Short Case Study-Jeep The original Jeep was introduced during World War II when the US Army was looking for a fast, lightweight, all-terrain vehicle. We don’t know for sure where the name came from but we do know that Jeep vehicles were quickly recognized by soldiers and civilians alike as the vehicle that could go anywhere and do anything. The original Willys were the predecessors of today’s lineup of Jeep vehicles. Today’s Jeep brand grew from a single product in 1946 (the CJ-2) to include the Wagoneer in the 1960’s, which later evolved into the Cherokee in the 1980’s. The CJs evolved into the Wrangler in 1987. After 60 years of production, Jeep introduced the Liberty in 2002. All of these vehicles had one thing in common: they were designed for off-road adventure. Thus, they are “trail rated.” Reflected in pop-culture throughout several decades, the Jeep represents a unique American “personality.” Its exposure had its early beginnings with Sgt. Beatle Bailey in the 1940s, continued with Daisy Duke in TV’s Dukes of Hazzard, was exhibited in the movie Lara Croft: Tomb Raider; and, more recently, was featured as “Sarge” in the movie Cars and Disney’s Tugger. Enjoying a healthy stronghold in pop-culture and American consciousness, the Jeep is more than simply a car. Although other 4-wheel-drive vehicles have been called “jeeps,” the tagline “Jeep: There’s Only One” reinforced the uniqueness of the product. It was competing automakers that coined the term “sports utility vehicle” (SUV) to identify there off-road/4-wheel-drive vehicles. In an environment when other auto manufacturers are competing on safety-crash records, mileage figures, and price, Jeep is competing with the tagline: “Have fun out there. Jeep.” Jeep’s marketing strategy is based on the belief that Jeep people don’t collect things, they collect experiences. In 2008, sales of the Jeep brand dropped nearly 50% overall. Jeep’s lone positive performer was the Jeep Wrangler, which was showing a slight improvement in sales from last year at a 4% sales increase. In the past, Jeep and its SUV competitors have targeted wealthy yuppies with a taste for adventure. Wrangler maintains about 4% market share of the very crowded SUV market with an annual marketing budget in excess of $22M. Jeep’s marketing strategy in the past has been focused on conveying a sense of power and hearty individualism for Jeep owners. Will this approach appeal to the Millennials? Questions: 1. How do you see the product “Jeep”? 2. What is the target group of customers for Jeep? 3. How Jeep positions itself into the market?