Apple iPad X-ray view of "The Fighting Heart of the Jeep"

John Howard 1944 Saturday Evening Post "The Fighting Heart of the Jeep", a photo by ThisOldJeepDotCom on Flickr.

John Howard predicted the future of the Apple iPad and its massive impact on medicine way back in 1944.

Today iPads are leading the way in an information revolution. You're going to see more kiosks with permanently attached touchscreens in hospitals so patients can look up information. Apps are leading the way in this growing industry. Patients charts are streamlined and work flow is improving thanks to iPads in Hospitals.

This practical and elegant solution is also influencing the next generation of doctors in medical education. iPads are now becoming the primary source of medical teaching at many institutions. They are an ideal means of teaching in small environments.

As in the Jeep / heart image - one of the top apps out called the Airstrip Cardiology, that allows health care professionals to review a patient's ECG history and can forward key information to the client with the swipe of a button.

Kudos to John Howard in his amazing insight into seeing the future of medicine by looking deeply in the heart of a Jeep 4x4.

Brand Stewardship in Action

If you've been tracking the success of A&E's Duck Dynasty show - you've seen it has had a rapid rise in popularity. The recent snafu with Phil Robertson and his short-term "suspension" has only propelled the show into new dialogues of the social sphere. In the end, A&E was swayed by a viewer boycott and rapid loss of viewership after indefinitely benching the elder Robertson. It just so happens Duck Dynasty is A&E's top-rated show after carelessly shooting themselves in the foot they quickly patched things up and "un-suspended" the conservatively minded patriarch.

It turns out the dedicated followers of the Duck Dynasty show are socially savvy. They put their collective power to use and quickly quelled any notions of canning the lucrative show - as it could not have gone on without the elder Robertson. In the end the nearly 12 million viewers got what they wanted and were "happy, happy, happy."

Swing your semi-auto gaze to another field filled with passionate duck lovers. In our world of high-tech tracking and gadgets that follow our every move - even ducks and geese are not immune to the eagle eyes of hunters, biologists and wildlife refuge officers. Ducks.org has slick Waterfowl Migration tracker - sponsored by Ducks Unlimited and Remington that gives reports on the status and movement of the quacking sort.

Looking up a report in my neck of the woods near Toledo, Ohio shows a report by Gerry Mazur, Avery Pro Staff. His report gives a glimpse to the trials and tribulations of being a duck and goose in the wild when temps are sub-zero.

Hunting: Has been too dangerous to be out.

Species/Numbers: Ducks and geese are working the rivers for open water and near salt piles to stay alive.

Weather: Starting a slow thaw from the dangerous could the last 4 days. wind chills were in the -40 below category and some spots close to a foot of snow.

Let me first say - this is why I prefer a coat with down vs. synthetic. No other material in the world has the insulating properties of down. Human skin is rather lacking. A bit better with beards like the Robertson's, but still lacking. The National Weather Service reports that exposed skin can get frostbite in as little as 10 minutes with wind chill reaching -40 to -60 degrees Fahrenheit. Yikes.

Equally impressive is the fact that Gerry Mazur was out and about checking on the status of ducks and geese in this frigid weather. This kind of dedication is commendable. A real die-hard for ducks.

So what is this "Avery Pro-Staff" designation alongside Gerry's name? Turns out it is a special program for outdoor-minded individuals (aka hunters) that use Avery Outdoors equipment and want to become more than a consumer, but a team member (brand steward). They have very strict criteria for their staff and expect a certain level of dedication to the cause. An application process is posted on their message board, where they stress, "being part of this special team is hard work and will require a commitment of time and energy that many cannot make." They stress being a team player and the seriousness of the calling.

Averyoutdoors.com has a Pro-Staff page that includes biographies of each Staff Member on their site and it appears to be a big part of their marketing program. This empowerment of the masses to be brand stewards and promote the good of duck hunting as well as their own brand is noteworthy.

Proud duck dog from North Texas.

My hope, as a writer and brand steward of the Jeep brand, is that as Gerry is trekking through the tundra tracking ducks along the migratory waterways of Michigan and Ohio -- he would be doing it in a Jeep 4x4. I applaud Avery Outdoors for their nurturing of brand stewards that actively monitor their pro-staff flyways and represent their brand. Well-done and happy spotting!

Pete Rose - soft heart for Jeep 4x4s

Came across this 1978 article from Jeep News about Pete Rose and his gifting of 10 Jeep CJ's to his friends on the Cincinnati Reds. It was a "thank-you" for supporting him in his 44 consecutive game hitting streak.

