A multi-billion-dollar lesson in not giving a fuck
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I keep coming back to this because I honestly think it’s one of the most interesting branding decisions I’ve seen in years. About a year ago, Jaguar put out a campaign that effectively told the world they were done with who they used to be. This is a brand historically associated with British elegance, restrained power, heritage, and a very specific idea of class. The campaign made it clear that version was over. What fascinates me isn’t the aesthetic or whether I like it (for what it’s worth, I think it’s super weird). The thing I’m interested in is the psychology of the move. A multi-billion-dollar brand choosing to absorb confusion, backlash, and ridicule in order to force an identity break that couldn’t be walked back. That takes a very particular kind of conviction. Most people spend years circling their identity, adjusting language, tweaking positioning, and keeping exits open. This did the opposite. It closed the door publicly and dealt with the discomfort later. I’m sharing the breakdown below because it captures that moment, and if you care about branding, positioning, or what real commitment actually looks like when the stakes are high, it’s worth your attention. Below is the 30 second ad (watch it first), followed by a ChatGPT breakdown, copied and pasted in full, because it’s absolutely fascinating. Chat GPT BreakdownJaguar is in an unusual holding pattern. They have effectively wound down most of their internal-combustion lineup while factories, platforms, and supply chains are rebuilt for a fully electric future. That leaves them with very little to actively sell beyond servicing, licensing, and limited legacy activity under Jaguar Land Rover. For a brand with Jaguar’s cost base, that’s an uncomfortable place to sit.
This is almost certainly a nervous period internally.
The campaign isn’t about revenue. It’s about permission. They’re attempting to reset the mental image people carry so they can return later with cars that look, feel, and are priced very differently from what the name currently evokes. The spend here is less about selling and more about rewriting perception.
From a leadership psychology perspective, this is a specific kind of bet. Short-term backlash is tolerated in exchange for a hard break from expectation. That choice only appears when the existing path is already considered exhausted. You don’t burn a legacy unless staying attached to it feels more dangerous.
There’s also a familiar executive risk in moments like this. With no product feedback loop and no cars on the road, symbolism becomes the arena where everything plays out. Branding turns into the proxy battlefield because there’s nothing else to test against.
Interestingly, pushback doesn’t always read as failure internally. It can be interpreted as proof that disruption is happening, that the old audience is being unsettled. Silence is often the real fear.
Financially, Jaguar is buffered by Tata Motors, which gives them the runway to attempt something this aggressive. Without that backing, this kind of move would be far harder to justify. The pressure remains though. If the eventual electric cars don’t justify the repositioning through design, performance, and price, this will look very different in hindsight.
What you’re watching is a brand stepping into identity free-fall and trusting that the new shape forms before gravity takes over. Most organisations refuse to let go until the next ledge is visible. Jaguar jumped first and narrated the fall in real time.
From a psychological angle, it’s conviction mixed with genuine existential risk, and that combination almost always produces strange, polarising work.
Interesting, isn’t it. More to this than it looks. Have a great weekend. Dan |
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