Responses by Doner

Background: The purpose of the spot “Pale Blue Dot” was to launch the first-ever electric Jeep Wrangler, the Jeep Wrangler 4xe, marking the arrival of the most capable, technologically advanced and eco-friendly Wrangler ever. It is a natural evolution of the Jeep brand’s DNA of exploration, adventure and freedom, given our customers already have a deep and powerful relationship with nature and with our planet.

Reasoning: On Feb. 14, 1990, famed scientist Carl Sagan gave the world an astonishing vantage point of the planet we call home. For years, Sagan had lobbied NASA to turn Voyager 1’s camera around for one last look homeward. The resulting image with the Earth appearing as a tiny speck became known as the Pale Blue Dot. In 1994, Sagan wrote a book called Pale Blue Dot: A Vision of the Human Future in Space, in which he spoke in-depth about the photograph. What better way to launch the first electric Jeep, an unprecedented step for climate change, than by partnering with Ann Druyan, the widow and collaborator of Carl Sagan, to create an advertisement hinging on Sagan’s narration of passages from the book.

Challenges: Carl Sagan’s photograph and book Pale Blue Dot is one of the most important and profound messages regarding climate change we have. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe is also a momentous step not only regarding the planet, but also the Jeep brand as well. Plus, both Sagan and the Jeep brand have millions of devoted fans. Creating a two-minute spot that lived up to the importance of this iconic collaboration was always in the back of our minds as we went through production.

Favorite details: Throughout the making of this commercial, we were fortunate enough to work directly with Ann Druyan, an Emmy® and Peabody Award-winning American writer, producer, director in her own right. We collaborated with her throughout every step of the process from pre-production, to the shoot, to the edit to even writing supers. Her guidance and understanding of Carl’s words were invaluable; what we are most proud of having accomplished with the spot “Pale Blue Dot” is having Ann deem it worthy of Sagan’s message.

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