Jaguar’s Strange Commercial

This might be the fastest way to destroy a brand image

Jaguar’s new ‘Copy Nothing’ ad has received nothing but backlash. Jaguar couldn’t have picked a worse time to rebrand. Moreover, Jaguar is not the product that they’re selling. They are selling controversy, leaving audiences confused and divided. I feel sorry for the engineers. They put a lot of effort into creating classy cars.

Key reasons behind the criticism

The most immediate and widely noted criticism was that the commercial featured no Jaguar vehicles. Instead, it showcased models in colorful, avant-garde outfits, performing artistic acts against abstract backdrops, accompanied by slogans like “create exuberance,” “live vividly,” and “delete the ordinary.”

This omission led to confusion and ridicule, with many questioning the logic of a car company running an ad campaign that doesn’t actually show its cars. Tesla CEO Elon Musk’s sarcastic comment, “Do you sell cars?” went viral, encapsulating much of the public sentiment.

What do you think?

Overview of Negative Comments on Jaguar’s “Strange” Commercial

Jaguar’s recent rebranding commercial has generated widespread controversy and predominantly adverse reactions across social media, car enthusiast forums, and mainstream media. The campaign, intended to revitalize the brand and signal a new direction, has instead been met with confusion, ridicule, and accusations of alienating Jaguar’s traditional customer base.

Key Themes in Negative Comments

1. Absence of Cars in the Commercial

One of the most common criticisms is that the ad fails to show any actual Jaguar vehicles, which many see as a fundamental misstep for a car brand. Commenters on Reddit and YouTube mocked the campaign for resembling a fashion or fragrance ad rather than an automotive commercial, with users asking, “Where’s the car?” and joking that it was a “great promotion for a clothing shop.”

2. Perceived “Woke” Messaging and DEI Focus

The commercial features androgynous models, including a man in a dress, and emphasizes slogans like “delete ordinary,” “copy nothing,” and “create exuberant.” This has led to accusations that Jaguar is prioritizing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) messaging over its core product, with critics comparing it to the Bud Light controversy and labeling it as “woke” or “Bud Light 2.0.”
Sky News and other commentators argue that “no one is buying DEI anymore so that no one will buy Jaguar.”

3. Alienation of Traditional Customer Base

Many long-time Jaguar fans feel the brand is abandoning its heritage and core audience. Comments highlight the discontinuation of iconic models like the XJ and the shift toward electric vehicles as moves that have already distanced loyal customers. The new campaign is seen as further isolating this group, with some predicting a significant loss of existing Jaguar owners.

4. Criticism of New Branding and Logo

The new logo and branding have also come under fire, with the replacement of the classic growler emblem for what some call a generic or confusing monogram. Critics describe it as looking like a “clothing brand logo that just started and signed its lease at the mall.”

5. Mockery and Viral Backlash

The campaign has gone viral for the wrong reasons, with Jaguar’s promotional posts receiving hundreds of thousands of mostly negative comments. Social media users and car enthusiasts are openly mocking both the ad’s style and its messaging, with some high-profile figures, including Elon Musk, joining in the criticism.

Representative Quotes and Reactions

“A car commercial is supposed to do more than ‘look cool’. Having a car in the commercial would be a start.”

“Jaguar is not the product that they’re selling anymore. What they’re selling … is diversity, equality, and inclusion. Unfortunately, no one is buying DEI anymore, so no one will be buying Jaguar.”

“This just made me want to sell my Jaguar, and I don’t even own a Jaguar.”

“The commercial has more than 160 million YouTube views and more than 100,000 comments, so it has achieved its purpose of reaction, but most of it has been negative.”

Industry and Insider Perspectives

PR experts and automotive analysts have called the campaign “disastrous” from a brand marketing perspective, noting that Jaguar’s real challenges lie in lagging innovation and a lack of new models, not just image problems.
Some within Jaguar defend the bold, disruptive approach as necessary to attract attention and reposition the brand, but acknowledge the risk of alienating core customers.

Conclusion

Jaguar’s new commercial has succeeded in generating buzz, but the overwhelming majority of the reaction has been negative. Critics cite the lack of cars, confusing messaging, perceived pandering to social trends, and a disregard for the brand’s heritage as key reasons for the backlash. The long-term impact on Jaguar’s market position remains to be seen, but the campaign has clearly polarized audiences and drawn comparisons to other high-profile marketing missteps.

# Jaguar’s Strange Commercial

Also see Progressive Insurance Human Billboard Commercial.

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