Jaguar Rebranding and Repositioning Case Study - Great Ideas for Teaching Marketing

Topics

repositioning, brand management, strategy, publicity, PR management, DEI, new brands, product development, consumer behavior, target markets, marketing environment

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Introduction to the Jaguar Case Study

In November 2024, Jaguar unveiled its bold, and somewhat risky, complete rebranding and repositioning strategy for its brand.

Their rebranding objectives and overall strategy were conveyed through three interconnected elements, which we will explore in this case study.

These elements are:

their website information and media releases that helped articulate the brand’s new vision and identity,
their new Type 00 “concept car” that physically demonstrates their new design and brand philosophy, and
a provocative promotional video ad intended to showcase their commitment to repositioning the brand around originality, creative design, and breaking conventions.

Their promotional video featured androgynous models in vibrant, avant-garde attire, accompanied by daring slogans like “create exuberant” and “break moulds.”

And perhaps surprisingly, the ad did not show any cars at all. Instead, the video was intended to emphasize “artistic expression and individuality”. This unconventional approach to marketing communication is a clear part of Jaguar’s objective to reposition itself as a luxury brand for a younger, affluent, and design-conscious audience.

Their rebranding strategy and plan, especially the video, sparked significant controversy. Critics accused Jaguar of abandoning its roots as a high-performance sports car manufacturer, labeling the communication campaign as overly “woke” and disconnected from the brand’s traditional image.

High-profile public figures, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, joined the conversation, with Musk posting, “Do you sell cars?”

And while many social media reactions were negative and were critical of the video for not showing any cars or being seemingly unrelated to the brand, other commentators praised the ad for its creativity and originality.

Your Task

Your task in this case study is to explore the complexities of repositioning and the challenges companies face when attempting to reinvent their brand, especially iconic ones like Jaguar.

Please review the case study materials below, take notes on key themes and the for and against viewpoints, and then address the discussion questions provided at the end.

A Brief History of Jaguar

Before we dig into the specifics of the Jaguar strategy change, let’s first start by taking a look at the history and evolution of their brand, so we can get a better sense of why their repositioning plans are considered so dramatic and even somewhat controversial.

Jaguar’s beginnings can be traced back to 1922 when, as the Swallow Sidecar Company, they initially made motorcycle sidecars before transitioning into automobile manufacturing.

In 1935, the company introduced its first car under the Jaguar brand, with a focus on sleek, high-performance vehicles. This makes the brand almost 90 years old by the time they embarked on their substantial rebranding program in late 2024.

After World War II, the brand officially became Jaguar Cars Ltd. and built its brand around speed, performance, and quality, with models like the XK120, the fastest production car of its time (please see the ad for this car later in the case study).

Despite growing into a substantial and valuable brand, especially in the UK and European market, over the years Jaguar underwent multiple ownership changes, including mergers into British Motor Holdings and British Leyland, before being spun off independently in 1984, and then being acquired by the Ford Motor Group in 1990.

In 2008, Tata Motors (a subsidiary of the Tata Group, India’s largest conglomerate) acquired Jaguar Cars and Land Rover from Ford for $2.3 billion and established Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) as a single entity. Under Tata’s ownership, they have worked to modernize the brand and are now pushing into the electric vehicle market.

Jaguar’s Heritage Positioning

Let’s now review Jaguar’s traditional, or heritage, competitive positioning in order to see why it is considered to be such an iconic car brand. This review will help us better understand their unique rebranding and repositioning challenges.

Over most of their history, Jaguar’s brand positioning has revolved around the attributes of performance, elegance, excitement, quality, and exclusivity, while communicating that it is a quintessential British brand.

Following Jaguar’s early racing success and speed records in the late 1940s and into the 1950s, they were effectively able to position the brand with the unique combination of high-performance, style and elegance.

The brand further evolved in the 1960s and into the 1970s with new designs continuing its high-performance credibility, making Jaguar a symbol of aspiration, status, and glamour.

The brand’s promotional messaging often emphasized “affordable luxury” by adopting a price point below ultra-luxury brands like Rolls-Royce.

The brand’s appeal and social status was boosted in this era by the brand becoming the preferred choice by high-profile celebrities (such as, pop icons Paul McCartney, Mick Jagger, and Elton John and movie stars Steve McQueen and Frank Sinatra), as well as members of British Royalty (such as Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Charles, and Princess Diana – their titles at the time).

