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What the actual fuck is going on here.
We're not sure if this is the Mandela Effect in, well, full effect, or if it's just that major brands, media companies, and sketch comedy shows simply have no idea that 33% of Michigan even exists.
On Sunday, during Super Bowl LV, Jeep joined Mountain Dew, Saturday Night Live, Poo-Pourri, and Fox News in just totally omitted the U.P. from a map during their prime time ad, which starred none other than America's No. 1 DILF and, you know, one of the most important songwriters of, like, any generation — Bruce “The Boss” Springsteen.
The ad, which was created by Southfield-based creative agency Doner, follows Springsteen looking like a total snack driving through rural America in a Jeep as he addresses the importance of "meeting in the middle" as a country after four years of division — which seems pretty insane considering former President Donald Trump is on trial for his second impeachment and millions of Americans believe he should be absolved.
“It's no secret, the middle has been a hard place to get to lately,” Springsteen says. “Between red and blue, between servant and citizen, between our freedom and our fear. Now, fear has never been the best of who we are. And as for freedom, its not the property of a fortunate few. It belongs to us all.”
Touching speech, boomer. But how can we all be free and fearless if we keep ignoring Michigan's top half — and all of the beautiful Yoopers who call the U.P. home?
Anyway, the ad concludes with the Boss putting on a cool hat while telling us that “there's hope, on the road, up ahead” before revealing a map of the “ReUnited States of America” — which, you guessed it, just blatantly omits the U.P.
Michigan wasn't the only state shafted by Jeep, as the map also neglects to show Alaska and Hawaii. But why? Like, if Jeep could afford Springsteen, we're pretty sure they could have threw a few bucks at someone who can actually read maps. Just don't hire anyone from Fox News, as they have mistaken Michigan's U.P. for part of Canada, and, while reporting on Hurricane Sally last year, mistook all of Michigan for Mississippi.
In the past, the U.P. has leveraged its frequent erasure from maps. In 2019, when Mountain Dew assigned the U.P. to Wisconsin as part of its Dew-nited States campagin, the company was rightly called out — and apologized by launching a limited edition bottle designed for the folks of the U.P.
Now, the unofficial Twitter account for the U.P. is making demands of the car company, which is, as they point out, headquartered in Michigan.
“Please give 906 Jeeps to my residents,” the tweet reads.
Your move, Jeep.
Hey @Jeep,
— Da Upper Peninsula (@UpperPeninsula) February 8, 2021
Michigan's Upper Peninsula here, do you notice anything missing in your map, perhaps 33% of Michigan?
For a company long headquartered in Michigan, I expect better. Please give 906 Jeeps to my residents.
Sincerely,
The Upper Peninsula of America#ReUniteTheUP pic.twitter.com/rtQkzQfLYq
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