So how do you use a polar bear and a faux Arctic environment to advertise a Jeep Liberty? According to David Bouck, the commercial’s production manager, the Liberty stops for a moment after tearing around on the Arctic ice. After stopping a polar bear (Aggie) ambles up to the vehicle, walks around it and licks the back of the vehicle which freezes her tongue to the metal.
“The driver of the Jeep then uses a pail of snow melted with the Jeep’s heating system,” said Bouck.
“He pours the warm water over the bear’s tongue thus releasing the bear. He then runs to the Jeep and drives away leaving a perplexed but relieved polar bear.”
“It was very well organized,” said Hicks. “They would warn us when the bear was coming out to make sure you made no sudden movements and that you had no food in your pockets.”
As an added safety feature a barrier was set up. If Aggie walked outside of the barrier she would have received a 20,000 volt electric shock. There was also a second actor just in case the bear swatted or injured the main actor.
The commercial only took a day to shoot. and was shot by Radke Films out of Vancouver and HSI Productions out of Culver City, California.