As you can imagine, the brand’s association with royalty, pop icons, and movie stars elevated Jaguar to a new level of prestige, glamor, desirability, making the brand truly aspirational on a global basis.

The brand’s image and its significant social status was generally well maintained throughout the balance of the 20^th century, despite several ownership changes. Newly developed models continued to emphasize a blend of luxury, sophistication, and sports performance.

But, as we will see later in the case study, this strong brand foundation, competitive positioning, and the array of Royal and celebrity “endorsements” would not be strong enough to maintain the brand’s success by 2024, prompting Jaguar to implement a substantial brand repositioning strategy.

Example Ads Highlighting Heritage Positioning

For a closer look at Jaguar’s positioning and heritage, this section shows a mix of ads that they used in the 1940s to 1970s. This helps provide a clearer understanding of Jaguar’s approach to competitive positioning.

The above ad, from 1949, highlights the speed of the car, with the headline of “Jaguar again makes motoring history”, tagged at the bottom with “the fastest speed ever recorded by a production car”.

Notes:

A production car is one that is being produced by a factory and is available for purchase by any consumer.
132.6 mph = 213 km/hr.

The above ad, from the early 1960s, highlights the clear statement (tagline) that they used in their advertising in the 1950s and 1960s of “grace… space… pace”.

You will note that part of the copy reads, “motorists who… have a common aspiration – to enjoy a special kind of motoring which no other car in the world can offer”.

This was messaging that they repeatedly used in that era, as highlighted below by another similar ad.

Finally, the above ad from the mid-1970s. Note the tagline of, “the car everyone dreams of. But very, very few can ever own”.

Then in the ad’s copy we have phrases like:

The definitive high performance luxury car
No other car… can offer a comparable combination of safety, luxury and performance
As you would expect, the performance of the XJS is startling
… will astonish and delight you
The list of luxury and safety features… is very long and very impressive
… a car that is light years ahead

As we can see, this Jaguar ad works hard to reinforce the brand’s position as an aspirational symbol of exclusivity, luxury, and superior performance. It appeals to consumers’ desires for status and success by emphasizing scarcity (“very, very few can ever own”) and portraying the car as a rare privilege for the elite.

And by describing the XJS as “light years ahead” and “startling” in performance, the ad reinforces Jaguar’s innovative and cutting-edge performance.

Ultimately, however, the ad is designed to motivate consumers to own a Jaguar as a testament to their accomplishments and a fulfillment of a dream, making it far more than just a car – it is actually more like a personal statement for the buyer.

Who WAS Jaguar’s Target Market Consumer?

To continue with our understanding of the Jaguar brand and its evolution and its current position, this section of the case study outlines who WAS Jaguar’s typical target market consumer.

The word “was” is being used because Jaguar is now working toward a substantial repositioning the brand, which means that they will need to target a new consumer. Please note that we will explore their likely new target market consumer in a later section of this case.

In the past, the typical Jaguar customer was a success-driven individual who valued luxury, design, performance, and status. And they were primarily attracted to the brand by Jaguar’s blend of elegance, performance, exclusivity, social status, celebrity/Royal “connection”, and the overall symbolism of having “made it”.

Let’s break the target market down into top-level segmentation bases, as follows:

Demographics

Age: 35–60, mid-to-late career professionals or affluent retirees.
Income: Upper-middle-class to affluent, with high disposable income.
Occupation: Executives, entrepreneurs, professionals, and creatives.
Location: Predominantly Western Europe, North America, and Commonwealth countries, expanding to Asia by the 1990s.

Psychographics

Values: Sophistication, exclusivity, heritage, and individuality.
Lifestyle: Understated luxury; focused on products signaling success without being overly flashy.

Personality: Aspirational, discerning, valuing craftsmanship and tradition. They favor brands with historical significance and strong cultural identities.

Behavior

Purchase Drivers: Emotional connection to Jaguar’s British heritage, elegance, and performance.
Usage: Primarily for professional and leisure purposes, doubling as a status symbol.

Why is Jaguar Repositioning its Brand?

So far in the case study, everything looks good! We have a long-established (since 1935) and iconic British brand that produces cars that are perceived as being high-performance vehicles, while luxurious, exclusive, aspiration, and “loved’ by senior Royals and celebrities alike.

