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Why Jeep Paused Bruce Springsteen’s Super Bowl Ad—and What Happened Next

Jeep paused “The Middle” after reports of Bruce Springsteen’s arrest surfaced. The DWI and reckless-driving charges were dismissed, and Jeep later unpaused the commercial.
Entry016 Date Time2 min MechanicCarCody Team
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Jeep paused its Bruce Springsteen commercial, “The Middle,” after news surfaced in February 2021 that Springsteen had been arrested months earlier and cited for driving under the influence, reckless driving and consuming alcohol in a closed area. The first two charges were later dismissed; Springsteen pleaded guilty to the closed-area alcohol offense. Jeep subsequently said it was “unpausing the film.”

Why did Jeep pause the Springsteen ad?

“The Middle,” a two-minute Jeep commercial featuring Springsteen, aired during Super Bowl LV on February 7, 2021. Its message focused on national unity and finding common ground. Days later, news reports made public Springsteen’s November 2020 arrest. Jeep said it would pause the commercial until the facts could be established.

In a statement reported by CBS News and the Associated Press, Jeep said: “It would be inappropriate for us to comment on the details of a matter we have only read about and we cannot substantiate.” The company also said it was right to pause the Big Game commercial while the facts were established, adding that “drinking and driving can never be condoned.” CBS News/Associated Press

What happened in the case?

The arrest and citations

Springsteen was arrested on November 14, 2020, in Gateway National Recreation Area in New Jersey. Contemporaneous reporting said he received citations for driving under the influence, reckless driving and consuming alcohol in a closed area. These were initial citations, not convictions. The Guardian

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The court disposition

On February 24, 2021, a federal judge dismissed the driving-while-intoxicated and reckless-driving charges. Springsteen pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol in an enclosed area and was fined $500, with $40 in court fees, according to The Guardian’s 2021 report. The Guardian

Did Jeep put the commercial back?

After the court matter was resolved, Jeep said it was “unpausing the film,” as reported by The Washington Post. That describes the company’s decision about the ad; it does not establish that the original placement was available on every platform. The Washington Post

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Timeline

  • November 14, 2020: Springsteen is arrested and receives citations in Gateway National Recreation Area. The Guardian
  • February 7, 2021: “The Middle” airs during Super Bowl LV. ABC News
  • February 10–11, 2021: Reports of the arrest become public, and Jeep says it is pausing the commercial. CBS News/Associated Press
  • February 24, 2021: The DWI and reckless-driving charges are dismissed; Springsteen pleads guilty to the enclosed-area alcohol offense. Jeep then says it is unpausing the film. The Washington Post

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