Jaguar's Roar Turned Echo: A Deep Dive into the Failed Ad Campaign

Jaguar, the renowned British automotive icon, is set to commemorate its 90th anniversary next year by embarking on a comprehensive rebranding journey. This transformation includes the redesign (or even potential removal?) of the legendary wordmark, the leaping Jaguar emblem along with a fresh tagline: “Copy Nothing.” It appears that the brand is executing a strategic pivot towards all-electric car models with a minimum price of $100,000, and aimed at a younger audience.

To market this monumental shift, the brand introduced a 30-second teaser video (see below) showcasing a diverse ensemble of models adorned in vividly hued, avant-garde attire against eclectic backdrops. Curiously, the advertisement featured no automobiles, Jaguar or any verbal or text clarification for the end-user/viewer.

The reception to this rebranding has been negative overall, with tons of memes and parody jokes floating around the Internet. Even Elon Musk chimed in, quipping, “Do you sell cars?”—a jest that doesn’t quite land. You do not need to be an award-winning expert in strategic branding or communication to understand that this ad campaign was not good at all for a simple reason: it does not sell or market a car; it does not incite viewers to buy a car. The video teaser focuses more on the logo rebrand than on the product (or company) itself. In essence, it reminds us of the recent “ConvertKit → Kit” branding saga, with numerous videos published over 3-4 months dedicated to the logo change (described in detail by Tyler Denk here).

In an article titled “Jaguar boss defends ‘bold’ rebranding after backlash over video,” the Financial Times noted: “The Jaguar campaign drew more than 160mn views on social media but also the ire of some car enthusiasts, activists and influencers who were angered that the 90-year-old brand was “going woke” and “throwing away heritage.” Jaguar’s managing director, Rawdon Glover, told in an interview that the core message had been overshadowed by “a blaze of intolerance” on social platforms, refuting claims that the promo ad was a “woke” initiative. “If we engage in the same manner as everyone else, we’ll simply be drowned out. We shouldn’t present ourselves as a conventional automotive brand,” Glover asserted.

Yet, it is associated with “woke-ism” among many viewers and loyal fans. For example, from a visual standpoint and in terms of positioning, it closely follows the 'woke' Boots Christmas advert (which led to estimated USD 800 million in share capital losses for Walgreens).

We understand where the Jaguar’s intention comes from.  Jaguar's declining global sales highlight the urgency of the restructuring. In 2017, the company sold about 178,601 vehicles worldwide.  But in 2021 Jaguar sales in the United States decreased by 15% to 17,000 vehicles, in 2022 there was another drop of staggering 43.6% to 9,668 vehicles, and in 2023 sales fell 13.65% more to 8,348 vehicles.

It corresponded with Jaguar's problem in engineering innovation (i.e., the development of new models). The only bright spot was its highly praised all-electric I-PACE model (2018 Year of Manufacture), which was selected for Waymo's deployment and won the 2019 World Car of the Year award. However, like many of its European counterparts, the I-PACE has recently had to contend with increased competition, especially from China.

The Jaguar brand has long been associated with an "old money", nostalgia and vintage image (think of James Bond type). For decades, Jaguar was known as a sleek, high-performance vehicle, with Enzo Ferrari himself reportedly calling it "the most beautiful car ever made" at 1961 Geneva Auto Show. This reputation has endured, and even today, many still regard Jaguar as a once-beautiful and well-respected brand that has simply aged alongside its target market.

he Jaguar's current strategy with the video ad is clear. They aim to market the brand to younger generations, which seems to have lost its aspirational appeal among them. Thus, by pursuing a radical brand redesign, the company seeks to maintain the luxury aura associated with rivals like Aston Martin and Porsche while also being perceived as a risk-taker in terms of coolness and innovation. Yet, as mentioned earlier, this approach does not seem to resonate with consumers.

We see several missteps in their core strategic communication efforts:

First of all, if the Jaguar team intended to convey the core vibe of 'machismo' for their cars, given that men represent a significant portion of its target audience, then the video teaser missed the mark. It featured several women and a couple of unisex individuals engaging in activities unrelated to car ownership. It feels like watching the controversial Opening Ceremony of the 2024 Olympic Games, where it was supposed to be about sports, athleticism, and records, but instead turned into another installment of woke-ism. This is dangerous, as Jaguar risks alienating men and losing the associated purchasing power.

I wonder, did the Jaguar team conduct focus groups to test the ad video before launching it? If that is the case, did they have real Jaguar customers or fans in the group? It would be interesting to know what feedback they provided.

Secondly, the striking visuals and futuristic design elements create an artistic statement that seems to prioritize style over substance. Most notably, the cars themselves and even teaser text (such as ‘New model coming in January 2025’) are absent from the context. This approach might work in a fashion show or an influencer's video clip, but it fails to deliver for a mainstream automotive campaign. The key dissonance lies in the gap between artistic expression and practical appeal—while the campaign certainly catches the viewer's eye, it may not capture hearts or wallets.

