Jeep’s 1980s Cherokee offered advantages over the Blazer and Bronco II; power, space, etc. Just ask Ash from Evil Dead.
Bruce Campbell is best known for his roles in cult classic horror films like Evil Deadand Army of Darkness, but back in the late 1980s, he did a commercial for the Jeep Cherokee. In fine Campbell fashion, the spot was done with a touch of humor and sarcasm, stripping the roomy mid-sized Jeep down to allow the competitors from Chevy and Ford to better compete. Campbell recently posted to Twitter, sharing one of his commercials from back in the day.
Campbell for the Cherokee
The commercial for the Jeep XJ Cherokee starts with the Campbell introducing us to the boxy SUV, explaining that the goal of the spot is to make it more like the Chevrolet S10 Blazer and the Ford Bronco II. To do so, they have to remove the rear doors and one of the seats, since the competitors were only sold as four-passenger, two-door vehicles. They would also have to remove some power from the Cherokee’s six-cylinder engine since the Jeep offered considerably more power along with doing away with the full-time four-wheel-drive system, since that wasn’t standard in either of those two key competitors.
When the Jeep Cherokee is reduced to the level of the competition, it is sitting on the axles, showing how much better it is than the Chevy and Ford competitors in the segment.
When we look at this comparison as it is presented by Bruce Campbell, there is little question as to why the Jeep Cherokee has retained a far more respectable reputation than the Chevy S10 Blazer or the Ford Bronco II. It might also be why the Cherokee still exists and the others do not.
"Before I was old enough to walk, my dad was taking me to various types of racing events, from local drag racing to the Daytona 500," says Patrick Rall, a lifetime automotive expert, diehard Dodge fan, and respected auto journalist for over 10 years. "He owned a repair shop and had a variety of performance cars when I was young, but by the time I was 16, he was ready to build me my first drag car – a 1983 Dodge Mirada that ran low 12s. I spent 10 years traveling around the country, racing with my dad by my side. While we live in different areas of the country, my dad still drag races at 80 years old in the car that he built when I was 16 while I race other vehicles, including my 2017 Dodge Challenger SRT Hellcat and my 1972 Dodge Demon 340.
"Although I went to college for accounting, my time in my dad’s shop growing up allowed me the knowledge to spend time working as a mechanic before getting my accounting degree, at which point I worked in the office of a dealership group. While I was working in the accounting world, I continued racing and taking pictures of cars at the track. Over time, I began showing off those pictures online and that led to my writing.
"Ten years ago, I left the accounting world to become a full-time automotive writer and I am living proof that if you love what you do, you will never “work” a day in your life," adds Rall, who has clocked in time as an auto mechanic, longtime drag racer and now automotive journalist who contributes to nearly a dozen popular auto websites dedicated to fellow enthusiasts.
"I love covering the automotive industry and everything involved with the job. I was fortunate to turn my love of the automotive world into a hobby that led to an exciting career, with my past of working as a mechanic and as an accountant in the automotive world provides me with a unique perspective of the industry.
"My experience drag racing for more than 20 years coupled with a newfound interest in road racing over the past decade allows me to push performance cars to their limit, while my role as a horse stable manager gives me vast experience towing and hauling with all of the newest trucks on the market today.
