Cross Branding #1: Willys MB Fidget SPinner
Spring 2023
In a world where brands play a central role in shaping personal identity, they’ve become more than just labels; they’re tools for self-expression, allowing consumers to reflect who they are and what they stand for—both privately and in the public eye. Whether large or small, brands thrive on constructing fantasies and, at times, creating the illusion (or the reality) that life can be enhanced by acquiring their product.
During the spring, I immersed myself as an “employee” of the Willys MB Jeep brand, using the car’s iconic design and cultural identity as inspiration for redesigning other products.
In this first cross-branding project, I explored the transformative potential of the World War II Willys MB brand identity by merging it with an unrelated item: the fidget spinner. Using Fusion and 3D printing I created a spinner that needed no adhesives to put together and fit comfortably in the hand when in use.
Vehicle Origin and History
As a response to the onset of the WWII and the global tensions, the U.S. military (as a precaution to their eventual involvement in the war) commissioned 135 US auto manufacturers to create a new small, quick, lightweight, and adaptable vehicle capable for battle
The US Government set up a contest to create the best vehicle for the Army, in a best design wins format. Only 3 companies responded American Bantam, Willys Overland, and Ford Motor. The designs were due just ten days after the competition opened.
Vehicle specifications included “ four-wheel drive, a crew of three on a wheelbase of no more than 75 inches and tracks no more than 47 inches, a fold-down windshield, a 660 lb payload, and an engine capable of 85 ft lb.”
Ultimately the Willys MB was chosen for the war, and its formal features serve as inspiration for the modern characteristics of the Jeep Wrangler’s seen on the on the road today.
