Jaguar's New era - Kaden Touchette

 Jaguar's "New era" ?

When I first heard about Jaguar’s massive rebranding plan, I was immediately curious but also a little skeptical. As someone who’s always admired Jaguar for its reputation and British racing history, it was strange to see the company turning away from everything that made it unique. The announcement that Jaguar is going fully electric by 2025 and “reinventing” itself as a luxury EV brand caught a lot of attention and stirring up a lot of car enthusiast such as me. It’s been covered in Top Gear, Car and Driver, and my go to Youtube channel Harry's Garage. But instead of feeling excited, I found that I was a bit worried if Jaguar trying too hard to become something it’s not and taking to big a risk.

From what I’ve read, especially in Top Gear’s deep dive and Autocar’s breakdown of the new strategy, Jaguar is preparing to relaunch in 2025 with three new all-electric models, built on a unique EV designs called JEA. The company promises “quietly flamboyant” design, a new level of digital luxury, and a increase in pricing that will push the jaguar near Bentley territory. They’re investing $3 billion in the new rebrand, and by all accounts, this is Jaguar’s attempt to completely reset its image.

 Their official website already reflects lots of clean, minimal visuals, dramatic slogans like “The Future is Reimagined,” and very little reference to the company’s legacy.

Jaguar’s value proposition seems clear on the surface, high end electric performance, wrapped in a modern design look as well as being sustainable. But here’s where I start to feel off. Jaguar was never just about being expensive or futuristic. It was about combining elegance with the exclusiveness. Models like the XJ, F-Type, and even the old E-Type had a personality. That’s what made Jaguar stand out in a sea of luxury cars. The new approach feels overly done, like they’re chasing Tesla and Lucid Motors without really knowing what makes Jaguar, Jaguar.

Again, on social media, the rebranding has triggered a lot of discussion, both good and bad. One Twitter user, @AutoEnthusiast23, wrote: “Jaguar going full EV and ditching its classic models feels like erasing their soul. Hope they prove me wrong.” I couldn’t agree more with him. This comment captures what a lot of long time fans are feeling. Over on Reddit, in r/cars, a user named u/BritCarFan said: “Honestly? I’m impressed. The new ‘JEA’ platform could be a game-changer if they nail it. Just don’t give us another I-PACE.” Even among optimistic voices, there’s concern that Jaguar’s past missteps like the underwhelming I-PACE, might repeat themselves. On Instagram, @luxEVdaily posted, “Jaguar’s new minimalist direction is a necessary step forward. Clean lines and electric efficiency = luxury.” That sounds great in theory, but it also makes Jaguar feel like any other EV startup with a big budget.

Jaguar’s social media strategy plays a big role in how this rebrand is being perceived. On Instagram, they have over 2 million followers. Their content is full of futuristic design teasers, moody videos that showcase paint being thrown every which way, and close up shots of lighting details and wheels. It’s aesthetically impressive, but also kind of odd. Posts go up 3 4 times a week, and while comments roll in by the hundreds, Jaguar rarely responds to them. There’s no sense of two way communication. On Facebook, they recycle the same content with slightly more engagement, and on Twitter/X, they’re mostly dropping press release links. They aren’t creating conversations they’re just posting announcements. In 2025, when engagement is everything, that’s a huge missed opportunity for Jaguar.

From a marketing perspective, I think this rebrand raises some questions. Yes, Jaguar is trying to do something remarkable, they’re not just updating their cars, they’re overhauling their entire brand identity. But are they doing it effectively? They’re attempting storytelling, but it feelsas though they have completely disconnected from their audience. There’s little nostalgia, no emotional through line, and almost no transparency. They’re using modern marketing tools like, Instagram Reels, and bold typography but they’re not applying these practices like community engagement,  or brand voice consistency. The biggest marketing challenge they face is rebuilding brand trust while repositioning themselves in a completely different market segment which is going to be tough.

One thing that stood out to me is how Jaguar isn’t responding to customer concerns. People are asking questions, sharing critiques, and reminiscing about old models but Jaguar stays silent. From a customer service and brand building standpoint, that’s a major error. A well timed, authentic response could shift the narrative, show that Jaguar is listening, and turn skepticism into curiosity. Right now, their lack of interaction gives the impression that they’re prioritizing aesthetic over loyalty.

If I were Jaguar’s brand manager, I would lean into the brand’s history and culture instead of pretending it never existed. I’d use social media not just to showcase the future, but to honor the past through throwback campaigns, designer Q&As, or even fan submitted photos of classic Jaguars. I’d hold live AMAs on Instagram and Reddit where fans could ask questions about the rebrand. Additionally,  I’d also use storytelling to explain the design choices, materials, and engineering challenges behind this shift. Let people see the the reason why behind the change, not just the what. In addition to social, I’d invest in short documentary style content on YouTube and maybe even launch a podcast series featuring Jaguar engineers, designers, and loyal owners  who are happy with the future of this rebrand.

What I’ve learned from this project is that rebranding is about more than changing a logo or rolling out new products. It’s about evolution with purpose. And for legacy brands like Jaguar, it’s a delicate balance between moving forward and staying grounded. Right now, Jaguar’s rebrand looks great on paper and in high res teaser images but until they learn how to engage their audience, listen to their fans, and carry their identity into the future, I think they might flop with this rebrand and go into a scary territory in the future.