Jaguar Land Rover Cuts Ties With Ad Agency After 'Woke' Rebrand Backfires and Sales Plunge

Jaguar Land Rover's Bold Rebrand Backfires

The mood in Jaguar Land Rover's management offices looks nothing like their latest glossy ads. The once-proud British carmaker is picking up the pieces after a dramatic sales slide and a marketing move that’s got car enthusiasts—and plenty of critics—shaking their heads.

Back in November 2024, Jaguar unveiled what the company called "the biggest change in Jaguar's history." Their new advertising campaign, crafted by Uncommon Creative Studio (some reports even tie the project to Accenture Song), was supposed to mark a fresh chapter. Instead, it sent shockwaves through the brand’s loyal following and the broader auto industry. Gone was the fierce leaping-cat logo and the unmistakable growler badge. Gone too were the cars themselves—literally. Ads plastered with pastel pinks, soft landscapes, and gender-neutral models showcased everything except the one thing people actually buy: cars.

The campaign’s slogans—"Delete Ordinary" and "Copy Nothing"—aimed for bold, but landed squarely in confusing territory. It’s not every day you see a luxury car ad where the only trace of horsepower is the "soft jazz" in the background. For long-time Jaguar fans, it felt less like innovation and more like a surrender of what made the brand special: velocity, unmistakable design, and a dash of British cool.

Public Backlash, Industry Fallout, and a Pivot Back to Heritage

The response was harsh and fast. Politician Nigel Farage didn’t mince words—he warned that such a campaign could run the company aground. Tesla’s Elon Musk joined the pile-on, branding the marketing move a "huge misstep." If you scrolled social media, you’d see plenty of pointed jokes about Jaguars looking more like Barbie's dream car than a symbol of British luxury performance.

As critics roasted the campaign online and in the press, the hard numbers landed. Jaguar's global sales plummeted from 61,661 to just 33,320 in two years. Car buyers simply weren’t biting. While CEO Adrian Mardell defended the rebrand as “courageous,” that optimism couldn’t move the sales needle. Roden Glover, who’d promoted the 'Type 00' electric car, watched as all-electric hype struggled to reverse the brand's slipping status.

Even as Jaguar reeled, Land Rover—the other side of JLR—stuck to its guns. By honing in on rugged luxury, Land Rover kept its base and rode out the turbulence without major rebranding stunts. It’s a reminder that identity matters. If you drift too far from your roots, you risk losing your most loyal fans before finding any new ones.

Now, JLR is hunting for a new creative squad to resurrect Jaguar’s image. The company faces a crowded luxury car market, stiffer global tariffs, and an ambitious transition to all-electric models by 2026. Repairing brand trust isn’t just another marketing task—it could be the company’s lifeline. Analysts say that leaning into their heritage—iconic logos, British style, and the unmistakable growl of a Jaguar—will be key to winning back both attention and sales.

For now, it’s back to basics. Drivers want more than trendy colors—they want tradition with a twist of excitement. Jaguar Land Rover just got a wake-up call in the language car lovers speak best: numbers.