Super Bowl Flashback: Jeep Relives Groundhog Day

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As Super Bowl LX ticks nearer we’re continuing our Ad Of The Week celebrations of the best Super Bowl commercials from the last few years. This one isn’t just our pick – last year it won a Campaign US head-to-head bracket to be declared the best American ad of the 21st Century. It’s Jeep’s “Groundhog Day” from 2020, made with agency Highdive. And whether you agree it’s the best of the century or not, it was an instant classic and a worthy 5-Star winner on System1’s Test Your Ad rankings that year.

The ad fits into the wave of celebrity guest spots we’ve seen over the last few years at the Super Bowl, with Bill Murray returning to his Groundhog Day role as he finds himself back in the town of Punxsutawney reliving the day again and again… but this time there’s a major difference. Murray finds a brand new Jeep, kidnaps the groundhog, and purgatory becomes paradise as the pair of them enjoy fun and adventures thanks to the freedom Jeep provides.

Celebrities and cultural references aren’t thin on the ground at the Super Bowl, and System1’s research has shown that ads with superstar guests aren’t inherently more effective than ones without. So what made Jeep’s stand out?

For a start, it felt genuinely special and exclusive. Groundhog Day is a rarity among hit movies – it never had a sequel, as the team who made it felt their tale had been told perfectly. So this ad was Murray’s first ever return to the role, which created plenty of surprise, positivity and excitement.

Jeep and Highdive also worked hard to make the ad live up to its hype. Groundhog Day is a film with many qualities, and one of them is its humor. Rather than focus on the product placement, Jeep dialled up the laughter, including gags like the scene with Murray and the groundhog in the arcade, which have nothing to do with the product and are just there to make the ad funnier. The ad also references enough scenes and characters from the original to keep the nostalgia level high.

But “Groundhog Day” never forgets that it’s a Jeep commercial, not a 60 second skit. The role the product plays in the ad’s story is central, giving Murray (and his furry co-star) the freedom to roam that liberates them from the tyranny of the repeating clock. With Jeep on screen so much, there’s no need for a voiceover or any dry information to break the ad’s spell. The commercial still gets a strong 94% Brand Fluency score alongside its Exceptional long-term Star Rating and short-term Spike Rating.

“Groundhog Day” is the celebrity commercial that gets everything right. A cultural callback that respects the source; a truly surprising return for a favourite character; and a product that can be centre-stage without spoiling the entertainment. Jeep’s commercial was rapid-fire, memorable and thoroughly entertaining – exactly what you want from a Super Bowl ad. Will any brand match it this year? Be the first to find out, as we test every single ad at Super Bowl LX.