- Jaguar’s controversial rebranding program created waves inside the company as well as out, a report says.
- A leaked letter reveals Jag’s internal design team was frustrated about a decision to outsource the branding work.
- The report claims the designers complained to creative boss Gerry McGovern that they felt undermined.
Jaguar’s late 2024 rebranding project generated a heap of publicity, most of it negative, for the automaker. But a new report says the new logos and badges also proved highly contentious among those working inside Jaguar.
Autocar India claims to have seen a leaked letter from Jaguar’s internal design team complaining to the company’s chief creative officer about the rebranding project. It reveals that designers were not happy with Jag’s decisions to outsource the branding work to an external agency, or what that agency came up with.
Related: In Wake Of Controversial Campaign, Jaguar Boss Said They Had To Shake Things Up
“We felt that the logo disconnects from the narrative and the visual identity of the Panthera products,” the Jaguar designers wrote in a letter signed by up to 30 members of the team and handed to McGovern more than two years before the new logos were publicly unveiled.
“On product, it feels too rounded and playful, which does not speak to us the feeling of ‘Exuberance’. It was also noted that the logo shared close similarities with other brands when we should be a ‘Copy of Nothing’,” the letter continued.
A new team on the crayons
The branding work was handled by Accenture Interactive, who bought out JLR’s creative agency, Spark44, in 2021, and this switch appears to have irritated the designers as much as the final result.
“As a team, we worked collaboratively across our design disciplines for the holistic purpose and modern luxury narrative needed for the project,” the design time said, according to Autocar India. “Everything was designed authentically with meaning and soul with a distinct purpose for which to develop.”
In response to the Autocar story Jag provided a statement that said nothing about the letter or internal disharmony:
“The creative process encompasses various stages of developing new ideas and tackling challenges. Given that creativity naturally involves a level of subjectivity, our priority is to foster an environment that nurtures the growth of these creative ideas. As we navigate this significant transformation, we naturally engage in numerous discussions and debates to refine and evolve our thinking. Together, we embrace these opportunities for growth and innovation, ensuring that our collective efforts lead to meaningful and impactful outcomes.”
More: Everything We Know About Jaguar’s New $130,000 Electric Sedan
How do you feel about the results of Jaguar’s rebranding efforts now you’ve had a few weeks for the shock to subside? Are you liking it more, still hating it, or did you think all along that Accenture Interactive did a great job? And what about the equally controversial EV concept unveiled in Miami? You warming to it? Leave a comment and let us know.