What could go wrong? Why, by 2024, was Jaguar at a strategic crossroads and needing to reinvent its strategy and reposition its brand in the market? Let’s find out…

Changing Micro-Environment Factors

As we know in marketing, brands don’t live in isolation. Brand management, and all other aspects of marketing, are deeply interconnected with both the micro and macro environments, and there had been lots of significant changes since Jaguar’s heyday era.

Let’s start with the brand’s internal environment. Over time, they had multiple ownership changes. This means changes to corporate culture, strategy, values, objectives, and possibly suppliers, processes, and most likely senior management.

In other words, there would have been multiple disruptions, rethinks, strategy re-dos, and the like. This is clearly not helpful for managing an iconic brand over time.

And in the microenvironment, we need to consider the issue of the heritage of the brand. This is a good foundation, but it should not be relied upon. Earlier in the case study, some ads from the 1940s to the 1970s were shown, along with a list of celebrities who mostly owned Jaguars in the 1960s to the 1980s.

This heritage brand value is both good and bad. So, while Jaguar’s history as a classic British brand was still admired into the 21^st century, it was being seen as increasingly old-fashioned and outdated, especially as compared to new competitors like Tesla and leading-edge existing competitors like BMW and Mercedes-Benz.

Changing Macro-Environment Factors

In addition to their microenvironment, Jaguar also faced major macroenvironmental shifts, including:

Sustainability Concerns

Consumers are increasingly favoring brands that align with environmental values, resulting in the growth of the electric vehicle (EV) market. Unfortunately for Jaguar, competitors like Tesla and BYD capitalized early on this trend, positioning Jaguar as a follower in EV technology.

Shifting Consumer Preferences

The global automotive market has seen a significant shift toward SUVs leaving Jaguar’s traditional sedan lineup struggling to stay relevant. While Jaguar did introduce some SUVs, they failed to achieve the same iconic status as their sister brand’s Land Rover models.

Technological Advancements and AI

As the overall industry embraced AI-driven features, autonomous driving, and connected car technology, Jaguar was perceived as lagging behind. This perception added to the brand’s image as outdated and struggling to keep pace with consumer expectations for modern luxury.

How Valuable is their Brand?

Another indicator of success and a potential driver for a strategy rethink is the overall value of the brand. While clearly not as important as profits and sales, the metrics are interrelated.

Brand Finance, the world’s top brand valuation company, calculates brand values using what is called the “Royalty Relief approach”. This calculation estimates how much money a company could earn if it licensed its brand to someone else.

The methodology considers overall brand strength and the brand’s longevity, the importance of “brand” to the consumer in their purchase decision (which varies by market and price point), and future revenue attributable to the brand.

According to Brand Finance, Jaguar’s brand value is estimated at £1.9 billion (approx. $2.4b USD), which is equal in valuation to the ultra-luxury brand Bentley (also an iconic British car brand).

And while $2b+ for a brand value is exceptional, Jaguar does pale in comparison to its sister brand, as Land Rover is the UK’s most valuable car brand, being valued at £7.2 billion ($9.1b USD), which is almost four times the brand value of Jaguar.

And to add further to its competitive position, below is an image showing the Top 10 Car Brands in the world, also from Brand Finance. As you can see, Mercedes-Benz, Tesla, and Toyota all have brand valuations in excess of $50 billion (USD), making them each 25+ times more valuable than Jaguar.

Source: Brand Finance: Top 10 Car Brands

Current Sales of Jaguar (as at 2024)

Tata Motors have struggled with the Jaguar brand, as compared to Land Rover’s success. In terms of global sales, their Land Rover models account for about 85% of JLR’s unit sales, as compared to around 15% for Jaguar, with the company reporting that it sold 15,324 Jaguars in 2024 versus almost 100,000 Land Rovers.

To put these numbers in perspective, in 2023, Toyota sold approximately 10.8 million vehicles worldwide. Volkswagen followed with about 9.24 million vehicles sold. And Mercedes-Benz reported global sales of just over 2 million vehicles, with Tesla’s electric vehicles selling over 1.8 million cars worldwide and Chinese automaker BYD shifting 3.7 million vehicles with a mix of electric and hybrid models.

And adding to the problem with lower sales volumes, Jaguar’s profit margins are also lower than Land Rover’s, due to intensive competition in the luxury sedan market and a global shift in consumer preference toward SUVs.