I'm reprinting the article here for easier reading:
"Pete Rose Gets 44 Hits and 10 Jeep CJ's"

   "It is no coincidence that Pete Rose and Jeep vehicles are two of Ohio's most famous products. They both have world-wide reputations for being tough, reliable performers in the field no matter where they happen to be playing, they both have rugged good looks, and they both seem to draw a crowd of admirers wherever they go. Nevertheless, this Jeep News reporter (Russel Sehnert), was quite surprised to learn that his boyhood hero, now an old timer at 37 in the baseball world, bought ten Jeep CJ's to present to certain people in appreciation for what they did for him during his outstanding career with the Cincinnati Reds.

   Rose's love affair really began in 1975 after he won the Most Valuable Player Award in the World Series that year. 'They gave me a choice of products from American Motors,' Rose said. 'And I was just drawn to the Jeep CJ. I liked driving it around with the top off, and it was great for taking on fishing trips with some of the other players and coaches.'
   'The big reason I decided to give Jeep CJ's to my friends on the Cincinnati Reds was that I wanted to give them something instead of cash. They all could use a Jeep, as most of them fish or hunt, and several live on farms, and drive in snow in the winter. I even got two tops for the guys who live in the north...I asked them if they'd like one, and everyone said, 'yes!' "

He was an amazing player. I still remember traveling across country in our Ford LTD listening in as Pete extended his hitting streak day after day. Quite an amazing run.

The King of Jeep Grand Wagoneers

 I wrote an article and took photos of Leon Miller aka "The Wagonmaster" back in 2000 for the Jeep News Magazine. He warmly greeted me at his Kerrville Texas home and wove a wonderful story of how his love of the classic "Woody" drew him out of retirement. The last Grand Wagoneer rolled off the assembly line in 1991 and there was no replacement on the horizon that had the same qualities as this full-size Jeep 4x4. Leon was encouraged by Brooks Stevens, the chief designer of the Jeep Wagoneer, to renew low mileage models and sell these rolling works of art to discriminating buyers. Low mileage Wagoneers have been harder and harder to find but Leon's business has been going strong for the past 13 years. A testimony to his strong research skills and loyal customers - especially in the New England area. He still tries to keep his vehicles to 70,000 miles or less which is pretty amazing considering many date back to the 1970s.

A pristine 1988 Grand Wagoneer that is currently for sale on Leon's site. It has under 54K and is selling for $41,000. 

Here is the reprint of the original article:

"It started out purely as a hobby," says former Texas cattleman, Leon Miller. "It was accidental; I had no desire or even dreamed about doing what I am doing today." What he's doing is buying high-quality pre-owned Jeep Grand Wagoneers, restoring them to near-mint condition, and selling them at the rate of 125-plus units a year. Miller has sold over 680 "Woodys" in a little over eight years from his business in Kerrville, Texas. In these parts, he is the Wagon Master. Even though Grand Wagoneers are getting harder and harder to find, Miller insists on only starting out with the best vehicles. All the vehicles on his lot have less than 70,000 miles, with no damage and absolutely no rust. After a thorough history check and vehicle inspection, Miller's four-man detail crew will spend 2-3 weeks "renewing" these classic 4x4s - at an average cost of $4,000 per vehicle - to get them up to his high standards. 

"Early on it was a Realtor wagon ... they loved the 360-degree vision all the way around," Miller said when asked for insights on Grand Wagoneer buyers. He also offered insights on the wood-looking vinyl siding that the Grand Wagoneer is known for. "It was really out of necessity for some major ranchers in south Texas," Miller said. "Supposedly, they wanted a close four-door (vehicle), done up nicely, with a tough vinyl siding to keep from destroying or damaging the paint." The Jeep brand responded to these requests and added the wood looking vinyl siding and trim which helped protect the side paneling from the sagebrush and prickly pear that dot the Texas landscape. 

Today, many of Miller's Grand Wagoneers are sold to architects and interior decorators who want a classic look that stands apart from the rest of the SUVs on the road. Much of that business begins at www.wagonmaster.com - Miller's Web site. About 80 percent of this vehicles are sold sight unseen, including many Grand Wagoneers that are shipped overseas to people who saw the vehicle in the movies or on television. Miller has also come to depend on his Web site for people looking to sell their precious older vehicles. Roughly 80 to 90 percent of his inventory comes from people who have visited his site on the Internet. 

