Jaguar MD defends rebranding ad amid online backlash; slams 'vile hatred'
Jaguar's Rawdon Glover addresses criticism of new campaign as it sparks controversy online.
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Jaguar's managing director, Rawdon Glover, has strongly defended the luxury carmaker's recent rebranding ad following widespread online criticism.
The ad, released on November 19, has drawn significant backlash with some commentators accusing it of promoting a "woke" agenda.
Glover told the Financial Times and clarified that the ad was never designed with the intention to make a political statement but was instead designed to distinguish Jaguar from its competitors.
The promotional video, which deviated from traditional automotive advertising featured models in vibrant clothing and abstract text, with no cars in sight.
The goal was to break away from conventional automotive marketing and re-establish the Jaguar brand at a different price point, as the company prepares to pivot to an all-electric future by next year.
Jaguar plans to unveil its new electric GT model at Miami Art Week in December.
Despite the campaign receiving some positive buzz, Glover expressed disappointment at the level of "vile hatred and intolerance" directed towards the model featured in the ad, as per reports.
The ad quickly went viral and prompted mixed reactions globally. The reactions include a notable comment from the world's second richest man and owner of Tesla, Elon Musk, who asked, "Do you sell cars?" Jaguar quickly responded with an invitation to meet with Musk in Miami on 2nd December.
The campaign also drew attention from smartphone maker Nothing, which launched a cheeky critique by mimicking Jaguar's new logo and tagline, updating its bio to "Copy Jaguar," as a response to the latter's X bio that says, "Copy Nothing."
