Jaguar’s 2024 rebrand: Stroke of genius or total disaster?

In late November 2024, Jaguar embarked on a bold rebranding journey, unveiling a new logo and a provocative advertising campaign as part of its transition to an all-electric luxury brand by 2026. This shift in strategy has sparked quite an intense debate, with opinions divided on whether it’s a visionary move or an unfortunately misguided plan for the future. 

But perhaps the most important, and slightly confusing, factor was that there were no cars to either show off, let alone sell (yet).

Instead, the Type 00 - a non-production vehicle - in ‘Miami Pink’ and ‘London Blue’ was introduced, with a promise of future things to come from the brand, and a statement slogan to ‘Copy Nothing’… 

With no tangible new cars to see, however, the rebrand has become just a visual identity; a design concept, and simply a showcase of things to apparently appear in the not-too-distant future.

The rebrand unveiled

Jaguar’s rebranding effort, known as ‘Project Roar’, introduced a fresh logo and a thirty second advert featuring humans in vibrant clothes, who were set against abstract backdrops whilst frequently looking left and right (searching for an elusive new Jag, perhaps?) and accompanied by slogans such as ‘Create Exuberant’ and ‘Break Moulds’. The fact that the advert did not showcase any vehicles has been a decision that has drawn significant attention and criticism.You can watch the video below...

Fortunately, there has subsequently been a little bit of detail on the future vehicles released to the public, however. Jaguar’s first reimagined production car will be an electric four‑door GT – to be revealed in late 2025 and built in the UK. This new model will apparently use dedicated Jaguar Electric Architecture (JEA) and target a range of up to 770km, adding 321km of charge in as little as 15 mins. If you look at the heavily-camouflaged, black-and-white test car that was recently filmed being driven, it does seem to suggest that there will be design elements of the Type 00 included.

We wonder if there will be other colour options available rather than just pink and blue, though...

Was it a total disaster?

The absence of cars in the advert led to widespread mockery on social media. Elon Musk queried, ‘Do you sell cars?’ whilst Nigel Farage commented that he predicted Jaguar to go bust, and that they ‘deserved to’. Others accused Jaguar of abandoning its heritage and succumbing to ‘woke’ culture, expressing concerns that the rebrand alienates loyal customers and actually dilutes the brand’s identity. 

Not exactly what you might expect from a company that steadily produced cars such as the E-Type, S-Type and the X-Type for many years.

Although, Jaguar hasn't always been adverse to a little controversy. Here’s the 2014 advert (featuring an actual car!) starring Tom Hiddleston and an F-Type in the 'It's Good to be Bad' era, which ended up being banned because people complained that it encouraged dangerous driving...

Or was it an innovative stroke of genius?

On the flip side, some marketing experts and industry insiders have praised Jaguar’s daring approach. They argue that the rebrand successfully generates buzz and positions Jaguar as a forward-thinking, avant-garde brand, distinguishing it from its competitors in the luxury electric vehicle market. By targeting a younger, more affluent and diverse demographic, it has been suggested that by rejuvenating its image, Jaguar will certainly appeal more to modern consumers. 

Why did Jaguar do it?

Facing financial challenges and declining sales, Jaguar’s rebrand appears to be a strategic attempt to reinvent itself in the rapidly evolving world of cars. By embracing EVs and adopting a modern, inclusive brand identity, Jaguar seeks to compete with other luxury manufacturers. The decision to exclude cars from the initial advertisement was no doubt intentional, aiming to provoke discussion and signal a departure from their traditional marketing. 

To conclude…

Jaguar’s 2024 rebrand has undeniably split opinion, but whatever you think about it, it has got people talking about Jaguar. Whether this campaign will be remembered as a stroke of genius or a total disaster remains to be seen, however. 

Perhaps the success of this bold strategy will ultimately depend on how well Jaguar’s new electric cars resonate with its target audience (when they finally arrive), and whether the brand can effectively balance innovation with its heritage.

We’ll watch this evolving story with interest!