Jaguar. What exactly does the word make you think of? The big cat roaming around in the wild on the hunt for its next prey? Or is it the British automaker known for its luxury cars. Well, even if you aren’t an enthusiast, chances are you’re thinking of the car brand. Whether you can name a Jaguar model or not is besides the point. What matters is the word makes you think of a leaping big cat. However, the brand has now abandoned that identity and the legacy it built over the past eight or so decades.
Jaguar calls its new philosophy ‘Exuberant Modernism’, which is a philosophy that ’embraces bold designs, unexpected and original thinking and commands fearless creativity’. Cut through all the flashy and sophisticated marketing jargon and what you get is a brand saying, ‘we’re discarding our heritage’.
Also Read: Jaguar’s new branding was controversial. Wait till you see the new Jaguar concept car
What’s the story?
In a 30-second teaser released on social media, Jaguar unveiled their new rebranding strategy featuring a group of models dressed in vibrant, futuristic avant-garde clothing. It also showcased the group in what appeared to be a moonscape. Interestingly, the teaser featured no cars, which comes as a surprise considering that Jaguar does make cars still.
You should also know that this rebrand is happening at a time when Jaguar is poised to relaunch itself as an all-electric manufacturer, but more on that later. What it did showcase was the brand’s new tagline ‘Copy Nothing’. Critics say that the teaser doesn’t seem like a car manufacturer’s rebrand and questioned the messaging Jaguar wants to convey behind this redesign, which brings us to the next point.
What’s different with the new logo?
The long and short of it is, well everything. Gone is the roaring big cat logo and the leaping beast, replaced by the word JaGUar in a mix of upper and lowercase alphabets. Jaguar refers to this logo as their ‘Device Mark’ and their signature. The brand has also replaced its marque to a simplistic lowercase ‘jr’ written inside of a circle, which according to the brand symbolizes a finishing touch and completed work. The iconic leaping cat logo is now reduced to what the brand calls its ‘Makers mark’ as a symbol of the brand’s legacy and heritage.
A rebrand for the future or a Hail Mary pass?
As mentioned earlier, Jaguar is all set to relaunch as an all-electric brand in 2026. This comes in at a time when a host of automakers have announced similar plans or targets. Jaguar’s sister brand Land Rover, owned by JLR which in itself is owned by Indian Conglomerate Tata, has also shifted its focus towards battery electric vehicles as it showcased the all-electric Range Rover. Other brands such as Porsche and Audi are also pushing for all-electric mobility.
The market for EVs has grown significantly and it isn’t a niche like earlier but a more mainstream option, especially in the western markets with the likes of Tesla, Rivian, Vinfast and more. However, it’s also worth noting that the global demand for EVs is experiencing a cool down. Perhaps one of the biggest indicators of this global trend is German luxury carmaker Mercedes scaling back on its plans to go all-electric by 2030 and continue to build internal combustion vehicles for the foreseeable future.
Significant change happening behind the scenes.
“According to Mercedes’ studies, demand for EVs will mainly be in the small and medium car segments.” Which doesn’t bode well for Jaguar, Porsche & Lotus in near term..
Mercedes A-Class lives to 2026 as firm scales back EV-only…
— Harry Metcalfe (@harrym_vids) March 8, 2024
Nonetheless, Jaguar has had its troubles in the past. The rich legacy and heritage hasn’t stopped or improved its dwindling sales figures. The brand has been struggling to churn out profits from the days when it was owned by Ford, and its time under Tata’s JLR hasn’t been smooth sailing either. Since the unveiling of the logo, Jaguar has showcased two concept cars.
Jaguar to suspend new car sales for 1 year
byu/Ragnarokuss incars
The rebrand comes as a part of the automaker’s push to the upper echelons of the luxury segment. Jaguars have always been a luxury automaker, but with this change in strategy and the all-electric commitment, the brand hopes to make profits by significantly scaling down on global volumes and focusing on the ultra-luxurious part of society.
How the world reacted
Safe to say, the world didn’t take kindly to this rebranding exercise. There’s already been a gazillion articles out on the internet critiquing the brand’s decision, while social media is rife with memes poking fun at the brand. Famously, Elon Musk responded to the teaser with the words, ‘Do you sell cars?’ You know the situation is bad when even Elon gets to make fun of you.
im just a chill admin pic.twitter.com/c9MqF3RlkD
— Nothing (@nothing) November 21, 2024
Smartphone brand Nothing has also targeted Jaguar’s marketing campaign, specifically the tagline ‘copy nothing’. Elsewhere, people are also questioning the brand’s messaging with the campaign. Conservatives are calling it an exercise to push the ‘DEI’ agenda considering the brand had models from various ethnicities and appeared androgynous. What’s DEI? Diversity, Equity, Inclusion. However, it begs the question, can luxury in itself ever truly be inclusive? I digress, but this minimalist approach poses another problem.
Why are brands sacrificing their identities in favor of minimalism?
Today, most brand logos look similar with identical flat 2D designs lacking shadows or depth. Brands are using similar fonts and making their logos less intricate. Comparing brand logos and their older counterparts reveals just how far reaching the consequences of minimalist design are. Be it Burberry, Burger King, Premier League, Pfizer, all brands are resorting to minimalism. Why is that?
What is the mindset behind companys oversimplifying their logos?
byu/brandon_nitro927 ingraphic_design
Some may say it’s because brands want to maintain a timeless design, while others say that vibrant colors and intricate designs just aren’t trendy anymore. Despite it all, there’s no denying the fact that old brand logos evoked emotions and helped brands separate themselves from the rest, while now almost all of the logos look bland. Make no mistake, a good minimalist design is a feast for one’s eyes like Google or Mastercard. However, the fact remains that this minimalist trend needs to stop.
Also Read: EVs vs Hybrids; the whole picture
