JaGUar? Luxury automaker defends controversial rebrand amid pivot to EVs

Luxury carmaker Jaguar has defended a rebrand that drew wide disapproval connected societal media this week.

The company, portion of Tata Motors-owned radical Jaguar Land Rover, released a caller logo that saw it ditch its iconic "leaper" large feline branding, and promotional videos featuring brightly-dressed models — but nary cars.

In a release, Jaguar said the media showcased its "dramatic caller originative philosophy," branded "Exuberant Modernism," which volition "inspire aboriginal vehicles."

The designs generated tens of thousands of responses connected societal platforms including Facebook, Instagram, X and LinkedIn — and the bulk were negative.

Some criticized the removal of the big feline imagery — which has featured connected the car since the 1950s — the font choice, and the information that Jaguar volition present beryllium styled JaGUar for "visual harmony," according to the company.

Others took purpose astatine the information that the contented did not diagnostic immoderate vehicles oregon machinery and described the aesthetic arsenic out-of-touch, fixed the classical British brand's somewhat macho erstwhile campaigns.

"Our marque relaunch for Jaguar is simply a bold and imaginative reinvention and arsenic expected it has attracted attraction and debate," the institution said successful effect to a petition for comment.

"As arrogant custodians astatine specified a singular constituent successful Jaguar's past we person preserved iconic symbols portion taking a melodramatic leap forward," the concern said.

"The marque uncover is lone the archetypal measurement successful this breathtaking caller epoch and we look guardant to sharing much connected Jaguar's translation successful the coming days and weeks."

Gary Jenkins, managing manager of contented bureau No Brainer, said that if the automaker's volition was to garner arsenic overmuch attraction arsenic possible, "they've surely succeeded."

"Everyone has an sentiment connected this rebrand, whether it's 'wokeness,' the deficiency of a car anyplace to beryllium seen successful the caller rebrand video, bold, iconic logo changes, the nonaccomplishment of the traditions of the brand, but besides excitement and intrigue ... People are talking astir Jaguar, including radical extracurricular its accepted lawsuit base," helium told CNBC.

The advertizing run came aft Jaguar earlier this period halted each caller car income arsenic it prepares to relaunch arsenic an electric-only institution successful 2026 — portion of a wider manufacture displacement that is presenting numerous challenges for automakers.

Three caller electrical models are expected from the institution successful the coming years, including a four-door GT car expected to person a six-figure starting price. It volition showcase a caller electrical conveyance plan conception astatine Miami Art Week adjacent period arsenic it targets a caller ultra-affluent market.

Jenkins noted that Jaguar is already grappling with falling income implicit the semipermanent and the electric conveyance market is hyper-competitive.

Despite Jaguar reporting a 39% yearly uptick to 13,528 portion sales successful the twelvemonth to April 2024, the fig is down from 81,570 a decennary ago.

Jenkins noted that the backlash to the rebrand was expected by Jaguar, and the campaign's interaction volition instrumentality immoderate clip to play out.

"From the societal media responses alone, it is wide that Jaguar's selling squad was acceptable for this ... You tin spot the squad has been prepped to respond and were acceptable for the backlash, firing responses to intrigued, excited and enraged followers of the marque crossed channels," helium said.

"Detractors volition marque immoderate large noises implicit the adjacent fewer days and weeks, but the impervious arsenic to whether this is simply a occurrence oregon not volition beryllium successful the sales."

Jaguar Land Rover posted its eighth consecutive profitable quarter this month, adjacent arsenic gross came successful level connected an yearly ground successful the archetypal fractional of the year.