Jaguar Hunts for New Ad Agency: An Analysis of their Failed Rebrand
In late 2024, Jaguar set out to redefine its legacy. The iconic British automaker, known for sleek design and heritage performance, announced a bold rebrand aimed at repositioning itself as a modern, all-electric luxury brand. The move was meant to signal evolution, innovation, and relevance in a rapidly shifting auto market.
Instead, it sparked confusion, criticism, and headlines for all the wrong reasons.
From a brand identity that lacked emotional resonance to messaging that felt disconnected from Jaguar’s DNA, what should have been a strategic transformation quickly became a case study in how not to execute a rebrand. Now, as Jaguar begins the search for a new ad agency, the marketing world is watching closely.
In this article, we’ll break down where the rebrand went off course, why the execution missed the mark, and what lessons other legacy brands can take away when navigating their own moments of reinvention. Because in the race to stay relevant, not every brand evolution crosses the finish line.
Jaguar’s 2024 rebrand alienated core fans by ditching iconic design elements and heritage cues in favor of abstract, fashion-inspired visuals that lacked clear connection to their product.
Their electric relaunch strategy was poorly timed, launching brand changes before new vehicles existed, leaving consumers confused about what Jaguar now represents.
The campaign prioritized style over substance, using avant-garde imagery and slogans like “Copy Nothing” without showing actual cars or communicating value clearly.
Criticism exploded online, prompting a global agency review, as backlash from consumers, influencers, and even rival brands made the rebrand a viral misfire.
Legacy brands must evolve without erasing identity, ensuring rebrands are informed by audience research, internal alignment, and product-market fit, not just aesthetic risk-taking.
Partner with Good Kids for thoughtful, research-led rebrands that balance creativity with clarity and audience insight, so your next big pivot lands with impact, not confusion.
The Story of the Notorious Jaguar Rebrand
In November 2024, Jaguar unveiled a totally new brand identity. This wasn't just a logo update; it was a complete transformation. The company was getting ready to become an all-electric luxury car maker with new models coming in 2025-2026.
Jaguar's plan was ambitious: stop making all current models for over a year, then come back with three high-end electric cars priced about twice as much as their old ones. They wanted to attract "younger, wealthier, more urban shoppers" who were "design-minded" and "cash-rich, time-poor."
The rebrand was led by Professor Gerry McGovern (Jaguar Land Rover's Chief Creative Officer) and created with help from Accenture Song (their global creative agency).
What Changed?
The new brand was a total departure from the classic Jaguar look:
New Logo (Wordmark): They replaced the familiar jaguar face ("growler") and leaping cat with a minimalist "JAGUAR" wordmark in a sans-serif font with oddly mixed upper and lowercase letters.
"Strikethrough" Design: They added a graphic element of two bold parallel lines cutting through text and images, meant to "strike through imitation and the ordinary."
Bright Colors: Instead of Jaguar's traditional elegant colors (British Racing Green, silver), they went with bold primary colors - intense reds, yellows, and blues.
"Copy Nothing" Slogan: This was taken from Jaguar founder Sir William Lyons' quote "A Jaguar should be a copy of nothing."
The main ad campaign featured no cars at all. Instead, it showed diverse models in bright, futuristic outfits posing in colorful settings while words flashed on screen: "Copy nothing." "Live vivid." "Delete ordinary."
This 30-second film was set to techno music and looked nothing like a traditional car commercial.
The Public Backlash
The public reaction was swift and brutal. Social media exploded with criticism.
On Instagram, the top comment with over 13,000 likes said simply: "Jaguar killed a British icon."
On X (Twitter), Elon Musk's four-word comment "Do you sell cars?" got 160,000 likes, far more than Jaguar's original post (9,000 likes).
The tweet drew 62,000 replies, most of them negative.
Critics came from everywhere:
Car enthusiasts were confused by the lack of actual cars
Design experts criticized the odd logo and abstract visuals
Marketing professionals questioned the strategy
Some culture commentators claimed it was too "woke"
Other brands even joined in the mockery. Lucid Motors, Razer, and Specsavers all posted parody versions of Jaguar's rebrand.
Jaguar tried to respond with humor. When Musk asked if they sell cars, they invited him to "come to Miami next month" to see their new car at Art Week. But this didn't calm things down.
