What Gen Z Think About The Jaguar Rebrand

As a Gen Z who grew up associating Jaguar with sleek cars and luxury vibes, seeing their latest rebrand ad was like stepping into an alternate reality. No cars. No iconic leaping cat logo. Instead, the teaser video is a 30-second montage of models in neon-bright outfits against bold backdrops. It felt like a fashion house ad rather than one for a car company. And apparently, that’s the point.

Rawdon Glover, Jaguar’s managing director, explained the company’s new “Copy Nothing” campaign to Financial Times: “If we play in the same way that everybody else does, we’ll just get drowned out. So we shouldn’t turn up like an auto brand.” In short, they’re ditching the traditional car ad formula in favor of creating buzz. Mission accomplished—because everyone is talking about it, for better or worse.

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The backlash has been intense. Elon Musk himself chimed in on X (formerly Twitter) with the snarky, “Do you sell cars?” Jaguar coolly replied: “Yes. We’d love to show you,” and invited him to their Miami rebrand event next month. But online comments weren’t all cheeky banter; Glover admitted the campaign received “vile hatred and intolerance” towards the people featured in the ad. Yikes.

This isn’t just a wild ad campaign for clicks. It’s part of Jaguar’s ambitious shift to go fully electric by 2026. They’re trying to ditch the image of a brand for older guys in golf carts and cravats (their words, not mine) and appeal to a younger, more diverse audience. As Gerry McGovern, Jaguar’s chief creative officer, put it: “This is a reimagining that recaptures the essence of Jaguar, returning it to the values that once made it so loved, but making it relevant for a contemporary audience.”

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Image Courtesy of Jaguar

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Not everyone is sold. James Ramsden, a creative director at London’s Coley Porter Bell agency, called the rebrand a “radical reinvention” but warned, “If you’re going to ‘break the mould,’ you’d better have one hell of a range of cars full of innovations… ready to roll.” Jaguar’s been struggling for years, trailing behind its sister brand Land Rover. Erin Baker from AutoTrader sees the rebrand as a Hail Mary pass, calling it “a very risky move to go pure electric in 2026 when sales of electric cars have largely stalled.”

Here’s the thing: whether you love it or hate it, Jaguar’s ad has everyone talking. Even Martin Brundle, former Formula 1 driver, said on X, “I have no idea what this is all about, but it’s genius.” Jaguar seems unbothered, teasing critics online with lines like, “Soon you’ll see things our way.” Only time will tell if this bold gamble pays off. But hey, at least Jaguar’s not boring anymore.