Jaguar rebrands.
But is it a leap too far for the iconic British car manufacturer?
Alex Frech
In its heyday, Jaguar was a car and a badge that stood for something—something meaningful. But over the last few decades, the badge has slipped into what I can only describe as bleeerge (not a word, but you get the idea).
Growing up with Jag.
As a creative director who grew up in the ’80s and ’90s, I remember Jaguar’s defining eras vividly. I recall being around 10 years old when my friend’s dad took us on the motorway in his new XJS, speeding up to 120 mph. Wow. The leather, the finish, the sheer speed—it wasn’t a Ferrari, but for a 10-year-old, it was the closest thing to one.
Not me, but a close double with that shell suit jacket.
Then there was Morse …
Then there was Inspector Morse. This marked another era for Jaguar. To be honest, it wasn’t the poster brand I had idolised as a kid. The Mark 2 Jaguar Morse drove felt more sleep than sleek.
Fast forward to the 2000s and the last decade, and Jaguar has had a few successes but far more misses. The XF is essentially a glorified granddad car. The F-Pace could just as easily be badged as a Land Rover. And the F-Type? Well, I’m still on the fence about that one. The E-Type still exudes more class.
The point is, Jaguar in 2024 lacks vision and stands for very little. So, where does it go from here?
In my opinion, a rebrand is only the second step. The first step needs to be a rebirth. When you rebrand, you start with a vision. Then, you build a strategy around that vision. Launching a collection of pre-assets that have no connection to anything or anyone is probably the most divisive approach you can take.
Classic walnut trim and opulent cream leather.
While it’s clear Jaguar is aiming to appeal to a younger audience, this rebrand feels like a hastily thrown-together Canva template. Have they forgotten about their existing customers—or, more importantly, the audience that can actually afford their cars?
New jaguar typeface with uppercase G U.
With a new typeface spelling jaGUar, a simplified cat badge with go-faster stripes, and some abstract JJ symbols, is this the rebrand of the future? Or has Jaguar completely missed the mark?
Personally, I believe Jaguar needed a brand refresh—there’s no doubt about that. Some nods to its heritage make sense. However, capturing and bottling that heritage is the real challenge. As mentioned earlier, Jaguar’s glory days were largely in the ’60s and ’70s. But who remembers those days? Certainly not any 30-year-old I know.
Concept car.
Round-up brand review.
To sum up this rather confusing situation, Jaguar desperately needed a rebrand and, more importantly, a rebirth to compete with other “affordable” luxury car brands and the new challengers from China and South Korea. But has this new effort hit the mark?
A few years ago, one of our clients tasked us with creating a brand for their luxury Middle Eastern truffle business. Their brief? “Luxury, British heritage, French quality, appealing to a Dubai market.” The challenge was significant, but by digging deep, we got it right. Seven years on, that brand continues to grow. The Truffleers.
I can’t help but wonder if Jaguar and their team took the time they needed or if it was rushed into a boardroom of old men and accountants, that needed to “see change, and see it fast”.
This may take 4-5 years to embed in a new culture or buyer, but by that time will it be too late? I feel that only time will tell.
The Truffleers kiosk. Read case study.
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