Real-life examples from our team

What is the business problem or opportunity​

The concern is that as Jeep scales up globally, introduces new models and brings in even more jeep drivers, they risk losing the authenticity behind the brand. How does Jeep stay authentic as it brings in a more mainstream driver? Simply said, we must ensure the Jeep brand retains its sense of aspiration globally, even as it reaches for a more common consumer.

How can we best address this opportunity

When Jeep entered the market in 1941, it didn't do so with a marketing plan. The definition of the brand did not come from inside the company, instead, jeep enthusiasts shaped what the brand would stand for (a definition that resonates to this day). The capability of the cars lent itself to adventure, to exploration, to true appreciation of the American landscape. And the freedom to roam that every jeep allowed facilitated a self-discovery in its drivers. Soon, the brand became the car of choice for curious souls - people for whom the daily grind of living needed to be broken, abandoned and replaced with a higher aspiration (even if just for a moment) For people whose eyes truly opened to the beauty around them, and whose hands and minds reached out to grab it.

To celebrate its 75th birthday, and to ensure the same halo shines over the brand and its cars for years to come, we must re-awaken the true spirit of Jeep in a way that is inspiring, motivating and welcoming to current and future drivers worldwide. Not in a nostalgic sense, but in an honest, impassioned and ambitious effort that inspires people to once again seek new landscapes be they physical or mental - and encourages new perspectives, new adventures, and new ideas to thrive.

There are very few timeless brands left in this world, we need to make sure jeep remains one of them.

Who are we trying to engage and what is at the core of their beliefs

Today's Jeep drivers, be they 18 or 80, share the idealistic vision of those who came before them, even if they cannot live up to it in their day-to-day lives. The Jeep wave is a prime example of the camaraderie of shared belief for those who carry the badge - being behind the wheel of a jeep is a symbol of a life lived with a sense of interest and curiosity for the world.

That said, as we pursue the campaign, our work should be inclusive of not just the boundless physical explorers among our audience, but welcoming of the mental-freedom-seekers as well. After all, the desire to break free and explore is not one that lives only in those who are unburdened by life's responsibilities - in fact, it often thrives most fiercely in those who are burning to do the same, but whose leaps are harder to notice.

What is Jeep's purpose in the world

Wake people up to the wonder of being alive.

What gives us the right to own this thought

Every Jeep is a physical manifestation of the emotional outcome we are trying to tap. For example, the four wheel drive makes no landscape inaccessible, encouraging a spirit of adventure. The customization available on each Jeep allows every driver the freedom to create their own authentic experience - whether it's in the car they drive or the places they take it. The history of great missions made possible by Jeep in the past awakens the passion to live according to the ethos of those who carried the badge before you. Driving a Jeep makes it possible to touch the world, in a way many brands would like to say. but none but jeep can back.

If we had an enemy, who or what would it be:

The enemy of Jeep is not a competitor, some other brand that is vying for our market share. No, the enemy of Jeep is time, it is boundaries, it is sleepwalking through life without taking a moment to question it. It is the mundane day in and day out, the kind of daily pettiness that David Foster Wallace wrote about in his Kenyan commencement, the everyday blindness to the world we embrace as we age.

Anything else to be mindful of

With Jeep, it's easy to get into the rugged, masculine tone of voice and stay there. The brand has long been associated with the military and manly exploration, but that is not the only thing its drivers connect with. As we develop work, we need to keep in mind that it is Jeep's sharp ruggedness that actually enables soft introspection. It is exactly the rough nature of the brand and the cars that enables us to get on a path toward lightness and wonder. That is the Jeep side we want to embrace.

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Media implications

The platform we select will be presented on the biggest stages, and SuperBowl 2016 is in play. With that in mind, our final outcome should suggest our media approach, and we will need to develop some creative media ideas as a part of the overall campaign.

Considerations and timing

• This is a global assignment, so any references need to be understood whether you're in China or Canada.

• Platforms should be first considered as a video piece, then extended into other channels

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(The original brief from McCann had more information. You can find it online here.)