Jaguar MD Stands By Rebranding Ad, Denounces 'Vile Hatred'
The purpose of the advertisement was to set Jaguar apart from its rivals, not to make a political statement, said Rawdon Glover
In the face of intense internet criticism, Jaguar's managing director, Rawdon Glover, has vehemently defended the luxury automaker's most recent rebranding advertisement.
Since its November 19 publication, the advertisement has generated a lot of criticism, with some pundits charging it with pushing a "woke" agenda.
Glover explained in an interview with the Financial Times that the purpose of the advertisement was to set Jaguar apart from its rivals, not to make a political statement.
There were no cars in the promotional video, which broke with conventional auto advertising by showcasing models wearing colourful apparel and abstract writing.
As the firm gets ready to switch to an all-electric future by next year, the objective was to depart from traditional automotive marketing and re-establish the Jaguar brand at a different price point.
In December, during Miami Art Week, Jaguar will introduce its new electrified GT vehicle.
According to sources, Glover expressed displeasure at the amount of "vile hatred and intolerance" aimed at the model in the commercial, even if the campaign had some favourable publicity.
The commercial immediately went viral and generated conflicting responses throughout the world. Among the responses is a noteworthy remark made by Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and the second richest man in the world: "Do you sell cars?" Jaguar promptly replied by inviting Musk to a meeting in Miami on 2 December.
The campaign also drew attention from smartphone maker Nothing, which launched a cheeky critique by mimicking Jaguar's new logo and tagline, updating its bio to "Copy Jaguar," as a response to the latter's X bio that says, “Copy Nothing.”
