Jaguar’s new “Copy Nothing” campaign marks a striking evolution for the luxury automaker as it attempts to reinvent itself for an all-electric future. The :30 spot, set in a surreal, hyper-modern world, features vibrant visuals and eccentric fashion, in a reinterpretation of the brand’s “Copy Nothing” mantra. With its new focus on “Exuberant Modernism,” Jaguar hopes to reposition itself as an ultraluxury EV brand targeting younger, affluent, and design-conscious consumers.
While the dramatic break from Jaguar’s storied legacy has stirred intense debate within the advertising industry, American consumer reactions were not at all polarized.
Here’s what iSpot’s Creative Assessment platform revealed on actual American viewer response to the campaign.
The Details:
- Despite a lack of vehicles in the first :30 video of the rebranding and a sole branding instance at the end of the spot, 85% of higher-income Americans recalled Jaguar as the advertiser after a single view of “Copy Nothing”:
- Second-by-second trace reflects unusually low engagement with the video, however, particularly among viewers over 35. The 21-35 segment also appeared to wane in interest after the midway point of the spot.
- Emotional profiling of the 431 individual responses received from higher-income Americans on “Copy Nothing” do not reveal much polarization in responses:
- Rather, viewers were largely consistent in their dislike of the video, with the strongest emotions sparked including Incredulous, WTF, Awful, and Surreal. The Upscale image of Jaguar did not come through in this first video.
- Comments reflect some appreciation for the bold colors and the video’s ability to intrigue; however, for most, objections were simply centered on the fact that the content did not connect them to the Jaguar brand or even an auto, or luxury brand.
- While future ads are expected to introduce the new vehicles in more detail, consumers were caught off guard by this creative attempt to set the tone for the rebranding (perhaps this was the brand’s intent).
- Rather, viewers were largely consistent in their dislike of the video, with the strongest emotions sparked including Incredulous, WTF, Awful, and Surreal. The Upscale image of Jaguar did not come through in this first video.
Sample comments on “Copy Nothing” :30
“Wow! The colors, visuals, textures, and photography were entrancing and it immediately caught my attention. It was very editorial, high-fashion, and fierce!!! The diverse (i.e., multicultural) cast of models strutting down the runway with such strength and confidence was cool to see. The ad was innovative and creative, like modern art. But then again, the company is Jaguar. Enough said, lol”
Male 50+
“This ad was awful. At first when the elevator doors open, I was intrigued about all the color but then it turned creepy very fast. I had no idea what this ad was for and then at the end when it said Jaguar I was very shocked as that’s a car brand and this ad had nothing to do with cars. If anything, I got a first impression that it was an apple or a Google ad.”
Female 21-35
“In my opinion it deviates from brand identity and is reminiscent of the reaction to Bud Light partnering with a trans influencer. Doesn’t make sense and possibly alienates the current customer base.”
Male 21-35
“I initially was very intrigued by this ad, but as it went on, I was increasingly confused about what was being advertised. And the reveal that it was Jaguar to me, made no sense at all.”
Male 36-49
“This ad was for Jaguar? Like the car company, Jaguar? Yeah, I didn’t get it at all. I didn’t mind the ad, it was actually pretty cool & unique, but I would literally NEVER have guessed it was for Jaguar. Maybe a clothing company but there was nothing relevant to Jaguar. They didn’t even show a picture of a vehicle… I am so confused.”
Female 36-49
“It is trying to appeal to a specific group. The problem is it turns off another group. I think it would be better to advertise without trying to cater to a specific group. I didn’t see anything about the cars. I see no reason to believe the cars are breaking the “mould” so this is all about the people in the ad.”
Male 36-49
“The colors and images were spectacular. Though I didn’t understand what was happening, the music and bold colors captured and kept my attention. I was shocked to learn the brand name at the end as it is usually a conservative brand that does not usually create these types of ads.”
Female 50+
“I am lost ..what was the ad for because I saw no Jaguar. If it was for a sports car, I would have liked to see the vehicle and not the cirque du soleil people.”
Female 36-49
“Whoa! This is a Jaguar commercial? Didn’t see that coming. Very avant-garde and innovative. Saturated with color and vibrant energy.”
Female 21-35
“Sad to watch. Tragic, really. This is the result of moving away from your purpose and reason for being. What about making a good car? Oh well, another one bites the dust.”
Male 50+
- Since 2009, iSpot has tested about 160,000 ads with American consumers, and “Copy Nothing” ranks among the bottom 250 (at 229), likely reflecting consumer response to the creative as an attempt to sell them a Jaguar – which was not the intent of this initial video:
- “Copy Nothing” saw more negative responses among older viewers, and struggled most in the areas of Likeability, Information, Relevance, and Desire (scores are indexed to one-year lux auto norms).
- The video simply did not convey as an auto ad – but certainly re-cemented the Jaguar brand name in the minds of those who saw the spot, as well as within contemporary cultural chatter.
- “Copy Nothing” saw more negative responses among older viewers, and struggled most in the areas of Likeability, Information, Relevance, and Desire (scores are indexed to one-year lux auto norms).
- Although response reflected the brand’s stated expectations that the existing customer base was unlikely to remain through the rebranding, those describing themselves as considerers or unfamiliar with the brand also did not get enough to respond positively to:
- Pretesting follow-on creatives should play a critical role in ensuring that the Jaguar reimagined brand is both curated and received as intended. As model releases approach, consumers will expect ads to communicate not only the modern and exuberant luxury positioning but also sufficient vehicle details and information to effectively support sales.
- Upon viewing the first communication in Jaguar’s repositioning, only 19% of higher-income Americans reported an increased likelihood of consideration (vs norm of 46%) while 28% were turned off from the brand by “Copy Nothing.”
- Pretesting follow-on creatives should play a critical role in ensuring that the Jaguar reimagined brand is both curated and received as intended. As model releases approach, consumers will expect ads to communicate not only the modern and exuberant luxury positioning but also sufficient vehicle details and information to effectively support sales.
- Other lux EV ads over the past year taking unusual advertising approaches vs category trends also were met with very tepid consumer response – again for reasons of not feeling like an auto ad and/or conveying little specific information on the vehicles themselves:
- As such, response to the first video is not entirely unexpected or limiting. It is, of course, possible that these reactions were deliberately sparked as part of a plan to potentially ‘shock’ the brand into a new aura.
- Second-by-second trace indicates that the colorful approach in the Jaguar “Copy Nothing” captured a bit higher engagement than avant-garde Polestar and Cybertruck spots:
- As would be expected for this category, viewers perked up considerably in the Tesla spot once the vehicle was brought to the screen.
Ineffective creative, even if delivered to the right audience, results in missed opportunity and performance shortfalls. Great creative delivered poorly also results in failed campaigns.
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Creative Agency: Jaguar