Thinking of Rebranding? Don’t—Until You’ve Read This
Companies rebrand for all sorts of reasons. Staying relevant in a changing market is just one of them.
You've probably heard about the latest Jaguar rebranding debacle. I call it a debacle because the proposed new logo and brand image has brought a flood of criticism and ridicule from almost everyone.
But Jaguar had to do something.
For the last 102 years, their brand has morphed a few times, but in recent times they have become known as the marque for old men who are trying to project what they saw as an affluent yet sporty image. I knew one of them. To show off his new Jag, he drove me around the backstreets of his upmarket suburb at heart-stopping speed.
He was 75 at the time.
Times have changed.
Despite introducing some pretty cool new models, Jaguar's market has been drying up for years—not to mention dying off. They only built 67,000 cars last year, which was hardly worth opening the factory doors for.
In fact, Jaguar's India-based owners have now closed the factory doors and have stopped selling new cars in preparation for a 'major relaunch' in early 2025. They've hinted at a 'new era' with an all-electric vehicle lineup but there is no hint at what these vehicles will look like.
"Do you sell cars?"
Elon Musk—of course—had something to say about Jaguar's recent rebranding media release and video.
He may have missed the point.
Jaguar’s video—though unconventional—hints at its attempt to position itself as more than a car manufacturer. The colourful visuals and enigmatic tone are likely meant to signal creativity, individuality and a break from the past. These are emotional hooks designed to attract younger, more image-conscious buyers who value the idea of what owning a Jaguar represents as much as its performance on the road.
People these days don't buy products.
They buy brands.
A perfect example of this is Nike. Sometimes you don't even see their shoes in their marketing. But there's no mistaking the brand. Nike's 'Just Do It' ethos embodies empowerment and personal triumph, creating a brand identity so strong that people buy into the lifestyle it represents, not just the shoes it makes.
Tesla has a different branding approach.
Tesla sells innovation and technology. Tesla’s focus on cutting-edge performance, sustainability and Musk’s larger-than-life persona creates its own emotional connection with consumers. But Tesla isn’t immune to branding’s broader principles—it leverages its sleek designs, minimalist aesthetics, and status as a disruptor to position itself as aspirational.
Musk’s jab might reflect his preference for product-driven narratives, but even Tesla thrives because of its brand identity, not merely the cars themselves.
I have been involved in the world of branding and marketing for many years.
That doesn't make me an expert, because I'm learning new things all the time. As all of us must if we're to keep ahead of the game—and understand that branding is about much more than products.
It's about people. It's about your customers. Not just the customers you have now. But the customers you want to have.
Contact me to arrange a free Branding Consultation to talk about your branding or rebranding plans.
This is the first of a series of articles and videos about one of my favourite topics—branding.
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