Jaguar’s ambitious Panthera rebranding campaign, which was designed to redo the model as the ‘brand of modern luxury, has stirred a lot of controversy inside and out. Whereas the teaser campaign and angular Type 00 concept cars positively frayed the sensitiveness of the public, Jaguar’s design team rebellion has shaken the deeper layer of nervousness.
Internal Design Team’s Critique
A letter sent from Jaguaria realised people were unhappy with the outsourcing to Accenture Interactive regarding the rebranding process. This decision marginalized the internal staff, which the authors refer to as the ‘collaborative spirit’ and ‘genuine product ideas.’
Key points from the letter include:
It has been stated that both the new logo and visual identity are far from Jaguar’s brand message of modern luxury.
The team argued that the logo was ‘too round and playful’ – not nearly as assertively, energetically unique as the brand should be.
Issues with the symbolically charged meaning of the association with the World Trade Center fiasco; reference to other brands; the opposite of Jaguar’s motto: “A Copy of Nothing.”
The team underlined that they stuck to the ideas of a significant and integrated design process, while the outsourcing decision undermined them.
External Reactions to Panthera
The impression was divided both into colours of the Type 00 concept cars unveiled in ‘Miami Pink’ and the ‘London Blue,’ in the campaign’s teaser video where models replaced cars. While Jaguar’s management explained the campaign as ‘brave and invasive’, the audience and media screws responded with confusion and disbelief as the other viewers said that the Jaguar ads do not reflect the brand’s history.
Jaguar’s Response
In a statement addressing the backlash, Jaguar acknowledged the challenges of creative reinvention:
“Creativity involves subjectivity, and we prioritize fostering an environment that nurtures these ideas. Discussions and debates are part of the process as we refine and evolve our vision.”
Historical Parallels
Jaguar’s current problems are reminiscent of its ‘Gorgeous’ campaign back in the mid-2000s which too was unable to appeal to the youth and transition the brand’s image. Considering the issues Panthera faced, people have signs of reluctance as Jaguar strives for reinvention, which makes people doubt that the company may have the same experience as Panthera.
Conclusion
Today’s troubles with Jaguar can be compared to the company’s “Gorgeous” campaign back in the mid-2000s, which raced the same failure to capture youths and switch that image. Taking this into account, people have some signals of reluctance such as Jaguar which is eager to reinvent itself, and thus, people start wondering whether the company faced similar problems as Panthera.
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