Ironically, the only good PR this rebrand got was for the smartphone manufacturer Nothing. The marketing team at Nothing saw Jaguar’s bio that said “Copy Nothing” and replaced their own with “Copy Jaguar”.
Source: The Verge
Eventually, the fallout was serious enough that Jaguar Land Rover launched a global creative agency review, pending a decision on whether they want to fire Accenture Song before their contract, initially until 2026, was up. The company admitted they needed a "new creative direction" after the rebrand's poor reception.
“I did try to warn you Jaguar.”
Why the Jaguar Rebrand Failed
The simple answer? The rebrand came from minds that were out of touch with Jaguar and what their customers wanted. But, there’s a few other theories as well. Here’s why we think the rebrand failed tragically.
1. They Ignored What Customers Actually Want
Jaguar created a rebrand full of abstract ideas (exuberance, modernism, fearless creativity) but forgot what car buyers actually care about.
Marketing expert Mark Ritson noted that in Jaguar's golden days, the brand stood for "Grace, Space, Pace", qualities that car buyers understand and want.
The company was ready to lose up to 90% of their existing customers to chase a new audience. This extreme strategy depends on finding enough new customers to replace the old ones, a huge gamble that doesn't seem to have paid off.
2. They Tossed Away Their Heritage
Luxury brands thrive on heritage; it's their special advantage. Jaguar has nearly 100 years of British craftsmanship, racing wins, and iconic designs like the E-Type. But the 2024 rebrand seemed to throw all that history away overnight.
The famous leaping jaguar and growler badge were mostly gone. The racing-inspired green colors were replaced with primary colors. Even the Jaguar wordmark was completely changed.
As one design expert put it: "It's just a shame they walked away from some of the iconic, treasured, and beautiful symbols that have been part of the brand's DNA for generations."
3. The Visual Identity Was Too Abstract
Jaguar's new look was creative but confusing. The ad campaign was so avant-garde that people couldn't tell what was being advertised. Without the Jaguar name at the end, it could have been for fashion or perfume.
The visuals didn't feel like Jaguar at all. People compared it to Benetton ads or perfume commercials - not luxury cars. Even the new logo was hard to read as "JAGUAR" at first glance.
Everything was big on style but short on substance. The slogans ("Delete ordinary", "Create exuberant") sounded cool but didn't really mean anything concrete to most people.
4. They Forgot to Show the Product
Most incredibly, Jaguar launched a car brand campaign with no cars in it. This was intentional; they wanted to build mystery and save the car reveal for later. But it backfired spectacularly.
Elon Musk's viral comment "Do you sell cars?" hit the nail on the head. By not showing what they actually make, Jaguar created confusion and skepticism.
The timing made this worse. Jaguar had stopped making its old models and wouldn't have new EVs ready until 2025 or 2026. So they were Walmart with the shelves absolutely empty, making a flashy rebrand seem premature and disconnected from reality.
5. The Rollout Was Poorly Handled
How you introduce a major change is almost as important as the change itself. Jaguar's rollout was abrupt and poorly explained.
They didn't prepare loyal customers, dealers, or the car media for what was coming. Without clear explanation, people jumped to conclusions, like thinking Jaguar had permanently dropped their iconic cat logos (when they actually hadn't).
When criticism hit, Jaguar got defensive instead of steering the conversation. Their social media responses came across as tone-deaf to many observers.
There were also signs of internal problems. A leaked letter showed that Jaguar's own design team was unhappy with the outsourced branding work, calling it "generic."
If your own team isn't fully on board, that's a fair indicator that your customers won’t be either.
How to Avoid a Failed Rebrand Like Jaguar
Jaguar messed up. While their brand may survive in the long run, they are definitely one of the least-liked automobile manufacturers in the world right now and the announcement of their Jaguar Type 00 did not help.
So, how can you make sure you don’t repeat Jaguar’s mistakes? Here’s what you should do and not do.
1. Know Your Audience Inside Out
Before making big changes, really understand both your current customers and the new ones you want to attract. Do research, get feedback, and test your ideas.
Jaguar seemed to have a vision of a new luxury consumer but didn't validate whether this audience would actually respond well to their artsy campaign. They also didn't find ways to bring existing fans along on the journey.
