by Wallace Wyss –
It had such a great tradition. Started by Sir William Lyons before the war and the great XK120 came after the war. The C-type, the D-type and the victories at LeMans.
For a while it was the most stylish import on the American market. The cars movie stars like Clark Gable and Steve McQueen drove. But in recent years they stumbled.
Taken over by Ford for some time. Trying to find a niche in the market place, I would say the F-type had almost found a niche but was no longer ‘The Car To Own’.
Now some shocks, like suspending production of all models. And hints that their future role might be to become a more exclusive car company building cars only for the wealthiest, bespoke cars, in the manner that Roll-Royce does with their boatails but not that expensive, and Rolls by the way still builds regular production models. Even Cadillac with their $350,000 Celestiq, still makes regular production cars.
The New Jaguar Cat Logo
I can see with their rebranding campaign where Jaguar is heading toward the creme-de-la-creme market. Ferrari does it, coming out with limited SP editions, customized to a customer’s taste. But they still have regular catalog models. Ferrari is the most profitable car company per car.
Jaguar is itching to get into this exclusive zone but not reckoning with the reality of what’s gonna put food on the table while they are developing these speciales (to use the Italian word for exclusive models).
I have little faith in their new direction. One downer is the new YouTube video below. Watch this 30 second video and decide for yourself.
It features a platoon of exceedingly grim-faced women, with nary a smile among them, wearing bright colors against rainbow-like backgrounds that’s very dated, very Sixties (Andy Warhol–where are you when we need you?). But there’s not a car visible anywhere. You wonder–who are these ladies and why are there no men in the commercial whatsoever? Or are there? It is difficult to tell. I prefer an ad with attractive people.
Secondly they redesigned the logo so it’s a mixture of capital letters and some lower case, within the word. How are we supposed to spell that when we write “Jaguar”? And they threw out the cat symbol but have a new one. That would be like Rolls throwing out the flying lady mascot.
I wouldn’t want to buy anything that the crowd, in that commercial, wants to make. When I think of a Jaguar customer I like to think of an upright chap in a herringbone suit jacket, sweater, slacks, Lobb shoes, stringback driving gloves and flat cap striding out to a sexy convertible that awaits him top down, and driving off into the countryside at a brisk pace with a lusty Varooom from the exhaust.
Based on what I have seen from Jaguar now, whatever they’re building, I don’t want it.
What we’re watching is a car company killed by a commercial…
New Jaguar Logo
Let us know what you think in the Comments.
THE AUTHOR Wallace Wyss started out in advertising where he wrote ads for two of the Big Three. He has owned a variety of sports cars from a 356 Porsche, to front engined and mid-engine Ferraris to a brace of Mercedes Gullwings.
Images compliments of Jaguar.
Killed by a commercial? More like an agency. SURELY Jaguar will blame their ad agency.
they have always made spaceships.
just doing the next level..
someone has to be brave..jaguar always brave
Maybe NOT lost, just temporarily misguided
well said
one just has to look at the same branding stunt tried by Bud_Light to know how this is going to turn out. Its a sad day in the history of Jaguar.
Wallace, you are right! It’s pretty tough to “reimagine” one’s image while disregarding the heritage. Jag was never a Ferrari or Maserati (or Aston Martin). It began as a cut-rate Bentley that offered the the style of that marque at half the price (discounting the Swallow-bodied Austins and motorcycle sidecars). Then they moved into sports cars with that same positioning. It was the performance and style at an affordable price.
What’s this “brave” stuff? Jags still have the reputation of being unreliable (I’ve owned two of them and can attest to that). And, it is a crowded automotive marketplace; the niche Jaguar exploited for decades may not exist today.
One more non-automotive enthusiast doing advertisements for a car company. Get rid of them.
To quote Austin Powers “she’s a man, man”. “Not that there’s anything wrong with that” -Seinfeld
Very disappointing. Leadership has lost their minds. Makes one sad. Perhaps there is no recovery?
Do you think Tata management agreed to this program?
If Land Rover-Jaguar wants to become stand-alone Land Rover, this is a good way to do it.
I am amazed by how many companies, when they need a big change, reach into the corporate tool box and pull out the “change the logo” tool. I hope they took into account that all employees now need new business cards.
This new logo sends a message to all stake holders that something is different now. It may not be something is better but just different.
That 30 second video also sends a message but what the message is will not be clear until more is revealed by Jaguar management.
I almost bought an F Type for my wife earlier this year. Lucky me, she wasn’t wild about it. Having that parked in my driveway where my neighbors could see it would be like ordering a Bud Light in front of my conservative friends!
Id rather have an F type in my dtiveway than a bud light case sitting on my porch but i get your point
“It features a platoon of exceedingly grim-faced women, with nary a smile among them…”
I see 4, maybe 5 “males” in this commercial. Then again, I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I have a trained eye.
This campaign was clearly meant to be inclusive and speak to younger generations. I’d put good money on the fact that someone let AI come up with what should be the “ultimate” campaign that appeals to the most people. Sadly, relying on non-human input to speak to a very human car community is proving to be a big mistake.
Jaguar has been lost for decades ! Don from Mad Men knew the job to resurrect the brand was impossible. The guy in charge from London actually hung himself.