British luxury carmaker Jaguar recently unveiled a bold rebrand, introducing a minimalist logo and a colorful ad campaign celebrating diversity and artistic expression.
However, the move has sparked backlash online, with critics questioning the alignment of its "New Era" with the company’s heritage and goals.
Created by Jaguar's in-house creative team, the campaign aimed to symbolize the brand's transformation ahead of its shift to an all-electric lineup by 2025. However, the absence of cars in the campaign sparked confusion and criticism on social media.
In a post, Tesla and X CEO Elon Musk criticized Jaguar’s ad specifically for this reason.
Do you sell cars?
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 19, 2024
Musk’s post was liked more than 357,000 times and was viewed nearly 7 million times.
Meanwhile, Jaguar’s ad garnered 62,000 replies on X, many of which are critical.
One of the top replies stated the ad was “surely a joke” and another urged consumers to boycott the company.
Awful, awful ad. Is this supposed to rescue your tarnished brand?
— Frederick Wolfe (@fwolfe65) November 19, 2024
Despite the backlash, Jaguar stands firm in its rebranding strategy.
In a press release, the company described the initiative as part of a “bold and imaginative reinvention” that preserves its iconic symbols while embracing modern values.
According to Jaguar, its transformation also aligns with its sustainability goals, aiming to become a fully electric brand by 2025 and achieve net zero status by 2039.
The controversy highlights the importance of working with trusted branding agencies, which are instrumental in guiding companies through major transformations and helping communicate a consistent message that resonates with evolving consumer values and expectations.
An external agency can provide a more objective perspective on branding strategies, offering fresh insights and helping identify potential blind spots that may otherwise be overlooked.
The Ad Breakdown
The 30-second spot begins with a vibrant, colorful backdrop that sets the stage, as a diverse group of models dressed in bold, brightly colored outfits takes center stage.
Messages like "live vivid" and "delete ordinary" flash across the screen, highlighting some models individually.
As the models come together as a group, they all glance to the side before standing and walking backward.
The words "Copy nothing" and the new Jaguar logo emerge on screen.
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Jaguar isn’t the first brand to receive public backlash this year, as some brands attempt to navigate the fine line between innovation and consumer expectations.
Recently, Coca-Cola received harsh criticism for using generative AI to remake its classic “Holidays Are Coming” ad.