Smart rebrands look for common ground between old and new audiences, values or looks that can appeal to both, rather than making a hard pivot and hoping for the best.
2. Honor Your Brand's History
Even as you update for the future, respect what made your brand special in the first place. Your heritage isn't old baggage; it's valuable goodwill and identity.
Identify your core brand elements, the symbols, values, and qualities that define you, and find ways to carry them forward. Small nods to tradition (like keeping Jaguar's leaping cat visible or using a modern version of British Racing Green) can reassure people you haven't lost your soul.
Here are some examples of brands that pulled off spectacular brand refreshes/rebrands while maintaining the familiarity their customers want to see.
3. Connect Your Look to Your Strategy
Your brand visuals should clearly express your business strategy and product plans. Every design element should answer questions like: How does this show our unique value? How does this support our market position?
Jaguar wanted to become an electric luxury brand competing with Bentley and Aston Martin. But their campaign didn't really speak to electric innovation, luxury, performance, or craftsmanship.
Also, try to coordinate brand and product launches when possible. If Jaguar's new brand had debuted alongside a glimpse of their new electric car, the wild branding might have made more sense in context.
4. Test Before Going All In
Rebranding is risky, so test the waters first. Try soft launches, regional rollouts, or limited previews to get feedback before a global release.
Jaguar's worldwide reveal left no room to adjust once negative reactions started. But imagine if they'd first shown the new identity at a private event for Jaguar clubs, or on their website only. They might have caught problems early and made smart changes.
Don't ignore internal testing either. Jaguar's own design team had serious concerns about the work; a red flag that should have been addressed before going public.
Basically, treat your rebrand like a product. Prototype it, test it, and refine it before the big launch.
5. Stay Flexible and Listen
Once your rebrand is public, be open to feedback and willing to adjust if needed. Don't stubbornly stick to your vision if clear evidence shows it's not working.
Jaguar initially defended the rebrand, saying the controversy was "expected." While it's good to stand by your work, it's also important to address valid criticism. They could have quickly added more nods to Jaguar's heritage or released car teasers sooner to calm fans' fears. The way Jaguar handles the whole situation made it sound like they knew better than their customers; which is probably true from a technical standpoint but they can’t teach their customers how to react a certain way even if they try.
Some companies have even reversed controversial rebrands when necessary. Jaguar's decision to seek a new creative agency suggests they are indeed changing course behind the scenes.
Monitor reactions closely, engage respectfully with critics, and be willing to make changes. Saying "we hear you" and making adjustments can win back goodwill.
via Jaguar
What’s Next for Jaguar?
Jaguar's rebrand shows how even big companies with talented teams can miss the mark when updating their image. Their goals, to be bold and different for a new era, weren't bad. But the execution failed to connect with both existing fans and potential new customers.
A successful rebrand needs balance: innovation with continuity, creativity with clarity, boldness with understanding of what customers actually want. Brands that find this balance can refresh themselves successfully. Those that don't might end up as a cautionary example, just like Jaguar's "Copy Nothing" campaign.
The good news? Jaguar still has time to adjust course before their new electric cars arrive. With the right approach, they could turn this misstep into just a bump in the road on their journey to reinvention.
Closing Thoughts — Partnering with Good Kids for a Rebrand
Rebranding isn’t just a design challenge; it’s a high-stakes transformation that can either reignite a brand or confuse your audience. The risks are real: misaligned messaging, tone-deaf creative, internal misalignment, or visual identities that look great in a pitch deck but don’t resonate in the real world. That’s why a successful rebrand starts with deep understanding, not just of your business, but of your audience.
At Good Kids, we build brands that connect. We take the time to understand your company’s vision, culture, and challenges, but we don’t stop there. We also dig deep into what your customers care about, how they think, and what they expect from your brand next. That means interviews, insights, and strategy before pixels. Because the best rebrands aren’t just bold; they’re right.
We don’t believe in surface-level makeovers. We believe in building brands that last. From positioning and messaging to visual identity and rollout, our team works closely with yours to make sure every part of the rebrand feels like a natural evolution, not a risky reinvention.
If you’re ready for a rebrand that aligns your company with where you’re headed and connects with the people who matter most, let’s talk. We’re the creative partner that gets it and gets it right.
