Jeep and BETC Paris Expose "Fake Tough Guys" With the New Jeep Compass

Jan. 12, 2026

Sometimes all it takes is a little staging to invent an adventurous life: mud brushed onto a bumper, branches cleverly wedged into windshield wipers, a handful of leaves slipped between the rims... And suddenly, any SUV becomes a weekend warrior.

For some, adventure has thus become more of an aesthetic than a reality. Jeep has chosen to expose this gap between fantasy and reality head-on, with irony and a certain tenderness.

Nicholas Bakshi, Creative Director at BETC Paris said:

"Adventure isn't a costume you put on. It's a way of being, of driving, of existing. Jeep has never needed to prove that it was made for adventure: it is adventure."

 

Directed by Martin Werner, the film follows drivers busy “dirtying” their SUVs, singing Freddy Mercury's cult classic “The Great Pretender”: a father and daughter smear mud on their windshield, customers line up at a reverse car wash... Welcome to a world where everyone tries to look more adventurous than they really are.

When the new Jeep Compass, the only impeccably clean SUV in sight, drives through town, the fake tough guys freeze and everything changes. The curtain falls, their illusions are shattered... Faced with a model designed for adventure without artifice, their act no longer holds up.

This campaign marks a change of tone for Jeep in Europe: humor, quirkiness, and a healthy dose of irony, but returning to the brand's fundamentals. 

Olivier François, CMO at Stellantis, explained:

“At Jeep, we've always preferred the reality of the terrain to artifice. This film reminds us of this in a simple way: you can love adventure without needing to exaggerate.”

 

A partner of Citroën since 2018, BETC Paris has been working alongside the brand on campaigns that have helped establish a unique and recognizable tone. The strength of this partnership has naturally opened up new collaborations within the Stellantis group, enabling BETC Paris to support Jeep in the launch of the new Jeep Compass.

Mehdi Benali, Managing Director at BETC Paris said:

"We are so proud to be working for a brand as iconic as Jeep. This launch is key to the brand's development strategy in Europe and the Middle East, and we are delighted to have been chosen by Stellantis to support them in this challenge. The strategic and creative ambition was there, and we look forward to continuing this adventure alongside this great brand."