A jaguar can change its spots.

Now that automotive manufacturers are morphing into tech companies with the move to EVs, how do they adjust their brand image to suit?

If car ownership and leasing remain a thing in the future and we’re not all hopping into floating taxis beckoned by AI, will brand appeal still matter and what facets of the brand will sway favour? Already, most SUVs are indeterminate and only identifiable by their front grilles, so why choose one over another? Charge times? Range? Price? Innovation? The shape of the badge in the middle of the front grille? Heritage?

Visual attraction is important. But once the initial desire has rooted, will consumers favour a car from a brand known for their tech background over one from a relative newcomer to battery powered products? Will decades of motoring know-how make any difference? Probably not. Something made thousands join the herd of Tesla drivers. No motoring heritage there. They were seen as innovators when they first appeared but are now commonplace with a style that’s boringly familiar. The Chinese brand BYD looks a better option. Still not much in the way of motoring heritage but their tech is world-leading, and the firm doesn’t rely on any other to build their cars. In fact, they supply a lot of their tech to the rest of the industry, including Tesla.

All this industry shifting and a need to appeal to a younger, more tech-savvy and eco-conscious audience is forcing change, none more obvious than the Jaguar rebrand. Whatever your opinion – and I agree with Jaguar’s MD that some of it is vile hatred and intolerant (Daily Mail) – it was born from the need to compete in a completely different marketplace. Car brands need to be more Tron than trophy, touchscreen and neon rather than knobs and chromium. Jaguar have produced something bravely exuberant, demoted the prancing feline and rounded the typography to be radical and align with the company’s vision and values: “a copy of nothing”. That vision hasn’t changed, so whether you like what they’ve done, it’s certainly bold (and trending).

I like the minimalist typography. And a cap G is easier to fit into a circle than a cat-tail-swinging lower-case g. Without knowing the full journey it took, I’d have probably looked for a way to coax more of their heritage into their bold new world; although that may have been considered an evolution, and looking at Jaguar car sales, fearless revolution is required. It's a tricky one, with so many new players to contend with, a rich history is something unique to you and could help swing a buyer’s decision; even a new audience may feel reassured by a long reputation of success. All is yet to be revealed of course, we’ve still only seen a teaser and from what I’ve read, what’s coming is hugely exciting. In the meantime, bravo Jaguar, I’m very happy to see the end of the grotesque front-facing Jaguar’s head. And the vile hatred is only coming from those who fear the future.

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We Are Acuity has over 25 years experience in automotive marketing. To find out more have a look at our Automotive page here.

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