MY VISION VISUALISED
Before moving on,
First off, I know next to nothing about cars. However, I am aware of car brands, and personally, when thinking about luxury cars, Jaguar is not a brand that comes to mind (not the first few, anyway). And with the big rebrand that caused such a big hoo-ha, I don’t think it’s out of step for me to suggest that Jaguar just isn’t as relevant as it once was, thus the rebrand.
I’m very well aware of the rebrand that many have poured outrage over, but it’s my humble opinion that I think their rebrand is actually… okay. It’s nothing outstanding (yet), but it does have the potential to solidify them in the luxury EV sector. (At the very least, for someone with really limited knowledge about cars, now I think of Jaguar when someone mentions luxury EV, so something is done right..ish)
Jumping from old-school elegance and sophistication to contemporary bold and daring looks is a big 180, and this would be how I clean up the 180.
Logo
Love this logo. Sleek. Simple. Communicates what to expect from the car well enough.
May be a bit dated though.
This just reminds me of MGM (hello Leo the Lion). I think the jaguar is supposed to look scary? Slightly intimidating? But I'm not getting that. An expressionless jaguar might work better.
This does not scream luxury. It just screams.
This just reminds me of Ferrero Rocher.
I think a sleek, minimalist jaguar head could work a lot better
Simple. I can totally see this as an EV logo (since this is the direction they are taking as well), it's just a little boring.
Very BYD (however BYD is marketed as affordable EV, so...)
(I think a little serif could do wonders. Ties in with heritage, look towards the future)
Again, I understand what they're going for, but it's not sleek enough.
Just negative space, black and gold would be enough.
My Version
To me, the most distinctive part about a cat are their eyes. Their eyes are bold and very intense.
Unlike the original logo that focused on the jaguar’s face, I would only focus on their eyes.
That’s a cat. Not a dog. Not a frog. A big cat.
(This was done on Canva, cut me some slack tyvm)
However, I understand in some cultures/religions, focusing on eyes, any eyes, aren't the most ideal, in which case the next feature I would focus on is the jaguar's tail.
(no example. I tried, but it looked wacked)
I think it may have been their intent with the "JR", but I don't see the tail.
A jaguar's tail helps them with balance, a feature great in cars as well. Incorporate the distinctiveness of a jaguar's tail into the letter J; could form it into a R as well, but depending on the design, it may be an overkill.
Moving onto the name card? Key card? (I have no idea what the rectangular gold thing is for) but instead of black lines, hire an artist to do their magic and emulate the motion a jaguar creates when running. This looks sleeker, and again, two meanings.
My car is fast. My car is stable. My car is a Jaguar.
Now, onto the very "controversial" ad,
I liked it. I still like it. I just wouldn't realise that they were selling cars.
It's just a little too abstract. I think just a few indicators that it's for a car would make it a lot better.
Maybe them exiting a big car door is too on the nose. I would change the interior to model after the car's, so at first glance, at least viewers could guess it's for a car.
The colours in this frame is gorgeous, so good for them tying perfectly with "vivid". But again, what about this says car?
Just like how a fast running jaguar would affect its environment around it, I would change it to the model spinning a couple of rounds (quickly), and then at the end do a slow motion on the fabrics. Or she just stand still, and then a big gush of wind blows by, and the fabrics fly.
How does it tie in with cars? It moves really fast.
I actually love this frame a lot. I wouldn't change anything about this. Plus, it's red, painted white. It already reminds me of either a stop sign, or a zebra crossing. Either way, I think this work as a standalone for a car advertisement.
(This is the tricky one.)
It says "break moulds", but nothing is being broken. The model is holding a hammer, sure. Then what?
Since this says "break moulds", I would tie this in with the "old Jaguar", but not literally breaking the previous models, because why would I definitively alienate my previous customer base?
I would frame it as:
- Model stands in front of an old Jaguar car boot (preferably with the old Jaguar sculpture in front ). Don't have to show the full shot that it's the old Jaguar's car boot, just enough so viewers would know.
- Model slams the car down, and it's revealed to be the new car. (Just the shot of the new car hood, so viewers know it's for a car, but they are
still kept in the dark of the new design)
In my version, the full body jaguar logo is used (on the front at least, instead of the word logo). This frame would then seamlessly transition from the sculpture to now one embossed on the car, reflecting the company's transition.
From old to new. From classic to contemporary.
I only realised this rock is supposed to be the model of the car after I know what the new cars look like, so this frame is too abstract. Maybe just having white lights shine on the left (of the rock), red lights on the right, would make it easier for viewers to understand it's a car, while still keeping the image abstract.
But then again, the new car design itself is too abstract. So re-work on the new car's design, change the rock here.
(and the car's redesign is important, because it helps with sales)
And the star of the show, the brand new Jaguar(s).
First, the cars look unfinished.
Second, the cars the cars look unfinished.
Third, the cars look unfinished.
There are just too many sharp edges/corners to deem it as sleek. It's not sleek, it's unfinished.
(I can't draw a car, so I'm just going to use my favourite tool, my words, to describe it.)
(My) Jaguar
Smooth out the hood, no edges. Sleek and clean, lower the height of the front of the car as well. Now, instead of a block, it's a smooth block.
The headlights are too tiny. It contrasts really badly with the big front of the car. Since it's a Jaguar, reference their eyes.
Now, I have no idea why the back windows are painted, nor what those vents are for, but it looks like an air-conditioning vent.
For an EV, why would you want your car to remind drivers of an electrical appliance that uses so much energy? For a futuristic car, why is it reminiscent of a technology from the 1900s?
Get rid of all unnecessary "lines", one long sleek taillights, and change the colours.
(Just a picture here, otherwise it looks empty :D)
Now, credit where credit's due, the colour does look stunning outside. However, if this car is meant for daily usage, I still think it's best to tone it down. Just slightly, very so slightly, so people know that it's a Jaguar, and not JAGUAR.
Like how a cheesy, gooey, plate of alfredo drenched in cream is delicious, but five bites later you're a little sick of it because it's just too much.
I don't have a clue to what the car colour looks like in real life, since there's an obvious discrepancy to the blue in picture and real life, but to make it slightly palatable, I think darkening the blue, and lightening the pink will do the trick.
It still stands out, but also blends in well enough to be driven daily.
(Still) more thoughts...
There isn't anything wrong with wanting a change and a big rebrand. However, it's cars we're talking about. Cars aren't as disposable as fabrics. It's something people hold on to for years, some their whole life. It becomes part of who they are, just a little fraction (or more) of their identity.
When working the rebrand, I don't think it's smart for Jaguar to strip every and all elements that calls back to their heritage. From design, to colours, to logos, even the ad, that again I do adore, but has barely anything to do with what Jaguar was.
Don't let your past trap you, but don't ignore it entirely either. Because it comes off as inauthentic, which is what I think a lot of people are reacting negatively to.
And also because the ad is too abstract. I love it, but primarily because I do love abstract works. I like writing abstractly as well, but for a general market, it's still best to make things clearer. Take out most of the guesswork.
It's obviously a creative decision, and quite a harmonious one, having the car debut at Miami Art Week, but unless the car is meant to be sold as an one-off art piece with no return buyers, "commercialise" it a little.
Tone the colours down. Make the design more fluid. Incorporate past heritage into the new design. And for future print ads, it's ok to keep some abstract elements since it ties in with the car's design, but not too abstract (take my notes). Not everyone likes standing in front of a poster and dissect it for three straight hours.
New thoughts (still related)
Jaguar's new logo is still not the worst though.
I have no idea what's happening here. For the life of me I can't see the A.