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British carmaker Jaguar unveils a shiny rebrand without cars, confusing the internet

It’s certainly eye-catching: a group of multiracial, gender-bending models emerge from an elevator in cutting-edge makeup and brightly colored clothing to a techno-industrial beat in an austere, prismatic landscape.

But one thing is missing from the new rebrand of legendary British carmaker Jaguar: cars.

The spot has sparked a number of reactions online that range from surprised to appalled, with several commentators comparing the potential fallout to Bud Light’s use of a trans influencer to stray far from its core demographic.

A communications professional at

“Jaguar should say… a version of ‘our cars are meticulously designed and go very, very fast,'” wrote Lulu Cheng Meservey, co-founder of the Rostra PR group. “Art graduates are simply not associated with elite technical skills, I’m sorry.”

In a press release accompanying the rebrand, Jaguar’s Chief Creative Officer, Sir Gerry McGovern, explained the thinking behind the rollout.

“New Jaguar is a brand built around exuberant modernism,” he said. “It’s imaginative, daring and artistic at every touchpoint. It’s unique and fearless.”

Jaguar sold fewer than 67,000 cars around the world last year, about half the number it sold in the fiscal year that included the start of the Covid-19 pandemic. Today, there are only 122 Jaguar dealers in the U.S., down from a peak of about 200, according to Car and Driver magazine.

The refresh aims to turn things around, including the introduction of new decals that will appear on future Jaguar vehicles.

Ahead of the campaign debut, Jaguar announced it was discontinuing five models with “almost zero profitability,” CEO Adrian Mardell told investors this year, as it developed three new ultra-luxury electric vehicles, one of which will hit the market. unveiled next month at the Art Basel event in Miami.

When asked by other X users why the ad didn’t feature any cars, Jaguar’s Stay tuned,” and “Consider this a statement of intent.”

A spokesperson for Jaguar Land Rover, now part of India-based Tata Motors, did not respond to a request for comment.

“To bring back such a globally renowned brand, we had to be fearless,” said Rawdon Glober, Jaguar’s chief executive, in the press release. “Jaguar was always at his best when he challenged convention. That ethos is reflected today in our new brand identity and will be further revealed in the coming months. This is a complete reset. Jaguar has been transformed to reclaim its originality and inspire a new generation. I’m glad the world can finally see Jaguar.”