Jaguar’s woke rebrand just got a fresh admission

A once-mocked rebranding effort by Jaguar has unexpectedly revealed an admission that the backlash caused the rebranding schedule to change. In November 2024, Jaguar launched a campaign featuring models in designer outfits on a pink landscape, with no cars shown, meant to position the brand as an electric-only luxury brand priced near Bentley and Rolls-Royce.

However, the campaign sparked a culture-war debate the company was not prepared for, leading to the cancellation of planned follow-up communications. Jaguar's former chief creative officer, Gerry McGovern, now admits he did not foresee the backlash when the campaign was launched. Despite this admission, the rebranding strategy has not been successful, as Jaguar has been in a sales blackout since the launch of its last model, the F-Pace, in 2024.

The company is now set to unveil its new electric car, the Type 01, in October 2026, facing an uphill battle to rebuild its reputation and regain consumer trust.