The culture wars have spilled over from the political arena into the automotive industry, as two legacy carmakers recently released ads that garnered attention on social media—one generating widespread praise, the other sparking controversy.
Earlier this week, Jaguar Land Rover launched a new marketing campaign for the rebranding of Jaguar, the 100-year-old British luxury carmaker once known for making some of the most beautiful sports cars in the world.
A 30-second video posted to social media showcased a diverse group of (human) models in colorful outfits, revealed a new sans-serif logo—dropping the iconic big cat emblem—and, notably, did not feature any hint of a car.
The Jaguar campaign garnered over 160 million views on social media, largely thanks to a fierce backlash from car enthusiasts, activists and influencers. Critics accused the heritage brand of “going woke,” likening its rebranding to Target‘s controversial LGBTQ+ campaign, which also faced strong criticism.
After the campaign, with its “Copy Nothing” tagline, immediately went …