Love it or hate it, the fact remains that in Jaguar’s 90-year history, nothing the brand has done has sparked as much global conversation as its controversial rebrand. The ambiguous teaser video released on socials in late November, created a void that was filled with polarised opinions which can only be a positive for the JLR (Jaguar Land Rover) team as they embark on the journey of revamping the stumbling Jaguar brand.
But given that JLR is trying to take the brand to an international, elite market, how well does the campaign travel across the world?
What’s driving the Jaguar rebrand?
Jaguar is redefining its identity in a rapidly evolving automotive market, as it transitions to become an all-electric luxury carmaker by 2025. The brand is aiming to shed its traditional image, rooted in British heritage and masculine prestige, to appeal to a younger, more urban, and design-focused audience. The company says the change was about recognising the company is no longer “a heritage brand” but a “brand with heritage” and that “getting the balance right is of existential importance”.
This shift includes embracing “exuberant modernism”, a philosophy focused on originality, creativity, and bold artistic expression. With plans to price its new electric vehicles at approximately double its current models, Jaguar hopes to reposition itself as a leader in modern luxury and sustainability. Prioritizing innovation and artistry, this strategic pivot represents a complete reset, aligning Jaguar’s values with the preferences of affluent, style-conscious buyers in a competitive global market.
Cultural considerations for the global Jaguar rebrand
From what we’ve seen so far in the teaser video and the announcement in Miami, Jaguar’s new approach has the potential to resonate with international audiences due to its universal aesthetic and inclusive approach, but it also faces challenges in fully conveying its intended messaging across diverse cultural landscapes.
Language
The campaign’s language, rooted in bold manifesto phrases like “exuberant” and “a copy of nothing”, projects Jaguar’s commitment to originality. However, should the brand decide to localise the campaigns, these abstract terms would require careful localisation and transcreation to avoid misinterpretation, as their deeper meaning might not translate seamlessly across markets. Another watch out would be the challenge of replicating the short and simple phrases across languages so that the look and feel of the campaign is relayed in every market.
Casting
The campaign emphasizes diversity in casting, showcasing people of various genders, ethnicities, body types, and ages. However, the creative decision to associate diversity with disruption and “breaking moulds” could be interpreted as framing inclusivity as a novelty rather than a norm, which might dilute the campaign’s authenticity for some global audiences.
Setting
Visually speaking, it’s very universal as it seems to be recorded out of earth! By avoiding local references and employing a futuristic, almost otherworldly backdrop, Jaguar should be able to use this setting without any issues in adaptations across the world.
Colours
Visually, the campaign leans on vibrant, warm colours such as red, pink, yellow, and orange, which generally align with positive emotions like vitality, cheerfulness, and creativity across cultures. These colours do carry some nuanced connotations in specific regions for example red’s ties to danger in the West or yellow’s associations with disease in various cultures. However in this case, these associations are not inherently problematic, and are unlikely to cause offense locally in this context.
Will the Jaguar rebrand resonate internationally?
Jaguar’s bold rebrand positions it for a promising reception internationally, blending universal aesthetics and inclusivity to resonate across diverse markets. But its success will depend on how well it bridges cultural nuances and delivers its messaging internationally.
We’ll be waiting (along with the rest of the world) to discover the international marketing campaign that’s presumably to come in 2025. In the meantime, we applaud the team at JLR for their brave move!
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