Sold out

I'm old enough to remember a time when Jeep did award winning TV commercials. The picture above is a screen grab from a spot appropriately called "SNOW." You can see it here.

It features no copy.
There's barely a line a of type at the end.

And there's not even a shot of the car.
Meaning, it's all left to the imagination of the viewer.

It's enough to make the heads of data-driven, client-pleasing, formula-loving creatives spin off their axes. Nevertheless the ad went on to win a shit ton of awards. And more importantly, it separated Jeep from the herd of SUV's that now choke our roads and highways and parking lots of Super Target stores throughout the country.

That was then, and this is now.

That's Oscar-nominated actor Jeremy Renner and his new Jeep. He must have a few new Jeeps. Because every time I turn on the TV to watch a preseason football game, there's Jeremy. Crooning about his Jeep Compass. Or writing love songs to his Jeep Rubicon. Or just getting way too happy about an automotive brand that has seen better days.

I'm not gonna bash the spots themselves, or the creatives responsible for that mishegas. (I'm told that's not good form, although it's a little late in the game for me to be worried about that.)

But I have to wonder what was going through Jeremy Renner's head when he agreed to cash in his hugely successful acting career for an opportunity to don a black leather duster, kick up some sand and wax poetic about an underpowered crossover with all the cache of a Daihaitsu.

On the other hand, who am I to get so high and mighty?

Jeremy is probably waiting for the third coat of shellac to dry on his beautiful new custom built 50 foot mahogany yacht and I've got my fingers crossed that Harry's House of Catheters wants to pull the trigger on an end of year clearance sale so I can pay for a new timing chain on my 2007 Lexus.