But, yesterday, that is exactly what has happened with an outburst on Truth Social, creating a brand and culture flashpoint that brings together two of our favourite recent themes: Trump and branding disasters.
Back in November, Jaguar intended to reposition itself as a future-facing all-electric luxury brand. But the reaction to androgynous models in brightly coloured onesies alongside abstract slogans like “Live Vivid” and “Break Moulds,” all set in an alien-pink landscape was incendiary. Conservative figures condemned it as a betrayal of Jaguar’s heritage, branding it “woke stupidity.” Elon Musk (also adept at brand vandalism) asked plainly: “Do you sell cars?” and Nigel Farage predicted the brand would “go bust”.
A couple of days after Jaguar announced PB Balaji as its new CEO, Trump made his explosive intervention, slamming the rebrand as “disgraceful”, “seriously woke”, and “stupid”, asking: “Who wants to buy a Jaguar after looking at that ad?” Having tried his best to make Brand America toxic to audiences all over the world, his outburst crystallised the conservative backlash, aligning Jaguar with a broader political culture war.
The Zeitgeist has turned sharp right
What once was fashionable - diversity-forward, art-centric campaigns detached from product - has hit a deeper cultural shift. As Trump began his second term and reasserted his antiwoke rhetoric, he guided public sentiment towards brands that felt grounded, authentic, and tied to tangible American values. Trump’s resurgence symbolises a broader backlash: a rejection of brands perceived as rhetorical rather than real.
Jaguar’s choice - to copy nothing - may have looked avantgarde in isolation and made Jaguar owners gulp at the time. But viewed through the lens of the new zeitgeist, the campaign feels totally untethered and
unsuited to current times. It favoured symbolism over substance, resonated more with artworld aesthetics than automotive identity, and ignited cultural blowback during a time when the pendulum was swinging against diversity in branding.
Futuristic or catastrophic?
Jaguar’s rebrand was an ambitious, theatrical pivot aimed at defining its place in an EV-driven future and it certainly attracted worldwide attention, which, in itself, was quite an achievement - but it faltered in execution and timing. Without grounding the narrative in product or its own deep heritage, it became vulnerable to criticism from Jaguar owners, marketing experts and political commentators. Now Trump’s attack hasn’t just rekindled the controversy; he has positioned Jaguar firmly as the torchbearer of woke, which will alienate half or more of its audience in its biggest export market.
Only by delivering electric models that embody bold design, performance, and its illustrious legacy can Jaguar’s rebrand be seen as visionary. If the new models underwhelm, Jaguar will be remembered as the high watermark of woke and a self-inflicted brand catastrophe. Now doomed by the President Of The United States.
Peter Matthews
Founder & CEO
6th August 2025
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