Jaguar’s rebrand sparks controversy among netizens and enthusiasts

British car manufacturer Jaguar was the subject of widespread ire online after revealing a rebranding that featured lots of brand-speak (“live vivid”, “delete ordinary”, and “copy nothing” were just some of the phrases littered throughout the video). But bizarrely, there wasn’t a car in sight throughout the video, leading Elon Musk to simply respond to the ad with “Do you sell cars?”. And it’s a valid question since the ad showed models dressed in a variety of colourful attire, but there wasn’t a car or product of any kind in sight.

Jaguar’s redesign: A bizarre reimagination

The logo redesign, which it is safe to say hasn’t gone done well, is a departure from the traditional look of the storied British brand. The carmaker, which has turned out such beloved models as the jaw-dropping E-Type and the futuristic XJ220, has moved away from its traditions, dropping the iconic ‘growler’…

 …to reveal a more muted logo.

The rebrand, which seems to lack a clear idea, instead espouses a load of marketing gobbledygook in a move that has alienated a lot of its existing audience, and left potential customers confused.

The embattled automaker finds its sales to be dwindling, with fewer than 67,000 Jaguar cars sold worldwide last year, and cars taken off sale with a view to a relaunch in 2026. Jaguar has revealed plans to go all-electric, and become an ultra-premium brand that vies with Bentley for sales share, rather than BMW, Mercedes, or others of its ilk. But this rebrand has raised more questions about the brand’s future than it has answers.

Questionable timing

Timing is of the essence in all things in life and business. And it seems Jaguar missed the starting gun on this one.

The rebrand, which might have been very on-point 2-3 years back, now seems dated. Its take, which some have dubbed “woke” and “too diverse”, leaves most befuddled as to what the brand truly offers. And while it might not be long until that happens, with a reveal on the cards at Design Vision Concept at Miami Art Week on December 2, one can’t help but feel that this rebrand is a bit too much, much too late.

The other key consideration to keep in mind is that many other automakers are questioning the validity of moving to an all-electric lineup. Mercedes and Porsche are just two carmakers now preaching caution when it comes to an electric future, and with EV sales in decline across markets, the timing of the rebrand could perhaps not be worse.

Rebrands gone wrong

Jaguar isn’t the only brand to have made a bit of a hash of a rebrand. When the Gap underwent a rebrand, the backlash was so strong, it caused the company to cancel the new logo in double-quick time.

It was a similar story for English football club Leeds United, who were widely pilloried for their own logo change, which was subsequently rolled back.

There are many more such missteps that can be found, but you get the general idea.

The road ahead

It would seem that Jaguar is trying to cut ties with its past and its client base entirely, with Managing Director Rawdon Glover said in an interview with Motor1 in July that “we assume that 10 to 15 percent of our current Jaguar customers will follow us, so relatively few”, when asked about how the company’s plans will sit with its consumer base.

Jaguar’s rebranding is remarkable in one way; it follows a scorched earth policy that cuts ties almost entirely with its storied automotive heritage. Whether that’s a gamble that pays off handsomely or falls flat on its face is yet to be seen, but one thing’s for certain; no one has spoken this much about Jaguar in forever, and any publicity is good publicity. Right?