Ams/Firebirds & Smokey and the Bandit.
Strong entry.
Trans Am sales went through the roof after that movie.
Good call on both
Judging by the number of 5th gen Camaros I see with Pep Boys plastichrome Transformers logos on the fenders, I’d say they’re maybe not at the top, but certainly top 10.
that was an offer direct from chevy, so I would imagine there are a ton of them out there, lol
I had no idea that was a factory option, I thought people were just buying them on amazon lol.
yea there was a whole transformers appearance package that added the logos in different places across the car and even stitched into the inside upholstery.
Oh my second place. White VW Beetle with a 53 on it.
Delorean. It’s not even close.
There is no car that is more singularly defined by its appearance in pop culture or media than the DeLorean DMC-12.
I would say there is one car and only one car that comes to mind when it comes to cars defined by a blockbuster movie.
The Delorean DMC.
Agreed
Aston Martin DB5
That’s a good one. That entire brand is defined by that movie franchise.
Oh, and Mini Coopers from The Italian Job.