In a MediaBrief exclusive, Rahul Vengalil, Co-Founder and CEO of the full-funnel creative agency tgthr, and Kunal Vora, Founder-Partner of the branding agency ABND, share their perspectives on Jaguar’s recent rebrand. They discuss how marketers should balance creativity with consumer expectations, handle negative online reactions, consider customer loyalty when making bold changes, and whether Jaguar’s rebrand could alienate its base.
Jaguar has unveiled a bold rebrand signaling its shift to an all-electric future. The new logo, ‘Copy Nothing’ slogan, and a promotional video accompany the launch of their electric GT model. However, the rebrand has sparked mixed opinions, with some questioning the lack of product focus and the departure from Jaguar’s luxury heritage.
The rebrand and new logo have generated mixed opinions, with critics pointing out the absence of the actual product in the promotional video. Speaking on this, Rahul Vengalil, Co-Founder and CEO at tgthr, remarked, “Where is the airplane in the rebranding video of Air India?” He added that the absence of the product itself is not an unusual trend in the world of rebranding.
Vengalil explains, “The rebranding video is used to showcase the brand philosophy of the reimagined world, reimagined brand vision. The challenge with the video that has been put out, personally for me, is that it’s too far away from an acceptable brand world altogether, which I have associated Jaguar with for a very long time.”
“A person who doesn’t have any affinity with Jaguar may see it in a completely different light. It is imperative that any creative the marketer puts out is in line with their definition of the consumers (old or new). As an outsider, I really don’t know what Jaguar’s research pointed to for having done this rebranding,” Vengalil adds.
Addressing how marketers should balance creativity with consumer expectations in campaigns like Jaguar’s rebrand, Kunal Vora, Founder-Partner, ABND, says, “Creativity should never overshadow the product—especially in a rebrand. The key is to strike a balance where the campaign excites without confusing. Jaguar’s teaser feels like a bold attempt to spark conversation (and it worked), but omitting the car—the very thing people emotionally connect with—is a gamble.”
He continues, “The real question is whether this is a calculated risk or a misstep. If the creative approach is part of a larger narrative that gradually reveals the product in a way that ties back to Jaguar’s DNA, it’s smart storytelling. But if it’s just an attempt to ‘look modern’ without substance, it risks alienating both loyalists and new audiences.”
Vora adds, “Jaguar needs to ensure its creativity complements consumer expectations rather than making them wonder, ‘Wait, do they still make cars?’”
Backlash isn’t the end—it’s an opportunity
Jaguar’s brand refresh video also received real-time feedback, with Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, mocking the new logo and rebranding on X. This raises the question of how brands can prepare for and handle negative online reactions to a high-profile rebrand in the age of instant feedback. Kunal Vora states that social media is like a modern-day gladiator arena, where brands are judged, cheered, and booed in real time.
Originally Published:
Media Brief: https://mediabrief.com/exclusive-rahul-vengalil-tgthr-kunal-vora-abnd-on-jaguar-rebrand/
