Why Jaguar’s Rebrand Is Relevant to You

Why Jaguar’s Rebrand Is Relevant to You

My Love for Cars and Jaguars

As many of you know, I’m rather fond of cars. Real cars. Loud ones. Fast ones. Preferably with an engine that sounds like a grizzly bear gargling a chainsaw. For over two decades, I owned a Jaguar. In fact, I owned two at once not because I needed to, but because I could. That’s how much I liked them.

British tradition, smooth curves, wood-and-leather interiors that smelt like no other car Jaguar had a heart and a soul.

Jaguar’s Bold Move: From Cars to Lifestyle

And then, one morning, Jaguar woke up and decided it wanted to become a lifestyle brand for people who sip soy lattes and wear shoes made from recycled avocado skin.

Yes, the company famed for crafting slinky petrol-powered beasts is now, essentially, making glorified pink fridge freezers—that’s what electric vehicles (EVs) are.

According to Jeremy Clarkson, they are white goods: useful, quiet, and about as exciting as a spreadsheet. Except in Jaguar’s case, they went one step further and made them pink.

And if that wasn’t enough, they also changed the logo—dumping the glorious leaping cat—and rolled out an advert so drenched in diversity, inclusion, and general wokeness that it forgot one small detail: there wasn’t a single bloody car in it.

Traditional Jaguar Owners React

Imagine if Rio Tinto stopped mining and opened a crystal-healing retreat in Byron Bay. That’s basically what Jaguar did. Predictably, every traditional Jag owner around the world reacted in horror. The old, grey, tweed-wearing Jaguar crowd were livid. And while I am, of course, none of those things (except maybe a few grey), I do see their point.

But here’s the thing: Jaguar wasn’t selling any cars.

  • In 2019, they sold over 160,000 units.
  • By 2023, just over 33,000.

That’s not a sales decline. That’s a death spiral. People would drool over the F-Type, say “phwoar!” and then promptly buy a BMW. Or they’d see the majestic XJ, nod approvingly, and then buy a Mercedes. The cars were good. The brand wasn’t.

Why Rebranding Was Inevitable

So, what do you do when the world moves on while you are still using VHS in a Netflix world? You rebrand. You burn the past. And in Jaguar’s case, you slap on some pastel paint and try to convince Silicon Valley billionaires that your fridge-freezer is actually a cat.

Now, I love history. Jaguar’s name dates back to the 1930s, evoking speed, power, and agility. But EVs aren’t fast or agile. They’re heavy. Really heavy. As in, weighs-as-much-as-a-small-moon heavy. So, the leaping cat had to go. But curiously, the name stayed. What pink kitchen appliances and stealthy jungle predators have in common is anyone’s guess.

And I won’t be buying one. Partly because pink isn’t my colour. But mostly because I already have a fridge and it doesn’t cost $200,000.

The Business Lesson Behind Jaguar’s Rebrand

That said, I suspect Jaguar may sell more of these things. Because of branding.

And before you roll your eyes and mutter, “He’s lost it,” let me explain. This whole fridge-freezer saga is actually a very important lesson in business.

Because it doesn’t matter how good your product is or how delightful your service might be—if your brand stinks, your sales will too.

Sometimes, people just don’t trust the brand anymore. Or worse, they don’t understand it. Jaguar realised this and said:

“Let’s aim for young, wealthy Californians who think torque is a yoga pose.” And just like that, the heritage-loving Jag buyer was left clutching his slippers and asking, “What the hell just happened?”

Rebranding Lessons for Your Business

We had a similar situation at WOW! Advisors. We had rainbow colours and a name that sounded like a firm that audited medieval monasteries. It worked for a while until it didn’t. We matured. The clients matured. So, we binned the unicorn palette, shortened the name, and picked two proper colours. Result? Clients understood what we did.

Now, I know you’re not a Jaguar. You don’t have their budget. Or their ability to hold 57 internal meetings to decide the shape of a headlight. But branding matters. A lot. One of our clients named his business after his nickname. All was well until he had 50 staff. Customers kept calling and expecting him to answer. The brand screamed: I’m just one guy with a laptop and a dream, not We’re a proper company with a team.

  • One of our clients named his business after his nickname. All was well until he had 50 staff. Customers kept calling and expecting him to answer. The brand screamed: I’m just one guy with a laptop and a dream, not We’re a proper company with a team.
  • Another client used the word Presidential in the name and then stuck a red gecko on the logo. Confusing. Unless they’re launching a lizard-led political coup, the whole thing made no sense.
    So, ask yourself: Does your brand still reflect your business today? Or are you selling high-end advisory services with a logo that looks like it belongs on a juice bar?

Why Rebranding Is Worth It

Yes, rebranding is a pain in the backside. You must change signs, websites, and stationery. It’s tedious and expensive. But if your brand is losing you sales—if it’s the reason people aren’t buying from you—then not changing it is far more expensive.

Finally, if you’re going to build pink fridge freezers and call them Jaguars, fine. Just don’t forget who you were. Sometimes you need to go back to the core of your business:

  • What are you about?
  • What is the purpose?
  • What are the values?

Frequently Asked Questions

Rebranding helps businesses stay relevant, clarify their services, and attract the right clients. A confusing brand can hurt sales. WOW! Advisors guide companies to align branding with financial and business goals for long-term growth.
Strong branding builds credibility and trust, encouraging clients to buy services. Poor branding can make even great products or advice go unnoticed. Advisors help businesses create clear, professional brand identities.
If your brand no longer reflects your services, target audience, or values, it may be time to rebrand. Advisors can evaluate your market positioning and suggest changes to improve visibility and client perception.
They provide guidance on budgeting, cash flow, investments, and wealth-building strategies. Advisors ensure your business has the resources to fund branding, marketing, and operations effectively.
A brand should clearly communicate what you do and who you serve. WOW! Advisors help businesses refine branding, marketing, and financial strategies so clients understand and trust your services.

Work Less, Earn More & Build Wealth

WOW! Advisors have helped many business owners work less, earn more, and build incredible wealth. If you think we may be able to help you, contact us for a free consultation by clicking the big button below.

Newsletter

Enter Your email address to create your acccount on our product.

owner