Why the rebrand is causing a stir

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Jaguar's rebranding video has caused an uproar among fans. But the reason is far more exciting than that.

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You may have seen it:

Or at least saw one of the thousands of memes. We're talking about the rebranding of British car brand Jaguar. Or rather, the 30-second trailer announcing the rebrand.

So anyone expecting me to rant about the awakening and loss of heritage of this historic car brand will be disappointed (those who haven't read this to the end will expose themselves in the comments). Because: This scenario is more exciting than my subjective opinion of those colorful Teletubbies in the teaser video.

Uh-oh!Image: youtube

In fact, Jaguar's teaser video was completely demonized. Of course, the usual right-wing suspects once again suspected a high-profile conspiracy. Especially because of the genderfluid models in the video (uuuuh, scary!). But more moderate critics complained that the film had absolutely nothing to do with the Jaguar brand. At the end of the day, Jaguar stands for something, dammit! a person to be proud of heritage. A serious racing tradition. Seven Le Mans victories in three different decades. Outstanding styling from the 1980s. British icon.

Le Mans 1955. Fuck, yes. Image: carstyling.ru

All this in new rebranding trailer Not at all Check. Hey: One car is simply missing.

In fact, Jaguar doesn't currently make any cars. The reason: Jaguar wants to reposition itself as an all-electric carmaker in the luxury segment. Of course, Jaguar has built the EV i-Pace, and according to all owner reports, it must be an excellent vehicle and an elegant thing in terms of design. But it is clear that this architecture is not suitable for building a model range in the medium to long term. Yes: a rebrand is needed. Everything is new. everything.

Beautiful. But where is the car?Image: youtube

It is also true that 300 million people around the world have watched this movie. That’s a lot of reach for a 30-second social media trailer. It is estimated that Jaguar will only sell about 50,000 cars per year when production of the new car begins in 2026. From this perspective, the campaign is effective – to paraphrase Oscar Wilde: “There is only one thing worse in the world than being talked about, and that is not being talked about.”

Image: youtube

It is worth mentioning that “Copy Nothing” was the original motto of Jaguar founder William Lyons. The truth is: Throughout its nearly 90-year history, the Jaguar brand has continually caught people's attention with the revolutionary and unexpected.

For Jaguar, the current backlash was definitely not expected. General manager Rawdon Glover talked about how they hope to “start a debate.” This is undoubtedly a success. At the same time, he expressed dismay at the “despicable hatred directed at the people featured in the video.” But ultimately: “If Farage hates our brand, that's OK.”

Roden Glover: “So, do I have your attention now?” (Or something like that…)Image: Jaguar

ha. Smart. Explain: Nigel «Mr. “Brexit” Farage is one of those snarling right-wing extremists who – like some of Switzerland’s senior vice-presidential politicians – have an exclusive, past-oriented definition of nationality. These people lament the loss of what they considered a better world in their glorious past. Well, the Jaguar brand is certainly quintessentially British. Just which one? Tweed jackets, spitfires, wellies and a nice country pub? The Beatles and Swinging London and miniskirts? Punk rock and Vivienne Westwood? Miners strike? Chicken curry? Rave culture and drinking? Banksy? Bridgerton?

Originally from England: Sid Vicious.Image: clocktowertenants.com

Since Jaguar's founding, British identity has evolved and changed, sometimes radically. Britain today attracts millions of young visitors to London from around the world, perhaps a colorful mix of dirty music, Hollywood hit movies, quirky fashion and an unparalleled ability to laugh at oneself. Farage’s Britishness, on the other hand, represents aging pensioners eating cake in musty tea shops.

However, there is no political leaning behind Jaguar's positioning, but cold entrepreneurial calculation. A brand can't survive solely on people who love the brand but don't buy the cars. Those aging retirees aren't buying Jaguars anyway. Jaguar likely wants future buyers to be so young that they may not even know they'll be buying a car in five years. Additionally, this customer base is located in Abu Dhabi, Asia and elsewhere. To her, the black-and-white photos of the Le Mans D-Type cars mean almost nothing.

Welcome to Miami. Image source: sda

The Jaguar concept car will be unveiled on December 2. It won't be launched at a car show, but at Art Basel Miami – a smart move. Car shows are all but dead (see Geneva), but there will be plenty of money and power at Miami Art Week. There were few car fans at Miami Art Week. But those who want to treat themselves to a stylish set of wheels in the near future will be there.

Just saying: The Jaguar E-Type is on display at New York's Museum of Modern Art. Jaguar’s links with the art world have always existed.

Art, wisdom. Image source: moma.org

Arguably the most important reason for these massive changes currently taking place in the automotive industry is electrification. As the Germans discovered to their horror, this shook up the entire traditional hierarchy of car brands. Almost every electric car manufacturer – whether a multinational car company or a startup – has the ability to build a truly fast, reliable and comfortable car. As Jaguar's advertising slogan says, “Elegance, space and rhythm” are within everyone's reach. This raises a question for the car brand: In which segment can it compete? For example, Wired asked if it would only be about car interiors from now on. Just about the design. It's all about aesthetics.

Hyundai has shown the way. Among all things. Image: Hyundai

This in itself is not necessarily a bad thing. When automakers competed on aesthetics, we got the E-Type.

Jaguar is making a big push to change its current image. But if car sales don't succeed, it will transform into a fashion or lifestyle brand. The industry is booming.

Left: Success. Right: deformation.Bild: Land Rover

Of course, automotive purists will resent this attitude. But as an automaker, it's best not to listen too much to fans. Because they like to deal with things that the average car buyer doesn't care about at all. Jaguar's creative director Gerry McGovern (the man responsible for the concept car due to be revealed on December 2) is the designer of the new Defender. Land Rover fans hated this new design because it didn't fit with the nature of Land Rover. They wanted that old military/agricultural tool, but got a luxury SUV. But look: the new Defender is a huge success.

No, I don't like the Jaguar trailer video.

It's… just not interesting enough.

But the context in which it emerged is interesting. Of course, it can be sad to see such a beloved, long-standing industry undergo such sweeping upheaval. Something similar must have happened to horse fans when the automobile was born. Interestingly, despite all the talk about a repositioning, I keep seeing similarities to the Jaguar E-Type introduced in 1961. Maybe the current rebrand is more in line with Jaguar's heritage than we thought.

Jaguar? is it you?Image: Jalopnik

Ultimately, however, it all comes down to the car, which will be unveiled next week on December 2. We are all excited now. At least Jaguar is right.