Jaguar Marketers May Have Bet Their New Target Buyer Thinks Its ‘Cool’ to Kill off British Elitism

Jaguar have got the world talking. Mission accomplished. Some are saying this is all a fake teaser to subvert expectations and fuel more conversation on the 2nd December when ‘all will be revealed’. This feels very unlikely to be honest. I think Jaguar marketing could be on to something even if I don’t love it… 

Jaguar have rubbed a deep tension in popular culture just after Elon Musk and Trump have stormed into the White House. The new branding has been dubbed by the conservative types as ‘Bud Light 2.0’ provoking disbelief and wonder by stripping the brand of its perceived strength: a roaring vintage British heritage. 

This is one of the major talking points.  

They’ve replaced it with modern high fashion imagery and some would say a ‘wokerati’ vision of the future. The Spectator, Farage, GB News etc. and even some more progressive peeps are out there questioning the commercial strategy. You’ve probably heard it all by now - why would you alienate ‘the base of buyers’ etc. etc. they won’t buy into all of this androgenous multi coloured creative ‘mould breaking’ bollocks?  

Amazing brand marketing blunders do happen where navel gazing and inward thinking leads to brand communication that isn’t culturally relevant or on point. That misses the target or completely alienates people leading to a free fall in sales. I’ve worked on car brand projects to resolve image issues where the buyer simply won’t engage for very specific emotional reasons. Mercedes-Benz 12 years ago springs to mind. 

At first the commercial logic of why Jaguar may fail from the Musk positive podcasters appears very sound - fuelling speculation this is a gag. Why alienate 40+ blokes who love performance engineering and understand the epic British history of Jaguar? Why ditch the image of Inspector Morse and James Bond roaring through the lanes of England’s green and pleasant land? For Queen and country ma’am…and all of that. 

Perhaps however we should entertain the idea this is what the brand strategy is all about and it’s beautifully intentional. Maybe Jaguar want to let the global progressive affluent audience know, some of whom hate old school British elitism, that they’re happy to kill this as part of resetting the future. Creating a new cool electric luxury car brand just for them – sorry Elon. 

By publicly assassinating the British spirit of Jaguar and provoking raging petrol heads they’re sparking a deep affection for the brand in a new audience. So that when the car is released their new target buyer will check it out. If the product truly impresses, then in go the pre-orders. 

I don’t know the global sales target but I’d wager there’s a few thousand affluent types in their 30s around the world - in LA/Paris/London\NY - who share the DI&E values of Jaguar’s flamboyant American marketing director. People who form part of a distinct group who love the Netflix series where Prince Harry and Meg Markey fired torpedoes at the British Royal family history for being evil slave traders.  

I’m going to say now that this isn’t my vibe. 

Sure, I enjoy Soho House, appreciate beautiful design, believe in environmental conservation and firmly believe each to their own. But for my sins I’m a British public-school boy that also enjoys going to watch rugger at Twickenham, and feels reassured that the British armed forces swear an allegiance to the King rather than any egotistical mad dog politician.  

This version of Jaguar is not for me, but it’s not intended for me. And let’s not forget the old version was in serious decline before a new brand team got hold of it.  

What is a bit bizarre though is the brand creative: the execution isn’t great at all so far. The teaser film feels hollow, quite crude and borders on a generic Mugatu vision from the film Zoolander - the electro music was OK though. And it does feel a tad OTT to not even attempt to redesign the British Jaguar cat icon to be part of the logo. I’m sure a refreshed modern, electric and high art DBA could have been designed.  

Maybe this is a gag. Or maybe this is actually just all part of a public execution of Jaguar’s British heritage. Signalling a new global future to charm a new market of electric car buyers with very different values. A new luxury brand for a new global elite. And there will be a fair few loving the cultural cleansing being enacted. 

We will see if the pre-orders go in - I have doubts, but if it finds a market it will go down as genius: one of the most positively bonkers ideas in the history of branding.  

Or not…’copy nothing.’