The radical re-identity campaign launched by the company last November led to a wave of anger among brand fans, followed by an unprecedented collapse in sales. The company’s sales in the European market decreased by a shocking 97.5% during the month of April 2025 compared to the same period of the previous year, as it was able to sell only 49 cars compared to 1,961 cars in April 2024.

This sudden collapse came in the wake of a series of bold decisions taken by the company’s management, starting with abandoning the famous “creeping tiger” logo, which had remained a symbol of the brand for many decades, and replacing it with a simple geometric logo in the shape of the letter “J”, which sparked ridicule from many who likened it to the lock of a women’s handbag.

The accompanying advertising campaign, which featured models with a gender-neutral appearance wearing clothing that was loud in colors and designs, also sparked widespread criticism in traditional circles of car enthusiasts.

But the irony is that the management of the company, which is currently owned by an Indian company, insists that this significant decline in sales was expected and planned as part of the strategy of complete transformation towards luxury electric cars. The official spokeswoman explained that the company deliberately stopped producing most of its current models at the end of 2024, including the XE,

This radical transformation was not limited to the technical aspect only, but also included an attempt to redefine the brand’s identity away from the traditional image of high-performance cars, towards a more modern image focused on fashion and lifestyle. This is what managing director Rodon Glover expressed by saying: “If we play the same way everyone is playing, we will get lost in the crowd. We need to act differently.”

But the reactions in specialized circles were very harsh, as Joseph Alessio, the famous American designer, described the rebranding process as “a design disaster that will be studied in marketing schools as a classic example of what should be avoided.” He added, “Abandoning the famous creeping tiger logo represents a severing of the emotional connection with the loyal customer base.”

Elon Musk also posted a brief, sarcastic tweet in which he asked: “Do you really sell cars?”

In the face of this cash storm, Jaguar emphasized that “the company refuses to be a prisoner of the past,” noting that “the new target markets are radically different from our traditional customers.”

Many analysts point out that “Jaguar is taking a major strategic gamble”, as it tries to attract a new segment of young people interested in sustainability and diversity, while taking the risk of losing part of its existing customer base.

These divisions in opinions reflect the great challenge that traditional brands face in the era of digital transformation and rapid cultural changes, where the balance between innovation and preserving the original identity becomes an extremely complex equation.

Source: Daily Mail