Sightings: Winter 2016 - Rovers Magazine

Time to stop shoveling snow to peruse the Sightings for this issue. The number of entries demonstrates that many enthusiasts hunker down while searching out Land Rovers 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.

Whether in print or online, advertisers love the way that Land Rovers bolster their product.

Paul Kennington, La Grande, OR, saw one on an email blast from SteepandCheap.com.

Brent Lane, Saco, ME, enjoyed seeing a Land Rover ad on Petrolicious, celebrating Australia’s Father’s Day.

Russ Choma, Brookfield, CT, reported that his grandson, who is “enamored of my Series II,” spotted the similar Land Rover in a Bob’s Store Levi’s flyer.

Scott Tognocchi, Owings Mills, MD, noted the Defender windscreen on a Revo Sun-glasses website.

Adiran Haskal, Fayetteville, NC, was happy to see a Land Rover in a Vintage Overland trailer ad.

Dan Krebs, San Francisco, CA and Steven Bartley, Arlington, VA, noted that the Best Made “grossly overpriced work clothes” website features a Defender and its owner at work in Scotland.

Front cover of the prAna catalogue

Matthew Marvin, Huntsville, AR, Leah Graves, Framingham, MA, Lisa Stewart, McMinnville, OR, Rob Modica and Michael Zimmerman [see Rule #6], Adin Pfeuffer, Arlington, VA, Matt Sears, Tucson, AZ and Howard Morrison, Savannah, GA, noted the Defender on the front cover of the prAna catalogue.

Mac Surber, Westborough, MA, noted the full page Falken Tire ad with a Defender 110 on the back cover of Recoil magazine.

Royal Air Force recruitment commercial

Ex-pat Chris Browne, Sherborn, MA, spotted Defenders in a Royal Air Force recruitment commercial and on a promotional tour for the Rugby Cup.

Phil Lawrence, Wyoming, MI, noted that while making a run to Costco for “things I don’t need,” their ad featured a “Frostblocker” for the windscreen of an LR4—heated windscreen is standard on LR4 HSE LUX.

Savannah McGuire, Monroe, GA, spotted the rear of a Series Land Rover used on Zulily for Woolrich Clothing.

John Dillingham, Canton, GA, spotted a Series Land Rover filled with home furnishings in an ad in Charleston Magazine.

Ravi Nagi, Houston, TX, spotted the Land Rovers in a Clark’s Desert Boot ad in Car and Driver.

Land Rovers on television remind us that even famous actors rely on Land Rovers for impact.

Brent---Comedians-in-Cars-Defender-sighting

Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee

Brent Lane, Saco, ME, noted that Jerry Seinfeld included a Defender in his Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee show this past fall.

Mike Archer, Victoria, BC, Canada, enjoyed seeing a Series II-A in an episode of Alfred Hitchcock Presents set in Africa.

Will Ficner, Ottawa, ON, Canada, spotted a military Defender in an episode of American Odyssey.

Greg Akin, Abilene, TX, watched an episode of the 70’s TV show Emergency and noted that a character sought to sell his Series Land Rover—but chose to keep it.

Al Schadow, Middle Grove, NY, watched Storage Wars and noticed the hostess rode off in a Land Rover.

Chris Snell, Tacoma, WA, spotted the Rover Defender in Rotterdam in an episode of The Amazing Race.

Movies have always been fond of Land Rover, so it’s not surprising that Manny Back- man [see Rule #6] spotted a Defender in a Jurassic Park movie ad in American Airlines in-flight magazine.

The Man From UNCLE

Ian Coulson, Regina, SK, and Kris Hekkila, Mason, NH, spotted a Defender 90 standing in for a Series Land Rover in The Man From UNCLE, despite its period-incorrect placement.

And Land Rovers can find their way into the news, too.

After the shooting of Cecil the Lion, Matthew Greisemer, Charleston, SC, noted a most unusual photograph in the New York Times.

Carolyn Benway, Forestdale, MA, spotted a Land Rover pulling a float during a July 4th parade in a Cape Cod Summer Guide.

Jim Leonard, N. Reading, MA, spotted a Defender 110 at work on Reunion Island, after the crash of the Malaysian Airlines jet.

Bill-Skidmore---Wired-Rovers-North-article-sighting

Architectural Digest article

William Skidmore, New Brunswick, NJ, found a 109” gracing his WIRED newsfeed on “Vintage Cars of San Francisco.” He also noted a Defender camper conversion on a “Hi Consumption” newsfeed.

Bo Prilliman, Vero Beach, FL, read an Architectural Digest article about the abode of a Los Angeles couple who protest, “We’re not fancy people,” while standing beside a perfect Defender 90 with matching pedigree dogs and expensive surfboards. He also spotted a Series Land Rover in Sinjar on a CNN newscast.

Carolyn Benway, Forestdale, MA, found a Defender on coverage of Afghanistan warfare.

Closer to home, Robert and Annette Matthews, Kennesaw, GA, Pete Burras, Franklin, TN and Leslie Bright [see Rule #6] noted a Defender wading the flooded streets of Charleston, SC, in a USA Today article.

Chris Liles, San Diego, CA, enjoyed an article in the San Diego Tribune about British author Jojo Moyes, featuring her Defender 90.

P.T. Schram, Churubusco, IN, received a political flyer for road improvement funding which featured a Land Rover.

We always appreciate working Land Rovers, so it was wonderful when Adair Wydmore, Oxford, MS, drew our attention to the work of Slovenian photographer Borut Peterlin, who carries out his wet plate photography in a Series III 109”.

William Skidmore, New Brunswick, NJ, read his daily Huffington Post blog and noted a great story on the “Black Mambas” who defend wild rhinoceroses in Defenders.

It didn’t look to be severe duty, but Mac Surber, Westborough, MA, spotted the Defender behind a lovely female model in the Dillon Aero calendar for December.

Kevin-Smith---RLauren-Mens'-Style-WSJ-image1-(4)

Ralph Lauren ad in the Wall Street Journal

We put the “Spectre” Defender on the cover of our Holiday 2015 issue and the Taylor Swift video in the Editor’s Opening Letter, but we want to thank the following for capturing those Sightings: Abel Villeseca, Albuquerque, NM, Jonathan Costello, Ridgefield, CT, Jason Sheehy, Mt. Sterling, OH, Eleanor and Harry McCoy, Richmond, VA, Hayden Pearson, Rolla, MO, Ian Coulson, Regina, SK, Canada and Kristen McFar- land, Prairie du Sac, WI.

Land Rovers in Orvis catalogue

Greg Akin, Abilene, TX, Ron Dade, Washington, DC, Brent Lane, Saco, ME, David Miller [see Rule #6], Kevin Smith, Roanoke, VA and Alan Goldberg, Washington, DC, also noted the Ralph Lauren ad in the Wall Street Journal; Basil Sharpe, Beverly, MA, spotted the same ad in The Economist.

Greg Akin also pointed out the continued use of Land Rovers in Orvis catalogues.

Josh Cunningham, Cincinnati, OH and Brian Jones [see Rule #6] noted that the British firm Finisterre features a Defender on a rocky shore in their promotion.

Winners