Product Line Rationalization

In July 2024, Jaguar Land Rover CEO Adrian Mardell announced the discontinuation of five Jaguar models due to their minimal profitability.

Mardell stated, “We are eliminating five products, all lower value,” and described these models as “close to zero-profitability products.” This move left the F-Pace as their sole model in their product lineup.

The Clear Need for a Strategy Change

Regardless of whether repositioning the brand is the right choice or not, it is clear that a substantial strategy change was required to turn around the brand.

As we have seen in the above section, Jaguar’s decision to reposition was driven by a mix of internal challenges and external pressures that made substantial change unavoidable.

These factors collectively forced Jaguar to pivot, embracing a bold strategy to modernize its image, target new markets, and stay competitive in an evolving industry.

But is this the right choice and will it be successful?’ Let’s find out more…

Jaguar’s Marketing Solution: A New Car Design and a Complete Brand Repositioning

In 2024, Jaguar started to implement its brand repositioning strategy. They indicated that their intention was to undergo a complete transformation to become a modern and exciting brand while staying true to its original values.

They stated that they were inspired by the words of its founder, Sir William Lyons, who said, “a Jaguar should be a copy of nothing”, and that they wanted to reposition the brand as being bold, unique, and forward-thinking.

And they accept that the revised brand image will likely alienate many traditional customers and target market consumers. However, they are pushing for this to be a new era for Jaguar where they plan to appeal to a new contemporary audience.

Although this may seem dramatic – to walk away from your traditional customer base, it is common to make this change as part of a major repositioning. If a brand were to undertake a minor repositioning exercise, then they would be looking to either broaden (or focus) their target market while attempting to retain as many loyal customers as possible.

However, given Jaguar’s situation, it is clear that the brand is undertaking a major repositioning strategy and, as a result, it will be likely that much of the existing customer base will be lost. This is because the brand’s identity and values, along with its product offering and price point will be substantially modified – almost becoming a “new brand” in many respects.

Jaguar has publicly acknowledged that they expect to lose a large proportion of their existing customer base – only retaining 10% to 15% in their estimates – however, they do expect to gain many more new customers than they will lose – which, of course, is one of the key objectives of their overall repositioning strategy.

Key Rebranding Objectives

A key part of the transformation is Jaguar’s updated brand identity. This includes new symbols and a visual style that they hope will communicate Jaguar’s uniqueness and its dedication to standing out from competitors.

According to Jaguar’s own media center, their rebranding objectives include:

New Jaguar is a brand built around Exuberant Modernism.
It is imaginative, bold and artistic at every touchpoint.
It is unique and fearless.
It embraces bold designs, unexpected and original thinking, creating a brand character that will command attention through fearless creativity.
This is a reimagining that recaptures the essence of Jaguar, returning it to the values that once made it so loved, but making it relevant for a contemporary audience.
We are creating Jaguar for the future, restoring its status as a brand that enriches the lives of our clients and the Jaguar community.

Jaguar’s Rebranding Video

As mentioned in the introduction to this case study, Jaguar’s rebranding program has been communicated through three interconnected elements, so let’s now review their promotional video. You should note the five phrases in the video, which are:

create exuberant
live vivid
delete ordinary
break moulds
copy nothing

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Jaguar’s New Logo and Visual Identity = Symbols of Change

In November 2024, along with its promotional video, Jaguar also unveiled its revised brand elements as part of their overall repositioning strategy.

Their new logo features an unconventional mix of upper- and lower-case letters to form “JaGUar” (as shown in the image) – and this new logo was designed to communicate “its commitment to being original and forward-thinking”.

The company also indicated that these changes were a reflection of its newly strengthened “Copy Nothing” philosophy, and that these new brand elements were developed by Jaguar’s in-house team and were designed to resonate with a younger, design-conscious audience, who are interested in luxury electric vehicles.

They also redesigned their iconic Jaguar “leaper” emblem (also shown), designed to present a more dynamic and contemporary depiction of the jaguar cat in motion.

According to Jaguar, these changes are not just designs, but statements about Jaguar’s dedication to quality and innovation.

Jaguar’s Concept Car Announcement

In December 2024, a few weeks after the release of their promotional video, Jaguar unveiled its new design vision concept for its proposed car, the Type 00, at Miami Art Week.

The Jaguar Type 00 concept car is THE key strategic plank in the brand’s transformation.

