Jaguar has undergone a significant design transformation, but not everyone is pleased with the change.
Traditionally, the Jaguar logo is associated with the striking image of a large cat leaping mid-air. However, the new design presents a dramatic shift from this familiar image.
Founded in 1922, the car manufacturer revealed its updated logo on Tuesday, November 19th, aligning it with a comprehensive refresh of its social media presence.
The rebranding video featured models in vibrant attire, accompanied by the tagline: “Copy nothing.”
Throughout the advertisement, statements like ‘create exuberant’, ‘live vivid’, ‘delete ordinary’, and ‘break moulds’ appear.
According to The Independent, the newly designed logo uses the stylized form “JaGUar” to achieve ‘seamlessly blended upper and lower case characters in visual harmony.’ The signature big cat is notably absent, with the growler badge replaced by a monogram of the letters J and R.
Though the jaguar icon will still appear, it will be set against a new lined backdrop, referred to by the company as ‘strikethrough’.
The redesign has left some people confused.
One individual expressed concern over a potential hacking of the company’s accounts, questioning, “Is this account hacked or something? What happened to prestige? Pace? Luxury? What is all this?”
A different commentator remarked, “I’ve been a brand designer for 30 years and rarely have I seen such an ill-conceived new graphic ident. This will be taught in design classes for decades as a prime example of what not to do.”
Another user sarcastically commented, “Wow. Really gets me in the mood for buying a car.”
Adding to the skepticism, someone else wondered, “I need to know how many meetings went into making this.”
Despite the mixed reactions, company leaders have asserted there’s ‘no Plan B’ for the rebrand, emphasizing the need to be ‘fearless’.
Jaguar explained, “Exuberant use of color is a cornerstone of Jaguar’s new brand identity, embedded in its values and its association with art.”
“Primary colors, born from the painter’s palette – yellow, red and blue – are the tonal building blocks, always presented with texture or movement.”
Gerry McGovern, the chief creative officer, added: “Jaguar has its roots in originality. Sir William Lyons, our founder, believed that ‘a Jaguar should be a copy of nothing’.”
“Our vision for Jaguar today is informed by this philosophy. New Jaguar is a brand built around Exuberant Modernism.”
“It is imaginative, bold and artistic at every touchpoint. It is unique and fearless.”
“We are creating Jaguar for the future, restoring its status as a brand that enriches the lives of our clients and the Jaguar community.”
As reported by The Independent, Jaguar had removed their new cars from the market over a year ago in anticipation of the change. Managing director Rawdon Glover described this move as ‘intentional’, aiming to differentiate between the old and new models as the brand transitions to fully electric.
He elaborated, “We need to change people’s perceptions of what Jaguar stands for. And that’s not a straightforward, easy thing to do. So having a fire break in between old and new is, actually, very helpful.”