New 30-second commercial shows the bond between Dodge owners in the brotherhood of muscle.
These days, Dodge fancies itself as more than just the manufacturer of 707-horsepower family sedans or the purveyor of Durangos with 6.4-liter Hemis under their hoods. In fact, it describes itself – in Vin Diesel’s deep, gravelly voice, actually – as not even a carmaker, but as a major family figure in the “brotherhood of muscle.”
Dodge’s newest 30-second commercial takes that familial bond even further, suggesting that Dodge owners are part of a sort of wolfpack (insert “The Hangover” jokes here). The spot starts with the Dodge brothers roaring down a snow-covered road in an all-wheel-drive Challenger GT as they’re being pursued by mysterious figures on ATVs. No matter how fast the brothers go or how wildly they drift through the powder, their aggressive followers keep up. Eventually, they manage to get a lead.
Diesel croaks, “When you chase a wolf, he always leads you back to the den.”
The brothers manage to meet up with the drivers of an AWD Journey, Durango, and Challenger. “That’s the brotherhood of muscle.” The hunted have now become the hunters. All of the Dodges shoot toward the ATVs, chasing them back the way they came.
It’s a dramatic visual statement which is perfect for a commercial. It’s not too far off from the reality we observed at an event last year, though. We went to the WeAreMopar festival at the Texas Motor Speedway (TMS) in Ft. Worth, Texas. There wasn’t any snow or dramatic car chases, but there was a strong connection there. When we spoke with the heads of two Mopar owners clubs, they both told us that one of the distinguishing characteristics of Mopar enthusiasts is a sense of family. Their groups often help their members out during family or financial emergencies. That’s a bond that can take whatever comes at it – even hoods on four-wheelers.
Derek Shiekhi's father raised him on cars. As a boy, Derek accompanied his dad as he bought classics such as post-WWII GM trucks and early Ford Mustang convertibles.
After loving cars for years and getting a bachelor's degree in Business Management, Derek decided to get an associate degree in journalism. His networking put him in contact with the editor of the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, who hired him to write freelance about automotive culture and events in Austin, Texas in 2013. One particular story led to him getting a certificate for learning the foundations of road racing.
While watching TV with his parents one fateful evening, he saw a commercial that changed his life. In it, Jeep touted the Wrangler as the Texas Auto Writers Association's "SUV of Texas." Derek knew he had to join the organization if he was going to advance as an automotive writer. He joined the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) in 2014 and was fortunate to meet several nice people who connected him to the representatives of several automakers and the people who could give him access to press vehicles (the first one he ever got the keys to was a Lexus LX 570). He's now a regular at TAWA's two main events: the Texas Auto Roundup in the spring and the Texas Truck Rodeo in the fall.
Over the past several years, Derek has learned how to drive off-road in various four-wheel-drive SUVs (he even camped out for two nights in a Land Rover), and driven around various tracks in hot hatches, muscle cars, and exotics. Several of his pieces, including his article about the 2015 Ford F-150 being crowned TAWA's 2014 "Truck of Texas" and his review of the Alfa Romeo 4C Spider, have won awards in TAWA's annual Excellence in Craft Competition. Last year, his JK Forum profile of Wagonmaster, a business that restores Jeep Wagoneers, won prizes in TAWA’s signature writing contest and its pickup- and SUV-focused Texas Truck Invitational.