Thanks in part to Jeep innovation, Miller isn't dabbling in a hobby any more. "They were so far ahead of the industry when they designed this vehicle," Miller said. "The Grand Wagoneer is without a doubt the most copied SUV in the industry, and rightly so. That is why I can do what I am doing, because this vehicle was so well done."

Jeep Wrangler Doors Hard to Close?

Once in a while I run into someone who shares that their Wrangler doors are hard to close. I just smile. That's a good thing. It tells me their new to the whole Jeep thing and just need a little insight to why Wrangler doors are different. In a Wrangler form follows function. There are many unique features on a Wrangler / Wrangler Unlimited with a hardtop that set it apart from all other vehicles:

• The relatively lightweight doors are removable for open-air driving, and lighter weight doors require more effort to close.
• Keeping things simple, Wrangler doors only utilize a check strap in lieu of a heavy mechanical system which aids in closing effort.
• The door opening has no weather seal so you have a clean opening for entry and exit from your Wrangler. The door has a seal with some rubber inserts that helps keep out the wind and water in some challenging locations, such as where the windshield header, hardtop Freedom Panel and door all come together.

So there you have it. Long story short - Jeep engineers had to decide what was more important: an easy to close door, or a door that would seal out the wind and water. They chose the latter. So next time you close the door on your Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimited give a little bit more effort as you enjoy your purpose built adventure machine. And enjoy the ride.

Jeep Wrangler LED Modification - Cylon

 

This truly is a Knight Rider! Chris Knight took a 25 "pixel" LED light strip and modified his Wrangler with a Cool Neon Total Control Lighting Developer’s Shield Box. 

You can find the full build guide at the instructables site.

Jeep Rescue Optical Illusion

Jeep Rescue Optical Illusion, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

I created a mash-up in PhotoShop of the Jeep Rescue Concept Vehicle and some tires & wheels that have a life of their own. Hope you enjoy this fun Jeep optical illusion.

Jeep Wrangler Pork Chop Optical Illusion

Jeep Wrangler Pork Chop Optical Illusion, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

I thought the Jeep Wrangler Pork Chop concept vehicle by Mopar could use some new psychadelic tread. Hope you enjoy my down-and-dirty optical illusion PhotoShop mash-up!

1978 Jeep Expedition of the Americas - Jeep Song

The 1978 Jeep Expedition of the Americas was an ambitious 21,000 mile trip from the southern tip of South America to uppermost tip of Alaska. Mark Smith and his team of partners took stock Jeep CJ-7 and Wagoneers to accomplish this feat. But why did they do it? They were not sponsored by any company and put up their own money for the expedition. A five month excursion. The resounding message in this clip was "for the thrill of it." They put their Yankee ingenuity and Jeep equipment to the test, especially when crossing the wild Darien Gap. These explorers did it so they could enjoy the adventure for its own sake. They did it all for the pure joy and adventure of just doing it.

A song at the 16:14 mark carries the message though of this amazing adventure:

There’s a spot that finds its way

into a special kind of man

that lights a fire deep in his soul

that tells him “yes you can.”

He can get out from behind his desk

And go try something new

Driving up the side of the world

Is just the thing to do.

Cause he’s driven by a dream

A rainbow is his guide

He get’s his strength from mother earth

And a billion starry lights

He’s driven by a dream

Crossing rivers, climbing trees

To turn the heartaches and the joys

Into treasured … memories.

This spark becomes a torch

And is passed from man to man

You can see it in their faces

As they go lend a hand

Each step makes him taller

And fills his heart with pride

When your driving up the side of the world

You take it all in stride

Roosevelt and General Patton Jeep

Roosevelt Jeep, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

Found this wonderful shot of President Franklin D. Roosevelt seated in a Jeep with hat over his heart. General George Patton can be seen saluting the flag on the other side of the Jeep vehicle. Photo was taken in Casablanca on 01/18/1943. I touched up the dust spots from the original.

Courtesy of the Franklin D. Roosevelt Presidential Library.

General Eisenhower Jeep France

General Eisenhower Jeep France, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

Four Stars for General Eisenhower. Enjoying a light moment in his private Jeep Willys MB in France. I retouched the dust from the General's face and cleaned up the image. Deserved a little love.

Jeep Willys MB Water Fording Kit

Jeep Willys MB Water Fording Kit, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

Sometimes I visit eBay to see what Jeep items folks out there are putting up for sale. This gem came up from someone in the Toledo area. It's the original artwork used for the Willys MB Water Fording Kit. Thankfully the shots were of decent quality as I was able to clean up the image and fill in the frayed edges and soiling.

