(NewsNation) — British luxury car brand Jaguar says it is launching a “new era” next month — but people online are not happy with the rebrand.
In particular, an ad put out by Jaguar is getting backlash for not showing any vehicles — only models posing in front of colorful backgrounds.
“This will go down as one of the worst marketing decisions in history,” one person commented on Jaguar’s YouTube video. Another said that if it wasn’t on the official channel, “I’d assume this was a parody.”
On X, Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk asked Jaguar: “Do you sell cars?” to which they replied: “Yes. We’d love to show you.”
Jaguar announced in a news release that it will present “Copy Nothing,” a public installation for its new brand, on Dec. 2 at Miami Art Week in Florida.
Jaguar is officially launching its rebrand, “Copy Nothing,” on Dec. 2. (Jaguar)
“We’re here to delete ordinary. To go bold,” Jaguar says on a webpage dedicated to the rebranding.
Gerry McGovern, Jaguar’s Chief Creative Officer, said in a statement that the vision for the company’s rebranding is informed by the words of its founder, William Lyons, who once said “A Jaguar should be a copy of nothing.”
“New Jaguar is a brand built around Exuberant Modernism,” McGovern said. “It is imaginative, bold and artistic at every touchpoint. It is unique and fearless. This is a reimagining that recaptures the essence of Jaguar, returning it to the values that once made it so loved, but making it relevant for a contemporary audience.”
Included in Jaguar’s rebrand is a new device mark and the use of “exuberant colors.” Jaguar is planning to go fully electric by 2025 as well, the Associated Press reported.
When asked about the criticism the ad campaign has gotten, a Jaguar spokesperson told NewsNation that, “Our brand relaunch for Jaguar is a bold and imaginative reinvention and as expected it has attracted attention and debate.”
“As proud custodians at such a remarkable point in Jaguar’s history we have preserved iconic symbols while taking a dramatic leap forward,” the spokesperson said. “The brand reveal is only the first step in this exciting new era and we look forward to sharing more on Jaguar’s transformation in the coming days and weeks.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