It helps signal Jaguar’s all-electric future and is very different from their past designs. The vehicle will be built on Jaguar’s Electric Architecture platform that features advanced engineering and superfast charging, which will make it very competitive with other high-end electric vehicles.

The Type 00’s exterior design is also a departure from Jaguar’s traditional aesthetic. Its sharp, angular lines and minimalist form reflect a futuristic approach, designed to differentiate it from the brand’s previous models.

The car incorporates luxury elements such as 23-inch wheels, butterfly doors, and a “pantograph” tailgate. The exterior comes in pastel colors like Miami Pink and London Blue, marking a shift from Jaguar’s traditional British Racing Green and aiming to appeal to younger, global luxury consumers.

As a concept car, the Type 00 is meant to signal Jaguar’s new direction rather than being a finished production model. It provides a glimpse into the brand’s future, focusing on bold design, electric performance, and a redefined approach to luxury that aligns with its repositioning strategy.

Below is the presentation video for the concept car’s unveiling at Miami Art Week. In the video you will note that Jaguar’s Chief Creative Officer, Gerry McGovern, says, “(The car’s design)… will make people feel uncomfortable, and it will polarize.”

His statement here obviously refers to the break with the brand’s traditional positioning which marks a new era in the brand’s evolution.

Proposed Pricing Level for the New Jaguar

As we know, brand positioning relies on all elements of the marketing mix, including the price point – which is a cue for quality, as well as representing what the brand (and hopefully the consumer) believes that the product (the new Type 00 in this case) is worth.

With the proposed new electric Jaguar – based on the initial concept car – is expected to be somewhere around £150,000 (or $190,000 USD). This is a significant step up from Jaguar’s current price point for the remaining Jaguar F-Pace SUV which is in the range of £45,000 to £90,000 depending on the level and the optional extras. This means that Jaguar’s new pricing level will be 2 to 3 times more than its current level – which is a clear statement on the step up in quality of their brand and will be very supportive as a marketing mix element in communicating their revised competitive positioning.

However, this enhanced car quality and more upmarket positioning comes at a cost and requires a substantial investment, with Jaguar indicating that they expect the total cost of developing its new all-electric models over the next five years would be around £1.5bn (or almost $2b USD). Keep in mind that, earlier in the case study, Jaguar’s current brand value has been estimated at only a little more than that amount – making this new car platform investment a very substantial one.

In addition, even at that price point, it is estimated that Jaguar’s new models will need to sell at a rate of at least double current sales (about 30,000 units) per year just to break even on this level of investment.

Who is Jaguar’s NEW Target Market Consumer?

As highlighted above, Jaguar’s repositioning strategy relies upon a dramatic shift in its target market. While the brand has historically appealed to success-driven individuals who value luxury and heritage, its focus is now shifting to a younger, more affluent, and design-conscious audience.

Jaguar’s new target consumer can be described as “design-minded, cash-rich, and time-poor”. These individuals prioritize creativity, individuality, and exclusivity and are drawn to brands that stand out and offer more than just a product. They are seeking products, experiences and symbols that align with their values and lifestyles.

In order to compare them to Jaguar’s traditional customer (provided earlier in the case study), here is their profile in the same structure:

Demographics

Age: 30–50, younger than their previous target market.
Income: Affluent to ultra-high-net-worth individuals, with significant disposable income.
Occupation: Professionals, entrepreneurs, and individuals in creative industries who value design and innovation.
Location: Expanding beyond traditional markets like Western Europe and North America, with a stronger emphasis on Asia’s luxury markets.

Psychographics

Values: Creativity, individuality, and a forward-thinking approach. These consumers are looking for brands that reflect their progressive outlook and desire for uniqueness.
Lifestyle: Aspirational and fast-paced, with a preference for luxury that is bold, modern, and personalized rather than traditional or understated.
Personality: Trendsetters and visionaries who seek brands that lead in design and innovation.

Behavior

Purchase Drivers: A connection to Jaguar’s new identity of originality, alongside a desire for cutting-edge electric vehicle technology.
Usage: The cars are viewed not just as a mode of transport but as a statement of their individuality, creativity, and success.

What Everyday People and Experts are Saying About the Jaguar Campaign

Now that we have a good sense of Jaguar’s repositioning strategy and why they have decided to reinvent their brand and largely pursue a new target market consumer, let’s now take a look at the mixed reactions and feedback from both car and marketing experts, as well as from everyday people on social media.

