Jaguar bosses hit back at ‘vile hatred and intolerance’ following new rebrand

By Henry Moore

Jaguar bosses have defended the car company’s controversial new rebrand, saying it has been subject to “vile hatred and intolerance” from online trolls.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

It comes after the iconic car company ditched its instantly recognisable “growler” cat logo as part of a rebrand featuring bright colours, models and a promise to “break moulds” and “create exuberant.”

Some took to social media to accuse the auto company of abandoning its fans in exchange for a new, younger demographic.

But Jaguar boss Rawdon Glover has hit back at critics, saying the message of the rebrand lost in a “a blaze of intolerance.”

He told the Financial Times: “We need to re-establish our brand and at a completely different price point so we need to act differently.

Jaguar | Copy Nothing

“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.”

He told the outlet that the actors who appeared in Jaguar’s latest advert had been subject to a “level of vile hatred and intolerance” from online trolls.

Following the release of the ad, many pointed out that the car company’s new advert failed to feature a single car.The commercial instead features a series of models in brightly-coloured clothing stepping out of a lift.

The models then move into various poses as different slogans like "live vivid", "delete ordinary" and "copy nothing" appear on screen.

Responding to the ad, Tesla boss Elon Musk asking the company: "Do you sell cars?"

Jaguar replied: "Yes. We'd love to show you" followed by an invite to a promotional event.

One Twitter user said: "Umm where are the cars in this ad?"

A second wrote: "I thought you guys made cars?"

In a press release to accompany the advert, the carmaker described it as part of a "completely transformed Jaguar brand" and "a new era" which makes "it relevant for a contemporary audience".

"This is a complete reset," said managing director Rawdon Glover. "To bring back such a globally renowned brand we had to be fearless."

Jaguar announced in the lead-up to the new campaign that it was discontinuing five models with "close to zero profitability".

It has developed three new ultra-luxury electric vehicles, one of which is set to be unveiled at Miami's Art Basel event next month.