Sightings: Holiday 2015 - Rovers Magazine

Fall passes quickly into winter here in New England, but that doesn’t seem to slow down our avid Sighters. In the midst of seasonal holidays and the onset of cold weather (well, warmer and calmer weather elsewhere in the country) they’re still filling our inboxes and mailboxes with their exciting discoveries. We commend our readers for searching out a Land Rover sightings in advertisements, commercials, movies and online sites.

It’s always helpful for veteran and novice Sighters alike to review the rules that govern when we award a Coveted Mug:

Rule #1 – All Sightings receive recognition and our appreciation, but not necessarily a mug. We reward only those Sightings that capture the unique qualities of Land Rovers and their owners, and display them in a distinctive way.

Rule #2 – If your Sighting doesn’t really surprise you, it won’t surprise us, either—thus, we can’t award you a mug. We’re delighted, but not surprised, that Land Rovers appear in British television programmes, British publications, films with British themes and shows about African safaris. You shouldn’t be surprised either, and should consider looking for other ways to get a coffee mug.

Rule #3 – At an ever-changing date before publication, we close off the Sightings; for this issue, it was July 19, 2015. If we’ve mentioned the Sighting in an earlier issue, we might not mention it again. If you’re new to the family of Land Rover enthusiasts, you may not have seen your Sighting in an earlier issue.

Rule #4 – We’re not outfitting your kitchen. If you qualify, one mug per Sighting per issue.

Rule #5 – Sightings that are Land Rover references in books go to our Literary Land Rover Editor for mention, but only when space permits.

Rule #6 – Psst… Email submissions—remember we can’t send a mug by email. To be considered for a Coveted Mug, send us your real name and shipping address, too.

Rule #7 – Grudgingly, very grudgingly, the Editor admits he might have made an error. Let us know if you think you’ve been jobbed, but all decisions of the Editor are final.

Mini Boden cover

Catalogue designers, in print and online, know that a Land Rover will draw you in; that’s why the Boden kids catalogue brought a Land Rover in again to show off its wares. Dave Smith, Scottsdale, AZ, John Costello, Ridgefield CT, Jennifer Mercer [see Rule #6] and Tyler Lucks, Bexley, OH, spotted the kids in the Series Rover. Jeff Carpenter, Gresham, OR, found the Defender in the Eagle Creek luggage ad online.

Daniel Smith, Coventry, RI, noted that the Anthropologie catalogue features shots of Defenders in Africa.

App Store Ad

Spenser Norcross [see Rule #6] and Scott Just, Berkley, MI, noted that when Apple wanted to promote iPad apps, it chose the vent screens and flap from a Series Land Rover for its “traveling” apps. (Generously, he requested that if he won a mug, it should go to a “mugless” friend.)

Bill Hardaway, Manchester, GA, found a handsome Defender on the home page of JR Criders website.

P.T. Schram [see Rule #6] enjoyed seeing a military Land Rover with armament in the FNH USA catalogue.

Anna Mabbutt, Makawao, HI, noted the Defender full of tornado chasers in an ad for OLED big screen televisions.

Calavera Ad

Surprise—the bikini clad models standing on and around a Defender 110 on the cover of the Calavera swimwear catalogue caught the attention of Adam Schwartz, Kings Park, NY. Jessie McCoy, Richmond, VA, knows her kids with love the Land Rover T-shirts she shared with us from The Tea Company; the shirts read “VAMANOS!”

It’s not only catalogues, but magazines that love Land Rover imagery. Rob Dixon, Reston, VA, Brent Lane, Saco, ME and Milton Milner, Henderson, NC, spotted the Defender on the cover of Wheels Afield as well as in an article.

Boston Magazine Cover

Bill Mariano, Manchester, VT and Derek Chace, Charlotte, VT, were excited to see the Defender on the cover of Boston Magazine, just to promote the idea of summer vacationing.

Peter Hughes, Lusby, MD, enjoyed seeing a Land Rover 110 in Africa on the cover of Virginia Tech Research magazine.

Tom Proctor, Frenchtown, NJ, reported seeing a lot of Land Rovers in commentary on New York’s Fashion Week.

Chloe Kobold, Reston, VA, enjoyed the article featuring the Defender in the Best of the Best of the Robb Report.

In a literary sighting, Paul Hai, Newcomb, NY, enjoyed having his young daughter bring home the book Thea Stilton and the Journey to the Lion’s Den, accomplished in a Series III.

Christine Vallerand, Exeter, NH, noted the use of a Defender 110 to illustrate wilderness camping in a MentalFloss.com post.

TV shows and movies get a kick out of Land Rovers, too. Matthew Spetz, Forestville, CA, enjoyed seeing a cartoon Land Rover “in a foreign land” carrying CIA agents about.