Let’s start with a brand valuation expert, Manfredi Ricca, the Global Chief Strategy Officer at Interbrand (another brand valuation company).

He highlighted that, in early November 2024, Jaguar was struggling for attention, but just two weeks later a 30-second video managed to spark a global conversation without showing a single product

He believes that the key objective of campaign was not about tweaking a successful brand (a minor repositioning) but was necessary to rescue a struggling one (which requires a major brand overhaul).

He suggests that Jaguar’s biggest challenge is to turn its admired heritage into a future that people are willing to buy into.

And as any brand expert will tell you, he says that the real test will be sales down the track and creating new and loyal customers by 2025 and beyond. This is because, in his view, “while museums can survive on nostalgia, businesses must transform their heritage into something people are willing to buy.”

Richard Exon, co-founder of the ad agency Joint, sees Jaguar’s move as the right call for a brand looking to connect with a new audience.

He praised the decision to make a clean break from the past, focusing on inclusivity and boldness to attract modern, affluent buyers. However, Exon is critical of the initial video ad, referring to it as “derivative and disappointing”.

Despite this, he believes the concept car images show promise, forcing people to reconsider what Jaguar stands for. For Jaguar to succeed, Exon says, it must stay bold and ensure its radical ideas make it into production.

Mark Ritson, a famous marketing expert and regular columnist for Marketing Week magazine, criticizes the decision to overhaul the brand entirely, arguing that a more measured revitalization would have been better suited.

He believes Jaguar’s heritage, once a powerful asset, has been sidelined in favor of a complete reset that risks alienating loyal customers. He specifically points to the 30-second video featuring avant-garde models and no cars, describing it as bizarre and disconnected from the core of the brand.

Ritson’s recommendation to Jaguar was to celebrate and modernize the elements that made their brand iconic, rather than abandoning them entirely.

James Morris from Forbes, sees the move as a necessary gamble. Morris argues that this controversy itself can help elevate the brand’s profile, particularly among younger, affluent buyers seeking innovation and exclusivity.

And to add further flavor to the above comments, here are a selection of one-liners taken from social media at the time:

Whoever agreed to this needs to know they’ve just killed a British icon.
Imagine being THIS out of touch with what your brand is…
You just advertised to less than 2% of the population of the planet.
What on earth is Jaguar thinking with this ad? No cars, just a ‘woke’ fashion show.
Jaguar’s new ad is a disaster. They’ve completely lost touch with their customer base.
No cars in a car ad? Just models in ridiculous outfits. Jaguar has lost the plot.
This is the most pretentious and out-of-touch ad I’ve ever seen from a car company.
Jaguar’s new campaign is more about virtue signaling than selling cars.
If this is the direction Jaguar is heading, count me out as a customer.
This ad is an insult to Jaguar’s heritage and loyal customers.
This will go down as one of the worst marketing decisions in history.
The funniest part about this ad is that if you had no idea what Jaguar sells… you’d still have no idea what they’re trying to sell to you after watching this.

And finally,” Do you sell cars?”, from Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla.

Assessing the Comments and Feedback

While most of the quotes above are not overly positive or supportive, let’s get past the surface level and review the key concerns. There appears to be four major themes across the comments, namely:

There is an unwelcome move away from the heritage positioning of the iconic Jaguar brand and it is seen as abandoning its traditional identity and values,
The repositioning strategy is designed to target a new segment of consumers, rather than the existing loyal customer base, which compounds the feeling of a lost iconic brand identity in the point above,
People are critical of the video’s messaging being perceived as unrelated to cars in any way and, as a result, unlikely to create motivation for potential consumers to purchase a new Jaguar. In other words, the comments reflect a marketing criticism that the ad was unpersuasive and would be ineffective in driving sales and brand building,
And finally, the video was perceived as trying too hard to be a social messaging campaign (or too woke) and is more reflective of virtue signaling, rather than being a true relaunch of the brand’s identity.

It’s worth noting that breaking conventions often invites backlash, especially from established audiences, and Jaguar would have been aware of this beforehand – so in essence, they were actively encouraging comments, both good and bad.

And while it can be argued that many of the above criticisms are valid, they fail to consider the overall intention of Jaguar and their future brand management plans.

