Things are weird at Jaguar right now, to say the least, but the British automaker has decided losing money isn’t working anymore, and it would like to actually make money instead. It’s a bold strategy, and the new marketing campaign it launched ahead of the reveal of its latest concept definitely caused its fair share of controversy. Not with people who could actually afford a $125,000 sedan, mind you, but the Wendy’s manager you went to high school with was probably furious. And yet, even though it’ll be a while before we see the production version of the Type 00, I would argue the campaign is already working.
If Jaguar had been more successful with its last overhaul, we might be having a different conversation right now, but while the designs from the early Tata era made a big splash, they didn’t lead to sustained sales and profits. They certainly tried, and it never hurts for a new car to be the best-looking one in the segment, but good looks can only get you so far. You need people to actually give you money in exchange for your cars, and ideally, they would give you more money than it cost to make those cars.
But despite Tata’s massive investment and the addition of several crossovers, Jaguar remained a second-tier luxury brand, even while its stablemate Land Rover thrived. Appealing to enthusiasts is great, but statistically, we barely exist, and you need regular car buyers to also want your cars. And let’s be honest. If a non-enthusiast told you they got a new Jaguar, you’d immediately assume it was just because they found a cheap lease deal. The brand may have history, but it’s been a long time since it carried any real prestige outside of maybe the F-Type R.
Changing perceptions
With sales and profits too low to justify giving the entire lineup a redesign that would have made it truly competitive with the likes of BMW and Mercedes-Benz, Jaguar made the almost-unheard-of decision to basically close up shop for a while and relaunch upmarket. You can still get an F-Pace if you really want, but unless it’s an even better deal than the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, I can’t imagine you actually do. Then came the teaser campaign.
Remember, Jaguar’s entire relaunch hinges on the success of an electric car that will most likely start around $125,000. At that price point, it’s probably more appropriate to talk about what those buyers are worth than their annual salaries. Upsetting the bigots certainly got people talking about Jaguar in a way they hadn’t in a very long time, but it still wasn’t clear whether the British automaker would be able to succeed where it counts — convincing rich people their new car actually carries enough prestige to be worth buying. I don’t necessarily love the new logo, but I’m also not foolish enough to think Jaguar’s fashion-focused marketing is meant to appeal to a poor like me.
And yet, look at some of the coverage of the limited trade deal announced this week, where Trump agreed to lower tariffs on UK auto imports, and the UK agreed to… well, it’s not entirely clear what they offered Trump in exchange. Nor is it really a deal but, rather, an agreement to negotiate a deal. Or something. That’s just the art of the deal, baby. Anyway, here’s how CNN covered the announcement: “Trump’s UK trade ‘deal’ shields super-luxury car brands Rolls-Royce, Bentley and Jaguar.” That same article also refers to “a carveout for ultra-luxury cars,” too.
Jaguar? A super-luxury car brand? Sure, Jan.
The woke rebrand worked
It wasn’t just CNN, either. Here’s USA Today lumping Jaguar in with Rolls-Royce and Bentley in its headline, too. And the Economic Times. Those headlines are pulled from a Trump quote that also mentioned Jaguar alongside Rolls-Royce and Bentley, but still. Regular people reading or watching the news about the UK trade deal (that isn’t really a deal) are all going to see Jaguar associated with true ultra-luxury brands, Rolls-Royce and Bentley.
On its face, it’s a ridiculous comparison. Jaguar is, or maybe more accurately, was a luxury brand, but comparing it to Bentley and Rolls-Royce would be like including me on a list of super-handsome men along with Michael B. Jordan and James Marsden. And I’m not knocking my looks here, either. Physically speaking, I’d say I’m an Atlanta 7 and a small-town 8, and even if you think I’m overselling my own attractiveness there, we both know I’m just not in the same league as either of those guys. They’re on an entirely different level.
That’s the magic of marketing, though. It doesn’t really matter if Jaguar was ever an actual ultra-luxury brand or that it hasn’t actually built its upcoming, pricier EV. Jaguar is already getting coverage like it’s real, and that tells me the rebrand is working. And that’s before you even get to the fact that the production version of the Type 00 won’t even sell anywhere close to a true ultra-luxury price point. People are talking about it like it will, and those who don’t know any better might even think it’s going to be a legitimate Rolls-Royce Spectre alternative.
None of this will actually matter if Jaguar can’t turn attention into actual sales, but at least for now, even if you hated the rebrand, hate fashion and believe women should be legally required to style themselves like post-WWII housewives, you have to admit Jaguar’s controversial rebrand and marketing campaign might have actually worked.
