One of the worst marketing decisions in history. Is this where the Budlight Marketing team ended up? When Legacy Takes a Wrong Turn.
Once upon a time, I had the privilege of serving as John Dooner's chief of staff. As the storied CEO of McCann Erickson, he was a driving force in the post-Mad Men era of advertising. In 2019, I proudly stood by his side as he was inducted into the Advertising Hall of Fame.
John understood the power of branding. Working with him was an education in itself—a front-row seat to his genius. Dooner was personally involved with Coca-Cola during its heyday, and one of our memorable projects involved telling the untold stories of iconic beverage company. When your product is essentially carbonated water, sugar, and a few “secret” ingredients, protecting and staying faithful to the brand identity is critical—a lesson Jaguar seems to have forgotten with its recent ad.
In a few days, this 102-year-old British car company will unveil its new concept car. At the time of writing this Substack, the YouTube video preceding this reveal had garnered over 2.5 million views. However, the commenter sentiment across all social media platforms is overwhelmingly negative—mortifying to anyone who understands branding.
(I highly recommend scanning the comments section; it restores my faith in humanity.)
The new Jaguar vision has turned its back on its legacy and, by extension, its traditional owner base. Current owners are aghast at the garishly dressed, androgynous models featured in the ad, which conspicuously lacks a single vehicle.
Jaguar made its name in the post-WWII era by prevailing in Le Mans and producing vehicles that rivaled Ferrari and Aston Martin—at a fraction of the price. Traditional enthusiasts are drawn to the brand’s legacy of British sophistication, elegance, and a certain badass aura. Mark Strong, Tom Hiddleston, and Sir Ben Kingsley embodied this spirit in the ultra-suave Good to Be Bad ad campaign:
The new Jaguar vision seems apologetic about all of that. People are confused by the absence of a car in the ad and upset by Jaguar “fixing” something that wasn’t broken. For many owners, this ad feels like an instant depreciation of their asset.
Clearly, Jaguar is undergoing a transformation. Unprofitable for years—perhaps decades—does that justify alienating current owners and loyalists who are aghast at its new direction? Could the marketing research driving this campaign be agenda-driven?
Unless the world has radically changed (and arguably, it has), a visual media ad is typically the product of extensive market research aimed at targeting a desirable audience segment. This is especially true for high-ticket items like luxury vehicles. So, is Jaguar aiming for an entirely different slice of the pie? If not, Houston, they have a problem.
When Coca-Cola introduced “New Coke,” the resulting public outcry was a PR disaster. However, the brand dug itself out, thanks in part to storied CMO Don Keogh, who famously said:
“Some would say Coca-Cola has made a marketing mistake, and some cynics say that we planned the whole thing. The truth is we’re not that dumb, and we’re not that smart.”
Given Coca-Cola’s remarkable comeback, perhaps there is no such thing as bad advertising. However, the recovery was brutal and required exceptional leadership—something Don Keogh and John Dooner both exemplified. In today’s era of weaker leadership, it’s doubtful that Jaguar has orchestrated the disruptive marketing play of the century.
Rhymes With Jag
Can you unhear that after watching the ad? This branding misstep risks alienating the next generation of potential consumers—individuals who are anything but gender-confused. With this new direction, red-blooded male Zoomers and young Millennials will likely exclude themselves from Jaguar’s audience.
Has Jaguar gone woke and is now on its way to going broke? That phrase has been tossed around as often as “RIP Jaguar.” Whether intentional or not, Jaguar’s departure from its legacy has alienated its core audience. For those who appreciate the craft to carefully cultivate brand equity, it’s tragic to witness how a century of work was undone in just 30 seconds.
Get woke, go broke!