It’s fair to say that Jaguar’s recent rebrand has sparked a lot of conversation. There have been all kinds of reactions — from people claiming the campaign is a disaster to others accusing the brand of being out of touch. But are people being too quick to judge? Might the campaign actually just succeed? I think it might, and here’s why.
Overreaction is a given — but that’s not a bad thing
Let’s start with a simple fact: Jaguar’s teaser campaign has gone viral. Sure, not everyone loves the bold direction it’s taken, but that’s the point. The virality alone ensures some level of success. Remember, it’s a teaser. It’s supposed to be disruptive, raise questions, and stir conversation. Yes, it’s loud, different, and more vibrant than we’re used to seeing in the luxury automotive sector, but that doesn’t make it a failure.
Quite the opposite — this level of noise guarantees that the campaign has captured attention, which is half the battle.
What’s more remarkable is how quickly people have started to criticise it. The rebrand is still in its early stages, and we have little information about what’s coming next — no new products, no detailed brand identity, not even a clear idea of who Jaguar’s new target market is. A lot of people have been very quick to dismiss the potential of a campaign before we have the full picture.
Teasers are meant to raise more questions than answers
This campaign has been described as a “tone piece,” and that’s exactly what it is. It’s not about showcasing a new car; it’s about setting the tone for what’s to come.
Teaser campaigns aren’t designed to give you everything upfront. They’re meant to pique curiosity and build anticipation. Jaguar even told us to expect a full reveal on 2nd December, yet we can’t seem to wait that long to form opinions.
The thing is, Jaguar is doing exactly what we often say we want brands to do — take risks, shake things up, and try something new. And yet, when they do it, we immediately start criticising them for not being more “traditional.” It’s a curious contradiction.
A creative paradox?
What strikes me about this campaign is how it seemingly contradicts its own messaging. The “Copy Nothing” tagline does resonate within the luxury automotive market, but when viewed through a broader lens, it’s hard to ignore that phrases like “create exuberant” and “live vivid” are becoming increasingly common in modern marketing. They echo the kind of aspirational language we often hear from brands like Apple, pushing a lifestyle rather than a product.
Jaguar is positioning itself as breaking away from the norm, yet these lines feel surprisingly conventional. That said, there could be a clever twist at play here. Perhaps the brand is deliberately mirroring these trends as a form of satire — a commentary on the auto industry and the cultural overlap with tech brands. If that’s the case, it could be a much more nuanced and self-aware strategy than it initially appears. But until we get the full reveal, it’s hard to know for sure.
Virality is a key indicator of success
If you think back to some of the most talked-about campaigns of the past few years, many of them had the same viral energy. Take the example of the recent Barbie movie campaign. Leading up to the film’s release, Warner Bros. built incredible buzz through a series of strategic teasers, social media content, and influencer partnerships that got everyone talking. From the unexpected collaboration with high-end brands to the viral “Barbenheimer” phenomenon, the campaign generated massive conversation, turning a film based on a toy into one of the most talked-about cultural events of the year.
Dove’s “Real Beauty” campaign is another classic example. In 2004, the brand sparked a worldwide conversation about beauty standards. By featuring women of all shapes, sizes, and ages, the campaign generated both praise and criticism, but most importantly, it went viral for challenging conventional beauty norms. Over the years, it has continued to resonate with audiences, expanding into a broader dialogue about inclusivity and self-esteem.
When Nike launched its 2018 campaign with Colin Kaepernick, it generated a storm of controversy, with some people praising the brand for supporting social justice causes, while others condemned it. Despite the backlash, the campaign led to a significant increase in sales and brand loyalty among Nike’s core customers. The virality of the ad sparked deep conversations around activism, sports, and politics, pushing Nike’s brand further into the cultural conversation.
All these campaigns show how viral content — whether loved or hated — can propel a brand into the spotlight and generate long-lasting impact. Just like Jaguar’s teaser, the key is that they all created conversations that extended far beyond the initial ad, showing the power of virality in modern marketing.
Jaguar is on its way to achieving similar levels of conversation — the brand is now being talked about more than ever before. Google Trends data shows a significant spike in searches for Jaguar since the teaser launched.
Even if the new campaign doesn’t resonate with everyone, it can’t not be getting noticed by the brand’s target audience. That’s the power of virality.
Not all press is good press — but some is
That said, I do understand the critiques. Not all publicity is positive, and some have voiced concerns that Jaguar’s approach might alienate potential customers. And they’re right to be cautious. But I still think it’s too early to judge. In the age of social media, even negative attention can be valuable, provided it’s part of a larger strategy.
The challenge for Jaguar will be to convert all this conversation into something meaningful. If they fail to deliver on the hype, the backlash will be swift. But if they manage to connect the dots between this teaser and a truly exciting product launch, they could be onto something big.
Small tweaks could make a big difference
While I’m excited about what Jaguar is doing, I do think there are a few things they could improve in their approach. For one, the teaser campaign length could have been shorter. It’s already starting to lose its impact now that it’s been out for a few days. A week-long teaser would have kept the conversation fresh and speculative, rather than feeling like a standalone campaign.
Jaguar could have also made sure that key details, like the 3rd December reveal, were included in the teaser. Even a simple mention in the video caption would have fuelled more curiosity and kept the conversation going. It’s on their website but that relies on people watching the video in one space alone – and that’s never going to happen.
The real test: the product
At the end of the day, the success of this campaign will depend on one thing: the new cars. Will they live up to the excitement? As much as we love to analyse branding and marketing, it’s the product that ultimately matters. We saw it with Instagram’s logo change and Uber’s rebrand — nothing really changed once the dust settled, and life went on.
Let’s give Jaguar the benefit of the doubt and see what they have in store, after all the Jaguar brand has produced some of the most iconic cars of all time (the Jaguar E-Type has long had a firm place in my ‘if-money-was-no-object-dream-garage’, alongside – since you asked – a 1980 Porsche 911 (930) Turbo, an Aston Martin DB4 Series 2, a 1974 Ferrari Dino 246 GTS, a Jenson Interceptor, and an Abarth 595, just for trips to the shops, you know.) If they can pull off a compelling product reveal that lives up to the buzz, this campaign could very well be a masterclass in modern marketing.
In the meantime, I’m excited to see what’s next — and am eagerly awaiting that full reveal in December.
**
If you’re considering a rebrand and want to ensure it resonates with your audience, Pagefield can help. Alongside brand positioning, we specialise in strategic, creative communications that help brands to share their vision effectively and authentically. Get in touch with us today at hello@pagefield.co.uk to see how we can support.