While unearned media metrics may suggest a brand’s success, true impact is measured in sales, not likes. As we always argue, 'whoever claims that bad PR is good as long as it generates attention will ultimately face the consequences.' Consider the impact of negative media feedback on Bud Light and Budweiser

The risk is twofold:

• existing Jaguar enthusiasts might feel disconnected from this abstract interpretation because they wanted to see what’s new in the model from engineering standpoint];

• potential new customers seeking budget-wise accessible luxury may struggle to find themselves in the story and stick to Jaguar brand over many others on the market;

Both would likely be thinking after the watching “WTF was that?”.

Look, we understand, it's always easy to opine from the sidelines, especially with the hindsight we now have regarding the Jaguar campaign. New directions in branding are often met with criticism. Here are just a few cases to recall:

• Burberry's iterative redesign efforts were necessitated by a decline in its luxury status due to the extensive exposure of its distinctive check pattern. Successful recovery measures included re-establishing control over licensing, constraining distribution, and emphasizing its heritage.

• Coach experienced damage to its premium status due to excessive discounting and distribution. It regained its esteemed value by intensifying focus on craftsmanship and reducing its availability in budget retail outlets.

• Cadillac's initiative to appeal to younger clients through lower-priced models led to a backlash that harmed its reputation as a luxury automaker. The brand is still working on re-establishing its image even after several years.

• Fashion icon brand Yves Saint Laurent, commonly known as YSL, has occasionally faced backlash over campaigns or designs perceived as culturally insensitive or controversial, requiring careful management to maintain its reputation. For example, in March 2017, its ad campaign was criticized for being “degrading” and perceived as an “incitement to rape.”

Third, the brand heritage can be both a blessing and a curse. It is difficult to “exploit” nostalgia phenomena successfully unless a company can establish a link between the brand, its products and their relevance for the future. Car fans cherish Jaguar for what it symbolized, rather than for what it has been over the past several decades.

You need to think twice before giving up on such a strong brand heritage. Currently, vintage products and marketing campaigns are dominating the market en masse because people are tired of new, stylized, and eclectic visuals. I reckon any Jaguar ad campaign that promotes its vintage-style cars with a modern twist, as shown in Mad Men (see screenshots below) would also crush. The Jaguar team should have focused on the product.

You know, private equity firms would be eager to acquire a company with a rich history and established brand power. It reflects expertise, quality, tradition, and generational knowledge. Brand heritage also provides a wealth of creative possibilities in terms of go-to-market (GTM) strategies. It is an asset that should be exploited with the necessary adjustments rather than abandoned.

However, Jaguar’s growling cat logo has been supplanted by a design featuring two Js—one perpetually inverted to signify the lowercase ‘r’ at the end of Jaguar—that resembles motifs more common in the fashion industry than in automotive branding.

As for the video, Jaguar goes out with this advertisement that might be adopted by some Chinese EV brand, and no one would see the difference. It would fit such a fictional Chinese EV brand better because it is a new brand (with nothing to lose in terms of brand equity), it is an EV (signifying technological progress), and it appeared in this landscape of tech shifts, allowing people to understand its origins.

Consider Porsche's recent partnership with Aimé Leon Dore as a counterpoint. Their campaign masterfully integrates Porsche's vehicles into a contemporary narrative, maintaining brand heritage while speaking to a new generation of car owners. The car remains the hero, as it should.

Or a brilliant storytelling in Volvo ad video below:

The fourth and final thing we would like to address is the copywriting in Jaguar’s ad teaser. While the new slogan 'Copy Nothing' suggests that one should not 'copy' anything, it in fact mimics some other ad campaigns, especially from tech industry startups of recent years.

What is more interesting is that Jaguar has a very distinctive heritage, as we referred to earlier, with memorable nostalgic ad copies, and sticking to it seems like a good choice. I mean, playing with the 'copy nothing' text while featuring images and videos from the past, showcasing relevant brand history, could effectively convey the message: 'we are still what we were; we copy nothing,' but with a more modern twist.

In their quest to expand their appeal to a younger generation, as they presumably intend, Jaguar’s message must have clarity and relatability. On the contrary, Jaguar uses expressions like 'Create exuberant,' 'Delete ordinary,' and 'Break molds' that feel hollow. Jaguar seems not to be speaking the language of its target audience, making it more difficult to understand the intended message of the company.

It is important to remember that this was only an ad teaser. In the current age of information overload, people will soon forget Jaguar's controversy unless it launches a newly rebranded car and accompanying promotional campaign in early 2025 that exceeds everyone’s expectations. In that case, this teaser video might go down in history as part of an impressive communication turnaround story. However, that remains to be seen.