Jaguar Dumps ‘Woke’ Ad Agency as Sales Crash
Jaguar Land Rover is scrambling after a disastrous rebrand tanked sales by nearly half. Mike Bird : Pexels

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has slammed the brakes on its advertising strategy, sending shockwaves through the automotive industry. The British carmaker is severing ties with its ad agency, Accenture Song after a controversial rebrand sparked fierce backlash and a catastrophic sales drop.

Launched on 18 November 2024, the campaign swapped Jaguar's iconic 'growler' logo for a minimalist 'J' and featured a car-less advert with vibrant, androgynous models and slogans like 'Live Vivid.'

Branded 'woke' by critics, including Reform UK's Nigel Farage, who gloated 'Go woke, go broke!', the rebrand seemed to have alienated loyal customers. With sales plummeting and JLR now seeking a new creative direction, is this a wake-up call for brands chasing divisive marketing trends?

Halt the Flop Reclaim the Roar

The rebrand aimed to reposition Jaguar as a bold, electric-only luxury brand by 2026, targeting a younger, global audience. Instead, it backfired spectacularly.

The advert, awash in bright colours and abstract messaging, drew mockery for omitting cars entirely, prompting Tesla's Elon Musk to quip, 'Do you sell cars?' on X. Sales figures paint a dire picture: Jaguar's global sales crashed to 33,320 in 2024 from 61,661 in 2022, nearly halving in two years.

Used car sales also fell 9% post-rebrand, reflecting eroded consumer confidence. JLR's decision to review its creative account, currently held by Accenture Song until mid-2026, signals a frantic effort to restore Jaguar's heritage and reconnect with its core market.

Steer Through Backlash Regain Trust

The backlash wasn't just about aesthetics, it was a cultural misstep. The campaign's avant-garde vibe, featuring a bright pink concept car and diverse models, was seen as abandoning Jaguar's traditional buyers: affluent, heritage-conscious drivers.

Marketing experts were divided, with some calling it 'bonkers' and others praising its 'genius disruption'. Yet, the public's reaction was overwhelmingly negative, with social media amplifying the outrage.

JLR's managing director, Rawdon Glover, defended the ad, lamenting 'vile hatred' directed at the models, but the damage was done. Meanwhile, JLR's Range Rover and Defender brands thrived, with Range Rover sales up 12% in Q4 2024, highlighting Jaguar's drag on the company's portfolio.

With three electric vehicles (EVs) planned for 2026, JLR must balance innovation with customer loyalty to reverse the slide.

Evade External Traps Secure the Future

JLR's troubles aren't solely self-inflicted. External pressures, like US President Donald Trump's 25% tariffs on foreign cars, have forced JLR to halt US shipments, complicating its recovery.

The luxury car market is also softening, with global sales dropping 5% in 2024 to £482 billion ($638 billion). Yet, the rebrand's failure underscores a deeper truth: authenticity trumps trend-chasing. Jaguar's legacy i.e sleek, powerful, quintessentially British, resonates more than fleeting cultural gestures.

By seeking a new agency, JLR aims to rediscover this essence, but the path is perilous. Can it rebuild trust before its EV pivot, or will it cement its place in the 'go woke, go broke' narrative?

Jaguar Must Roar Not Fade

JLR's decision to ditch its 'woke' ad agency is a bold bid to salvage Jaguar's legacy. The sales collapse, from 61,661 to 33,320 cars in two years, proves that alienating core customers for a trendy rebrand is a costly gamble.

As Jaguar navigates tariffs, a cooling luxury market, and an EV future, it must anchor itself in its heritage to restore confidence. A Jaguar should roar with pride—not fade into irrelevance.

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