An unmodified Willys MB was able to water ford about 21 inches of water before the transfer case vents and fuel pump have issues. Troops in the field were modifying their Jeep 4x4s to survive deep water in their beach landings. This included sealing the distributor and ignition system, and adding an intake snorkel and extending the exhaust system among other things. Willys-Overland engineers were tasked with coming up with a kit to distribute to the troops.

This is just one example of the many ways the Willys MB Jeep 4x4 was modified for use in the field during World War II.

Jeep Willys MB Water Fording Kit

Willys MB MX-735 Waterproof Kit, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

Original art for the Willys-Overland Water Fording Kit. Currently selling on eBay for a buy now price of $1,999.

According to cj3a.com it looks like the kit is a MX-735 Waterproofing Kit: "This kit was designed for the Navy and supplied by Willys-Overland for use on Marine Corps CVD radio jeeps. The kit also fit on the G503, W.W.II jeeps. It consisted of numerous parts to be installed on the jeep to make it waterproof. Everything from a new dipstick to a new speedometer were included in the kit. The distributor was replaced with a waterproof metal clad unit. The spark plugs and wires changed to waterproof "aircraft" type. A waterproof Carter YS carburetor replaced the standard WO carburetor. Fittings and vent lines were included to allow an atmospheric vent system to be attached to the transfer case, master cylinder and fuel tank. Two valves activated by a control on the dash allowed the engine crankcase to be naturally pressurized slightly while fording. The electrical system was upgraded with waterproof generator, regulator, starter, switches, horn and wiring. This must have taken a considerable amount of time to install, but when completed, the jeep was always ready to ford, unlike the earlier WV-6 kit."

True Craftsmanship - Wooden Jeep 4x4

Wooden Jeep museum exhibit, a photo by Spottedlaurel on Flickr.

Check out this wonderful wooden flat-fender Jeep found in a Museum on holiday by photographer Spottendlaurel. The photographer added this fine shot to my Museum Jeep Group on Flickr. According to Spottendlaurel, "There was a ruined Chateau just outside the village near where we stayed, and in one of the beautifully refurbished buildings there was a museum full of life-size things made from wood. F1 car, tractor, motorbikes, all sorts of things. The bonnet lifted up on this to show a wooden engine inside." Talk about craftsmanship - this is rich!

Willys Jeep on Ad Agency Web Site

Willys Jeep on Ad Agency Web Site, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

Found this creative on www.designlicks.com - new site and agency called SheepinJeep Creative Lab in Argentina. Clever way to use a Jeep 4x4 as the vehicle that carries their creative. Check it out at www.sheeponjeep.co/amigolandia.html

Jeep USAB Basketball Copywriter

Wrote this copy for the jeep.com / USAB page. The Jeep brand and USA Basketball in 2012. They both share many of the same core values - including their quest excellence and ability to tap into their inner strength, courage and passion for a noble cause. Click here for a full-size layout. Worked closely with Steve Koch in our Toronto office to create the messaging/copy for this page:

BELIEVING IN THE POWER WITHIN YOU

Digging deep. Surmounting obstacles. And enjoying every moment. It's all about drive and excellence as the Jeep brand supports another American icon: USA Basketball. Come along. It's always going to be an exciting journey.

A LEGENDARY VEHICLE PROUDLY SUPPORTING A LEGENDARY TEAM
Jeep(r) Brand and USA Basketball have always shared: a drive for excellence. Always honing their capabilities and working to overcome every obstacle, both define unmatched performance and unparalleled ability across the globe. Today, the Jeep brand is proud to applaud our team for using their inner strength, courage and passion to pave the road to victory. Now, we'd like to invite you to celebrate that experience and believe in the drive that we know also lies within you.

Optimizing Google Search Results: Findings in Jeep Wrangler / Call of Duty Campaign

Our Jeep Creative team at SapientNitro was tasked with creating a buzz model page for the 2012 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty. The Jeep brand created a special Call of Duty: MW3 Edition to support the $10 million ad campaign. I wrote the copy for this Buzz Model Page to support the campaign. 

I met previously with Michael Allen, our Search expert in the SapientNitro Toronto office, about optimizing key words for the features and specs section of jeep.com. He mentioned that headlines are a an important ingredient in the processing that is often overlooked. So a lightbulb goes off in my head.  In order to get higher Google search ratings, I researched key terminology used in past Call of Duty campaigns. This "test" of sorts was would help me on future projects of a similar nature.

