Bobby Farrelly directs new Jeep ad

Cameron Boon

March 12, 2013 12:14

Hollywood director Bobby Farrelly is in Sydney this week filming a new ad for Jeep.

The ad, created by CumminsRoss, is a sequel to Chrysler’s Every Dog Has Its Jeep ad that was launched in February last year. Bobby Farrelly, one half of the Farrelly Brothers, is on board as director.

Farrelly was working in Centennial Park today and yesterday. He told Mumbrella this was one of few commercials he has decided to take on and he loved the humour of the ad.

“I don’t do a whole lot of ads, I’m primarily a filmmaker,” he told Mumbrella. ” I get a lot of offers but I invariably turn them down. This one made me laugh and I really enjoyed the sense of humour.”

Farrelly explained the ad would follow a similar formula to the previous ad, but this time is focused on a dog obedience class.

“The dog decides to cock block the instructor and does everything he can to scare this guy off…the dog doesn’t listen, does the wrong thing and eventually gets thrown out of the class.

“It’ll be about a 60 second spot, but there’s room to make it a 30 second spot. We’ll probably even flesh it out to make a 90 second spot too.”

Sam Tabart, Director of Marketing, Fiat Chrysler Group Australia said Farrelly was approached late last year for the ad.”We had such a phenomenal response from the original TVC “Every dog has its Jeep”, people really connected with the characters and in turn the Jeep brand. It was a great launch platform for the Jeep Compass and we’re in the business of giving people want they want so we thought we would revisit the story line to continue to build upon it further.

(Bobby) immediately loved (the script) saying it was something he couldn’t say no to. We were thrilled to have such a big name entertainment heavyweight involved in this TVC. We want audiences to continue see, hear and talk about this Jeep TVC after it’s gone from the nation’s TV screens, and having the calibre of Bobby Farrelly directing it will no doubt achieve this.”

Tabart said the new ad will be air nationally in the second quarter of the year.

Farrelly said working on a short project was a “relief” and “refreshing” because of the short turnaround time.

“I saw the script a couple of weeks ago and now I’m working on it. I’ll probably be up and running in a matter of weeks.

“The immediacy is kinda fun. Everything went swimmingly on the first day, knock on wood, but we are working with animals.

“I’ve done some Samsung commercials for the Superbowl last year, but that was bigger. I’d say it was more work but less fun. This is a treat for me to be here.”

The previous ad:

Hit films the Farrelly brothers have been involved in have included Dumb & Dumber; Me, Myself & Irene; There’s Something About Mary; and Shallow Hall.

Creative Credits