Jaguar launched a rebrand featuring a new logo and an advertisement campaign absent of cars that confused viewers and provoked backlash as the brand struggles in the United States.

The luxury car manufacturer based in Britain released a brief advertisement on social media featuring racially diverse models with sexually ambiguous characteristics. The commercial notably did not feature any new Jaguar vehicles and removed the iconic big cat from their logo.

Jaguar revealed in a press release that their “all-new brand identity” is meant to recapture “an ethos to Copy Nothing” as well as to “champion true originality.” Gerry McGovern, the chief creative officer for Jaguar, remarked that the company is “creating Jaguar for the future, restoring its status as a brand that enriches the lives of our clients and the Jaguar community.”

The advertisement from the iconic car maker nevertheless provoked immediate backlash from social media users who condemned the empty nods to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the commercial. “Do you sell cars?” asked Elon Musk on social media in reaction to the rebrand.

Jaguar indeed launched the rebrand after sales declined 70% in the United States over the past five years and as they did not release any new production models over the same time horizon.

Lulu Cheng Meservey, a marketing analyst who worked as the chief communications officer for Activision Blizzard, remarked that the rebrand was “roughly the opposite of what Jaguar should be saying,” namely that “our cars are engineered to the gills and go very very fast.”

Meservey also said the company “failed to read the room” as nostalgia, tradition, and heritage dominate the cultural zeitgeist, noting that the “iconic image of an old school British gentleman” historically associated with Jaguar could have been a “massive asset” for their brand.

“The vibe of this rebrand might have worked in 2021, but to drop this in late 2024 only emphasizes the reasons for Jaguar’s brand decline in the first place: it’s outdated and confusing,” she added. “Apparently Jaguar is planning a broader brand reset for 2025. From early indications, that reset is misguided and likely to fail. Jaguar is a luxury product so their brand can make or break sales, and in this case, they’ll need a U-turn to get back on track.”