This year’s Ganesh Chaturthi festival – the pride and joy of Maharashtra was scaled down due to the pandemic and to avoid large crowds. The height of the idol for public pandals was not to exceed four feet and physical distancing would be compulsory. Despite all the restrictions, Jeep India and Leo Burnett decided to pay a tribute to Lord Ganesha in a unique way, keeping the spirit of the festival alive.
Staying true to the brand pillars of Authenticity, Passion, Freedom and Adventure, Jeep was paying homage to the idea of overcoming obstacles. The idea was to create a larger-than-life, ode to the ultimate remover of obstacles using Jeep Compass SUVs. To make this a one-of-a-kind initiative, 29,970 sq. ft. of space, 48+ hours, 8 professional drivers were required. This would result in a 162 feet long, 185 feet wide, Ganesha made of 122 Jeep Compass SUVs!
Commenting on the campaign Rahul Pansare – Head of Marketing and PR, FCA India said, “Lord Ganesha symbolises the beginning of auspicious times, transcends class, age and social status. Ganesh Chaturthi is amongst the most loved and fervently celebrated festivals in India that brings people together, spreads positivity and imparts strength. We, at Jeep India, couldn’t bring ourselves to let this festival go without a celebration. We decided to do something adventurous but it had to be authentic; something that would touch peoples’ hearts, induce positive vibes and bring cheer. Making a 162-feet tall, 185-feet wide Lord Ganesh from 122 Jeep Compass SUVs was Jeep’s way to say that we can decimate every challenge if we channel our passion in the right direction. I was delighted to see our effort going viral on social media in no time!”
Adding further Rajdeepak Das, Managing Director India & Chief Creative Officer, Leo Burnett South Asia said “Lord Ganesha is known as a conquerer of all obstacles and this year even with all the restrictions we wanted to create an act befitting to this deity’s eminence. Brand Jeep is known to take any challenges head-on and our campaign does the same. Our endeavour resulted in a one of its kind Ganesha Idol using 122 Jeep SUV’s with the same scale of an idol in a pandal. This campaign is a perfect example of our Humankind philosophy which revolves entirely around people and purpose.”