Bill Murray has starred in many cult classic films such as Ghostbusters and Lost in Translation – special mention for his cameo in Zombieland – however, Groundhog Day has to be his most memorable. Coronavirus lockdown means that many people’s days feel like a repeat of what came before, and Jeeps latest advert plays on Bill Murray’s last feature in a in to spread the message of self isolation.
First, a bit of background. Earlier this year Jeep launched a hilarious TV advert where Bill Murray was to find himself the star of Groundhog Day once again. As the days repeat themselves, Bill begins to get rather bored… That is until he find a bright red Jeep Gladiator Rubicon truck! Off-roading adventures, door-less fun, and outdoor pursuits with the groundhog leaves Bill looking forward to each new day. A tweaked variant of the advert is now running to ask people to stay inside.
The new clip shows Bill waking up on Groundhog Day, a reference to the cabin fever many of us are experiencing under lockdown. However, a message now asks viewers to stay home. A sequence of a Jeep Wrangler climbing a mountain plays before ending with ‘The trails will be waiting. #StayOffTheRoad.’
This tongue-in-cheek advert is amusing, but does carry a serious message. Respect the government’s instructions and stay at home. We all want to be out enjoying our cars, but the world has bigger problems to deal with first.
The public service announcement from Jeep joins efforts from Porsche and BMW that are also using their reach to keep people informed during the coronavirus pandemic.
Here's the original advert:
Keyword: Bill Murray returns for Jeep COVID-19 advert