Jaguar Sees Rebranding Backlash After Rolling Out Divisive, Abstract New Campaign

Jaguar is hoping to revitalize a slump in sales with a reimagined 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 rebranding, the biggest component missing from the new look is any actual cars to speak of, at least so far.

The automaker debuted the avant-garde new campaign on Tuesday with a 30-second spot featuring diverse, androgynous models wearing brightly-colored, futuristic-looking clothing. "Copy nothing," the new tagline simply states. If someone didn't know they were watching a Jaguar ad, suffice to say, it would be next to impossible to guess what's being marketed.

The campaign is evidently intended to tease "the first global public installation" of the new brand that will debut on Dec. 2 during Miami Art Week. But even then, it's unclear whether 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 meticulously curated gallery spaces over two locations, Jaguar will share its platform with new and ground‑breaking emerging artists who share its ethos of Copy Nothing," the release states.

"To bring back such a globally renowned brand we had to be fearless," managing director Rawdon Glover added in a statement. "Jaguar was always at its best when challenging 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."

Indeed, the company is in the midst of a transformation, with plans to relaunch as a high-end electric vehicle brand to compete with the likes of 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 rebrand.

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

Cheng pointed out that lagging engineering and innovation is the real issue, as Jaguar hasn't released a new production model in five years. Likewise, after the brand began pursuing premium customers in lieu of the luxury market, it got "stuck between two lanes."

However, others were less kind with their criticism, wondering how on earth you're supposed to sell cars without featuring, well, cars.

However, in addition to the car-less car commercial, the new logo is not winning over 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 its work cut out for it.