If we address the above four points in turn, then a clearer and more balanced picture emerges, as follows:

Yes, the brand is moving away from its traditional positioning – but that is a necessary part of such a substantial rebranding strategy,
Yes, the brand expects to alienate much of its existing customer base and plan to attract mostly new customers in the future – again, this is a necessary trade-off when undertaking a major repositioning of an established brand,
Yes, the video had no cars, appears almost indifferent to any product, and is unlike any other car ad before – these are all valid observations, but the strategy intention of Jaguar is to broaden the brand from being car-based to become a more encompassing lifestyle, artistic, and socially-conscious brand, and
Perhaps, it is fair that the over-the-top nature of the ad can be accused of being more about virtual signaling than rebranding – but we will explore and clarify this point further in a later section in the case study.

Jaguar’s Response to the Negative Comments

Following much of the criticism, Jaguar’s Managing Director, Rawdon Glover, defended the rebrand, emphasizing the need to break from conventional automotive marketing to capture attention in a competitive market.

His points here also help clarify the overall strategy and are reflective of the prior assessment section, which highlighted the need to break from tradition, target new consumers, and broaden the mission of the brand beyond just cars so that its new identity and values resonate with a younger, and more design-focused, and socially conscious audience.

Glover stressed that the rebranding plan was “a complete reset,” and that “Jaguar is transforming to reclaim its originality and inspire a new generation.”

And his comments were supported by Richard Molyneux, Jaguar’s chief financial officer, who stated, “This really is a once-in-a-generational opportunity to reset, redefine, and relaunch a truly iconic British brand.”

Jaguar’s Strategy in their Own Words

Let’s build on the above sections and delve into Jaguar’s brand vision, starting with the information that they have posted on their website, where they highlight their objectives and motivations.

The following points are direct quotes from the Jaguar website (as at Dec. 2024):

A new era begins today for Jaguar
Transformation of Jaguar recaptures ethos of founder Sir William Lyons to Copy Nothing, by being unique and original
Our vision for Jaguar today is informed by this philosophy
New Jaguar is a brand built around Exuberant Modernism, a creative philosophy that underpins all aspects of the new Jaguar brand world
It is imaginative, bold and artistic at every touchpoint. It is unique and fearless
This is a reimagining that recaptures the essence of Jaguar, returning it to the values that once made it so loved, but making it relevant for a contemporary audience
We are creating Jaguar for the future, restoring its status as a brand that enriches the lives of our clients and the Jaguar community
To bring back such a globally renowned brand we had to be fearless
Jaguar was always at its best when challenging convention

Adding more detail to their brand vision is a media release issued by the firm just prior to their concept car release, as repeated below:

On 2 December 2024, at Miami Art Week, Jaguar will present “Copy Nothing”, the first global public installation for its new brand that will include the physical manifestation of its Exuberant Modernism creative philosophy, in a Design Vision Concept.

This dramatic, unmistakable and unexpected expression of what it means to Copy Nothing will be a preview of the fearless approach to come from Jaguar.

Jaguar’s presence in Miami will establish its advocacy for artistic expression, in all its forms. Through a series of meticulously curated gallery spaces over two locations, Jaguar will share its platform with new and ground‑breaking emerging artists who share its ethos of Copy Nothing.
To bring back such a globally renowned brand we had to be fearless.
Jaguar was always at its best when challenging convention.
That ethos is seen in our new brand identity today and will be further revealed over the coming months.
This is a complete reset. Jaguar is transformed to reclaim its originality and inspire a new generation.
I am excited for the world to finally see Jaguar.

Rawdon Glover, Managing Director, Jaguar

Is this Campaign Just Virtual Signaling?

As noted above, some critics of the video have suggested that it is just a virtual signaling exercise.

As you may know, virtue signaling is when a brand publicly promotes certain values, beliefs, or causes to show others that they care about them, but often without taking meaningful action to support those values.

One way we can assess whether this campaign is only virtual signaling is to look at the company’s track record in this regard.

In terms of the overall conglomerate, the Tata Group, they appear to have a long-standing tradition of supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), stemming from the vision of its founder, Jamsetji Tata, who emphasized inclusive communities.

This commitment is reflected in the company’s Code of Conduct, promoting respect for differences in age, gender, ethnicity, race, abilities, and sexual orientation.

