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jAguar finally unveiled its much-hyped Tipo 00 electric car at a launch at Miami Art Week. A teaser video of the marketing campaign posted on social media a fortnight ago generated divided opinions. Here sector experts give their opinion on the vehicle, its launch and its marketing.
Jeff Dodds
Former marketing director of Honda, now executive director of Formula E, in which Jaguar competes
I recently owned a Jaguar iPace. A really good car, but it didn’t make me smile. And that’s what I want from a car; Jaguar knows it too.
If Jaguar’s intention was to ensure attention at launch, they certainly succeeded. There was quite a stir awaiting the reveal and I know that some of the guests were desperately awaiting the reveal of some hideous monstrosity. And of course it wasn’t horrible, but it’s very different. It’s much bigger, bolder and more disruptive than I imagined. It will attract attention. Not everyone will like it, but I thank God for that. Inspector Morse wouldn’t come close to that, but if his grandson just launched a cybersecurity startup, then he might.
The event is also completely different: it is industrial and avant-garde. British grime rapper and MC Skepta wouldn’t be a traditional Jaguar brand ambassador, but here we have him performing as a DJ, surrounded by influencers and cultural tastemakers in downtown Miami. It’s a huge change from what was before. Too big an outlet? Maybe. Jaguar was quickly becoming a brand that was talked about in the past tense, so I applaud them. If I drove a Type 00, I think it would make me smile.
Ginny Buckley
Founder of British electric vehicle purchasing website Electrifying.com
In Jaguar’s 90-year history, nothing has sparked as much global conversation as its controversial rebrand. But the new logo and extravagant advertisement could be forgotten now that the spectacular Type 00 has come to light.
I first saw the car at a briefing at Jaguar Land Rover’s Midland design studio, and in more than 25 years as a motoring journalist, no vehicle has blown me away like this £100,000-plus all-electric GT.
Yes, it’s pink. Very pink. Presented in Miami Pink and London Blue, the car’s colors reflect the city that hosted its introduction to the world and Jaguar’s British heritage.
Color is inevitably what many critics will focus on. Jaguar’s design team told me it’s a “production-ready” color, which could cause a stir among traditional Jaguar fans if it makes it to the final palette.
Beyond the color, the Type 00’s design is spectacular with its long bonnet, massive monolithic grille and front-hinged butterfly doors, while Jaguar has also ditched the rear window.
I think the Type 00 looks fresh and bold. My 15 year old son says it looks “peaky,” which I think is a compliment.
Jaguar creative director Gerry McGovern said: “It will make people uncomfortable and polarise.” Which, of course, it will be. But if the goal was to get people talking, they have achieved it.
The challenge is whether Jaguar can evolve its brand quickly enough to attract the new generation of young, wealthy buyers it hopes will buy this car.
Manfredi Ricca
Director of global strategy at the brand consultancy Interbrand, which has worked with Bugatti and on the relaunch of Mini and BMW.
Flashback to two weeks ago. Nobody is particularly interested in Jaguar. Out of nowhere, a 30-second video is posted. Millions immediately turn their heads. In the space of 24 hours, Jaguar is part of the global conversation without having shown any products.
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As a result, the level of anticipation for the new lineup increases to final World Cup levels in terms of scope and intensity, including a leak on the eve of launch.
You can hardly ask for more from a campaign, especially one designed to revitalize a brand. Because what many commentators have overlooked is that Jaguar Land Rover wasn’t trying to evolve a thriving brand but to reinvent a failing one.
The reality today is that the number of people celebrating Jaguar’s heritage far outnumbers those who actually want their cars.
Museums can live only from the past; commercial companies cannot; They must turn whatever inheritance they have into something that enough customers may be willing to pay enough for.
Jaguar, once the fiercely innovative maker of some of the world’s most original cars, is back, asking to be loved by some rather than ignored by the majority.
The concept revealed in Miami will seduce them, but the real challenge will be to convert them into fans in 2025 and customers in 2026, when the cars actually hit the market.
Richard Exon
Co-founder of the advertising agency Joint, which previously worked with Audi and Range Rover.
Jaguar is to be applauded for the scale of ambition of its rebrand. A complete break with the past is your best option. It wants to sell its new range of cars to a completely different audience, so aiming to be a more modern, inclusive and challenging brand has the potential to be a winning strategy.
But intent alone is insufficient if the plan is executed as poorly as the derivative and disappointing video content Jaguar released ahead of launch.
Fortunately, though, images of the concept car have a bold new aesthetic that forces a welcome degree of reassessment.
So the next big question is how much of the radical design from the concept will make it into the final product that is manufactured and available for purchase.
Very few car brands with Jaguar’s problems get a second chance, so let’s hope the company keeps calm, recovers from the video misstep, and dares to be as different as it says it wants to be.