Now writing clever headlines for a page is one thing - especially when you're trying to be true to your core values and branding. Trying to weave in key phrases from a co-branding partner is a whole new challenge. First the search for phrases. Then trying to incorporate them without being to forced. Getting our great clients to buy into the idea. It required extra work, but it ended up working on many different levels. In all I incorporated over 20 achievement/trophy phrases into the headlines and body copy (started out with 28, but client review took that down a bit). Titles such as "Back in the Saddle", "The French Connection", "The Dragon Within", "Locked and Loaded", and "Ground Control" were all trophy phrases that gamers would tag with "Call of Duty" to find cheats, or ways to get through difficult levels, in game play. 

Google search results were dramatically increased by associating this Jeep Call of Duty page with key phrases. (Note: I'm basing this in comparison to other projects that didn't incorporate similar techniques). Type in "Call of Duty" in a Google search and the Jeep Call of Duty page comes up 8th on the list - first page - that's without using Jeep in the search cue. Type in "Locked and Loaded" and "Call of Duty" in a Google search (without any reference to Jeep) and the page comes up first in the search.

Type in "The Dragon Within" and "Call of Duty" in a Google search (without any reference to Jeep) and we are come up second in the ranking.

Another example is "Call of Duty" and "Prevent Collateral Damage" - ranks number one in the search again. 

The key phrases goes on and on with first to third rankings on a Google search. But does it work for words that are buried in copy? Seems to help there too. Consider "Raining Pain" and "Call of Duty" - comes up as the third result in a Google search.

Best search results are also had with "The French Connection", "Back in the Saddle", "Elevate Your Senses", and "End Justify the Means". We didn't use any of the key phrases in the Meta Data/Key Words - only traditional Jeep and Call of Duty tags: 

title>2012 Wrangler | Call of Duty&reg;: MW3 Edition | Jeep</title><meta name="description" content="2012 Jeep Wrangler Call of Duty: Black Ops Edition; the only vehicle tough enough to play in this world." /> <meta name="keywords" content="Call of Duty,Call of Duty black ops,Call of Duty black,black ops jeep,jeep wrangler Call of Duty black ops edition,Call of Duty black ops jeep,Call of Duty jeep wrangler,jeep wrangler Call of Duty" /> <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="/en/includes/css/min.css" />

So where does that leave us? My low-tech test seems to show that using unique terminology, catch phrases, slogans, and key words from co-marketing / co-branding partners in headlines can be very effective in cross-linking the two brands and elevating rankings in Google searches. 

Jeep Cherokee CRD Ad for Italian Market

Jeep Cherokee CRD Ad for Italian Market, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

Ad designed for 2005 launch of the Jeep Cherokee CRD. The Cherokee (named Liberty in the United States) had an available 2.8L CRD engine. The print ad was created by the Pentamark agency in Rome Italy for the Italian market. The theme was "The Wild Side of Life."

Grand Cherokee: The Ultimate Search Engine

Love the closing tagline: "Grand Cherokee … The Ultimate Search Engine." 

“From the day you were born … we’re searching. Of “whom”, and “what” we’re not sure.  But something calls us onwards. Something makes us wonder.  Something makes us believe that we’ll find an answer. You might say that life itself is a search. So whatever you do … don’t stop searching. And don’t look back.

The Life Search Engine campaign was produced by CumminsRoss, of Melbourne for the Australian advertising arm of the Jeep brand. Executive Creative Director: Jason Ross, Chief Executive Officer: Sean Cummins; Creatives: Ed Howley and toby Cummings. 

This “Traveller” video was filmed in Melbourne, Chile, Patagonia and Argentina by director Germain McMicking via The Directors Group. Music is “Life Search” by Ben Allen.

Jeep Liberty CRD Clouds Ad

Jeep Liberty CRD Clouds Ad, a photo by lee.ekstrom on Flickr.

Ahead of its time. The 2005 Liberty with CRD engine was pumping out 25+ hwy mpg and had loads of low-end torque. I was fortunate to accompany engineers on a cold weather trip to Bemidji Minnesota for some torture testing. The little diesel did well, and eventually created a lot of buzz in the marketplace quickly selling all 10,000 units.

This ad was created by the now defunct BBDO-Detroit agency:
Creative Directors: Mike Stocker, Robin Chrumka; Creatives: Ty Hutchinson, John O'Hea