RPG Group Chairperson Harsh Goenka has added his voice to the growing list of critics questioning Jaguar’s latest rebranding campaign, which debuted on November 19.
Read more: Jaguar unveils bold new logo and branding for electric-only future
The British luxury carmaker’s promotional video, which has been widely discussed, featured diverse models in vibrant outfits but noticeably excluded any cars from the visual narrative.
Goenka, never one to shy away from speaking his mind, took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his opinion, calling the ad more of an art film than a traditional car commercial. Jaguar’s new ad feels more like an art film than a car commercial—diverse actors, bold colors, and zero cars. ‘Copy nothing’—what does that even mean? Distinctive, sure. Effective? That’s the real question,” he wrote.
Jaguar’s new ad feels more like an art film than a car commercial—diverse actors, bold colors, and zero cars. ‘Copy nothing’—what does that even mean? Distinctive, sure. Effective? That’s the real question. pic.twitter.com/nVjauUUVuQ
— Harsh Goenka (@hvgoenka) November 23, 2024
Goenka’s comments follow similar reactions from tech billionaire Elon Musk, who took a swipe at the campaign with a pointed question: “Do you sell cars?” he posted on X, reflecting the confusion surrounding the brand’s new marketing direction.
While critics like Goenka and Musk have expressed skepticism about the ad’s effectiveness, Jaguar’s managing director, Rawdon Glover, has defended the campaign. In a report, Glover called out the “vile hatred” and “intolerance” some online critics had directed at the campaign, insisting that the ad was not intended to be a “woke” statement, as some had claimed.
Read more: Jaguar MD defends rebranding ad amid online backlash; slams ‘vile hatred’