This might be our strangest movie sighting—Mike Archer, Victoria, BC, Canada, was watching Curucu, Beast of Amazon, a 1956 sci-fi thriller set in the Amazon and spotted a Series I at work chasing a monster. Who knew?

Jon D’Anrea, San Antonio, TX, watched Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives on the Food Channel and enjoyed sending us a screen shot of a Camel Trophy decal during that episode.

Jorge Sheddon, Ft. Lauderdale, FL, said that his “lo def” eyes spotted a Discovery II on his “high def TV” during a John Oliver program. Chris Myer [see Rule #6] spotted the same spoof graphic.

Living is Easy With Eyes Closed

Chris Stoup, Carlisle, PA, saw a Series III or Santana in the 2013 Spanish film, Living is Easy with Eyes Closed.

Mark Kellgren, Charlotte, NC, enjoyed a 6×6 Land Rover in the 2014 film Automata.

Will Hedrick, Wake Forest, NC, spotted the safari Defender on the CBS show Zoo.

Chloe Kobold, Reston, VA, enjoyed the Series III in the Simon Pegg film Kill Me Three Times.

It’s an ad that only a medical professional might see, but sure enough, Dr. John Wootton, Ile du Grand Calumet, QC, found a Defender 110 on the trails in a diabetes medication ad. Past contributor Garrick Olsen [see Rule #6] saw the same ad in a different medical journal.

Tactical Clothing Ad

Another ad for tactical clothing attracted the attention of Will Van De Berg, who is posted overseas for the US government. Naturally, it featured a military Defender.

Peter Beaton Ad

When Peter Beaton, a Nantucket-based company, wanted to promote its line of boots and clothing, it turned to a Series Land Rover for impact; Karen Sindir, Santa Rosa, CA, spotted the Land Rover.

Will Van De Berg, Wilmington, NC, enjoyed seeing a cartoonish Land Rover in an African setting on an Alamo rental car poster.

Jeff Briggs [see Rule #6] spotted a Land Rover in a Chase Sapphire credit card commercial.

When Emirates Airlines wanted to promote travel, it chose a Defender 110 in a desert scene to capture your travel lust, reported Nestor Nicholas, Marina, CA.

Emily Waitek, Osage, IA, couldn’t miss the full wall mural of a Defender 110 in the Mall on America in Bloomington, MN, and hopes to win a mug “to make my Dad, Marc, jealous.”

Sports Authority

Adam Setliff, Irving, TX, was at the Greensboro Airport where he snapped a photo of the above-mentioned Eagle Creek ad as a poster featuring a Defender. He also noted the Defender article in Cigar Aficionado magazine.

Will Stewart, McMinnville, OR, noted that the NRA used a photo of Land Rovers and hunters in Africa for an organizational advertisement.

Rovers North photographer Kevin King spotted a Discovery mimicking the famous “Cadillac Ranch” sculpture created by a group called Nitro Circus. He’s a movie buff who notes, “The remake of Point Break might be terrible, but at least it’s got a Range Rover in it.”

William Hutchings, Wilmington, NC, spotted a book, The Gnar of Dakar, in his local surf shop, with a Series Land Rover on the cover.

Carolyn Benway, Forestdale, MA, found Land Rovers on duty at the Syrian border in Wall Street Journal coverage.

American Way Ad

We’ve mentioned these before, but we want to thank John Kappelman, Austin, TX, for the POV ad featuring the Defender 90.

Earl Powers, Arnold, MD and Russell Branscum, Marcella, AR, enjoyed seeing the Land Rover in the Mountain Khakis catalogue.

And back when cigarette ads could appear in magazines, Camel cigarettes advertised a macho man lighting up in front of his Series Rover; Jerry Staar, Burnaby, BC, Canada, enjoyed sharing it with us.

Merrell returns Land Rovers to its catalogues for 2015, noted Howard Morrison, Savannah, GA and Ben Hanelt, Albuquerque, NM.

Past contributor Hannah Thayer, Abingdon, VA, was delighted to see a Defender in her Instagram feed from Pottery Barn.

Phantom comic strip

Cherie Emmons, Somerset, KY, always enjoys seeing the Series Land Rovers in the Phantom comic strip.

Allen Easterly, Chattanooga, TN, spotted the rear door of a Discovery II in an Eddie Bauer catalogue.

Jonathan Richards, Reston, VA, found the Falken tire ad in Recoil magazine.

The Mission Impossible franchise loves their Defenders, noted Joshua O’Neill, New York City and Allen Minner, Carnation, WA; they’re back in the movie trailers again.

Winners: