Jaguar sees rebranding setback after rolling out divisive, abstract new campaign

Jaguar is hoping to revive slumping sales with a new rebrand, but after unveiling its new campaign and logo this week, people were mostly left scratching their heads. And while the general consensus is that Jaguar missed the mark with the makeover, the biggest component missing from the new look is any actual cars to speak of, at least for now.

The automaker debuted the new avant-garde campaign on Tuesday with a 30-second spot featuring diverse, androgynous models wearing brightly colored, futuristic-looking clothing. “Copy nothing,” simply states the new slogan. If someone didn’t know they were seeing a Jaguar advert, suffice it to say it would be almost impossible to guess what is being marketed.

The campaign is apparently meant to tease “the first global public installation” of the new brand, which will debut on December 2nd during Miami Art Week. But even then, it’s unclear if the event will feature any vehicles. The company said in a press release that its presence in Miami “will establish its advocacy for artistic expression in all its forms.”

“Through a series of carefully curated gallery spaces across two locations, Jaguar will share its platform with emerging and cutting-edge new artists who share its Copy Nothing ethos,” the release said.

“To bring back such a world-renowned brand, we had to be fearless,” CEO Rawdon Glover added in a statement. “Jaguar was always at its best when it challenged convention. That ethos is seen in our new brand identity today and will be further revealed over the coming months. This is a complete reset. Jaguar is transformed to reclaim its originality and inspire a new generation.”

In fact, the company is in the midst of a transformation, with plans to relaunch as a high-end electric car brand to compete with Tesla and even Rolls Royce, according to Car & Driver.

Be that as it may, the ambiguity surrounding the campaign is certainly not doing the company any favors. As the new campaign made its way around the Internet, critics pointed out the inherent flaws in the rebranding.

“Taste aside – from a purely strategic perspective, this brand marketing is disastrous for Jaguar,” wrote Lulu Cheng Meservey, co-founder of the Rostra PR group.

Cheng pointed out that lagging engineering and innovation is the real problem, as Jaguar hasn’t released a new production model in five years. Likewise, after the brand began pursuing premium customers instead of the luxury market, it was “stuck between two lanes.”

Others, however, were less kind with their criticism, wondering how on earth to sell cars without having, well, cars.

Beyond the carless car ad, however, the new logo isn’t winning any fans; nor is the decision to replace the classic growler emblem with a generic monogram.

Whether the strategy pays off remains to be seen when the event kicks off in Miami next month, but it seems clear that Jaguar has been working on it.