And Tata Motors itself has implemented initiatives such as diversity councils, maternity leave policies, and programs that support transgender individuals and employees with special abilities.

In terms of the Jaguar brand, since 2016, they have partnered with Attitude magazine (a leading LGBTQ+ media brand) and they also sponsor the annual Attitude Awards.

In October 2024, during the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, Jaguar’s UK Brand Director, Santino Pietrosanti, delivered a speech highlighting the company’s commitment to DEI.

And he highlighted that Jaguar isn’t just rebranding its cars, but it’s also reimagining itself as a brand that stands for inclusion, individuality, and progress.

Jaguar’s Grand Brand Plan

Jaguar’s rebranding strategy isn’t just a minor teak to its image – it’s a full-blown reinvention of a brand – effectively creating a new brand in the process.

This is an enormous challenge for such an iconic and well-established brand, especially in its home UK market.

Their new brand identity will be heavily focused on attributes such as exuberance, modernism, and fearless creativity. And while that is a worthy goal, the challenge will be more in the execution than the strategy design.

Repositioning needs to change the minds of consumers. In marketing, we often consider positioning as a tagline or a list of key benefits that the brand offers. But true positioning resides in consumer’s memories, which then informs their attitudes and in-market purchase behaviors.

So, in order to successfully reposition, you have to change the knowledge, understanding, attitudes, and overall perception of the brand. This is no mean feat, especially for a well-known 90-year-old brand with a relatively tightly defined positioning.

But it appears that Jaguar is well aware of these risks and challenges, and perhaps that’s why their promotional video and their concept car designs are so radically different from any other car brand. And they have started out strong and appear to have the strategic willpower to stay true to their repositioning vision.

Obviously, brand health metrics are one thing, but the real test of results will come when their first rebranded EVs roll out in 2026. After all, while brand management is a key strategic plank, along with the car itself of course, the end game remains profits and market share and sales (plus repeat customer loyalty for the new cars down the track).

The question then becomes – will the overall brand repositioning strategy deliver financial results and re-establish Jaguar as a key player in the luxury automotive market OR push it further into irrelevance and out of touch with current consumers?

Certainly, from a marketing perspective, it will be interesting to see how this plays out and revisit the financials of Jaguar (JLR) in around five years’ time.

Student Discussion Questions

Before reviewing this case study, what were your perception of the Jaguar brand? Was it a car brand that you would consider purchasing sometime in the future, or do you have strong preferences for other car brands?
Review their 30 second promotional video. Firstly, think about the messaging to potential customers (that is, younger, affluent, luxury-focused consumers) – to what extent do you think that the ad will resonate with them and get them to seriously consider Jaguar as a future car for them?
Now consider their promotional video from a marketing perspective. Given that their key objective is to substantially reposition the brand, if you were a Jaguar marketing executive how would you rationalize the video messaging to other senior (non-marketing) managers, such as car engineers (focused on car design) and finance managers (focused on ROI)?
Some critics of the ad suggest that the messaging is more virtue signaling than being about real social change and impact. To what extent do you agree with this view?
The brand released the video first, followed by the concept car presentation two weeks later. Does this sequence make sense? Should the brand have started with the new car concept first, instead of the promotional video? From a marketing view, would this revised sequence be more beneficial for the brand’s repositioning goals?
Review the second video – especially the overview and showing of the concept car – what is your perception on the car? Is it a car that appeals to you? Why/why not?
Jaguar’s price point is increasing by 2 to 3 times as part of their repositioning plans and is reflective of their proposed higher quality and exclusivity. Do you agree that this is a required price point, or would they be better served by starting lower and then edging up the price over time as the new brand image becomes more established?
There are multiple reasons outlined in the activity as to why the brand needed to reposition itself substantially. But, in your opinion, were there other strategic options for them to consider? For example, introducing the new concept car design under the existing Jaguar branding (an upward product line extension), or just milking the Jaguar brand for extra profit given it is a small brand in the JLR portfolio, or just revitalizing the brand’s image with creative messaging only, or pushing more into international markets, or even selling off the brand, or any other strategic pathways that you can think of?
It can be argued that the repositioning strategy is challenging, risky, and expensive. If Jaguar was not such a small proportion of Tata’s overall portfolio, do you think that they still would have taken such a risk with the brand?
Finally, do you think that their rebranding strategy will be successful longer term? Why/why not?

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