Imagine how you would feel if Apple suddenly changed their name to Pomegranate or something non-food related. It would probably take you a while to adjust and realistically it would shatter your entire perception of the brand. The products wouldn’t feel the same anymore and you would no longer be a loyal consumer of all things Apple.
Remember when Facebook tried to change their name to Meta? That brand campaign launched in 2021- over 3 years ago. Most people have rejected the initiative. The experience, the community, and the actual brand identity are still Facebook. So say the people. Even after lending his own personal image, Elon Musk saw the same rejection in his attempt to rebrand Twitter.
Rebranding should only be used when you’ve destroyed your existing brand, and even then it can backfire.
One such case was Altice’s recent rebranding from Suddenlink to Optimum. After consumer loyalty hit rock bottom, the parent company decided to take [their first broadband provider] called Optimum and allow it to consume the Suddenlink brand. In theory, the positive brand image of Optimum would mitigate the negative brand image of Suddenlink. Unfortunately it didn’t because the Optimum brand was never established as anything more than “Not Suddenlink”. There was no identity for customers to attach to.
Which brings us to Jaguar. Why on earth did they decide that rebranding the logo would be a good business decision? It may seem like the obvious move, given the changes in Jaguar’s manufacturing. If Samsung stopped making electronic devices and started making cookware, they would have to re-establish their brand image with a new costumer base. This is what happened when Jaguar made the decision to produce EVs only. In this context, it makes sense for Jaguar to create an entirely new brand image for an entirely new consumer audience.
Both Musk and Altice changed the brand but kept the product. If Jaguar changed the product, establishing a new brand makes sense.
But Jaguar didn’t change their product. Their transition is more like Samsung ending smartphone production to reintroduce something like a Sidekick. This is more like creating a new model than a new product. Now we are looking at something more like the Rabbit r1 pocket device- a revolutionary innovation attempting to establish itself as the norm. The Rabbit failed (for many reasons but largely) due to a failed branding initiative. No one knew of the company, no one knew of the faces behind it, no one had any trust or even awareness of the brand or model, and so the model was not well-received.
When Apple stepped in as an innovator for AI-focused tech they introduced features like Apple Intelligence while developing new models like the Vision Pro. The brand was successful. Apple used their existing brand power to introduce a new model- the Vision Pro- without changing the brand itself and without abandoning their product.
Jaguar is doing the opposite; they are Apple trying to launch innovative models as an unknown brand. This is particularly dangerous with EVs because the consumer audience hasn’t been established yet; we are still prospecting for EV consumers. Now we have a once established company with a loyal audience who is abandoning their loyal audience, ending their familiar product models, and introducing new innovation as a new entity to an unestablished consumer base.
I know some of us are built to seek out challenges but this sounds more like a sabotage than a reimagining.
And the font says it all. Jaguar as a brand is an image of prestige and performance. The new font is very casual and very passive. It doesn’t leave any kind of impression at all.
Each of the new marks are textbook examples of silent logos. These are meant to create a sense of exclusivity *by utilizing the brand’s reputation*. Since Jaguar gave up their reputation when they rebranded, this decision doesn’t seem to make sense. Silent marketing is a very different tactic that capitalizes on the intrigue of a new product… but where in the neutral tone color scheme and questionable infrastructure has intrigue been created for a high-dollar electric vehicle?
To be fair though, emphasizing the GU for the logo to read as JagUar was pretty slick. I like that.
But without the testimonials of previous Jaguar customers praising the new innovations of Jaguar EVs, this company has set itself up for what may be the biggest EV flop we have seen to date.
If Jaguar manages a more accessible price point, they will effectively cut all ties with their previous prestige shoppers and find themselves competing with the likes of Lexus and Mercedes who haven’t relinquished their brand power.
Given their current focus on style, I’d say this is an unlikely pivot. Jaguar seems set on establishing something so standalone that it does actually present as a new product.
If Jaguar manages to create the most luxurious and efficient EV yet- something in its own class like the Cybertruck- they still have to establish an audience market for their all-new luxury EV products.
Either way, they have quite the task ahead.
If you’re a Jaguar dealer, I would make your own brand development a top priority.
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