At a time when Jaguar is facing extreme backlash for its rebranding campaign, another legacy automotive company, Volvo, is receiving all the plaudits for its ‘family-values’ advertisement that stays true to the brand’s roots. Post the Jaguar debacle, McDonald’s senior marketing director, Guillaume Hain shared a Volvo commercial on X (formerly Twitter), highlighting the safety features of the company’s recent offering, the EX90. The three-minute, 46-second ad, shot by Oscar-winning cinematographer, Hoyte Van Hoytema — known for his work on Christopher Nolan movies like Oppenheimer and Interstellar, instantly drew the users who made the comparisons.
“Volvo posted a 3 min and 46 second ad on Instagram, shot by Hoyte Van Hoytema, the cinematographer of Interstellar and Oppenheimer. It goes against every single rule you can think about as a social lead. Length. Format. Over-produced. Every comment under the ad said it immediately put (the brand) in their consideration set. It’s f**king fantastic,” wrote Huin.
The ad emphasised Volvo’s commitment to safety, reliability, and the development of family-friendly vehicles. It was widely praised for its “pro-family” messaging with users applauding its focus on “safety, family, and connection”.
“I just willingly sat through a nearly four-minute commercial and felt perfectly fine with it. Somebody deserves a promotion,” said one user, while another added: “Jaguar brand designers punching the air right now.”
A third commented: “I hope Jaguar take notes…For real though, this is excellent.”
Volvo posted a 3 min and 46 second ad on Instagram, shot by Hoyte Van Hoytema, the cinematographer of Interstellar and Oppenheimer.
It goes against every single rule you can think about as a social lead. Length. Format. Over-produced.
Every comment under the ad said it… pic.twitter.com/wkmghuP4ye
— Guillaume Huin (@HuinGuillaume) November 21, 2024
Also Read | As Automaker Jaguar Rebrands Itself With New Logo, Netizens Unimpressed
Jaguar faces backlash
In contrast, Jaguar went the ‘woke’ route, as per the social media users. The luxury carmaker unveiled a new minimalist logo and designed a marketing ad that featured a diverse cast of models, dressed in bold, techno-inspired outfits, showcasing the brand’s seemingly modern aesthetic.
However, the launch surprisingly didn’t showcase any of Jaguar’s iconic luxury vehicles, leaving internet users puzzled. Among other social media users, billionaire Elon Musk also ridiculed Jaguar’s new ad for lacking cars. He posted, “Do you sell cars?”
Copy nothing. #Jaguar pic.twitter.com/BfVhc3l09B
— Jaguar (@Jaguar) November 19, 2024
As of the last update, the new Jaguar ad had been watched by almost 160 million people on X with the majority of users either confused or negative about the offering by the company. Notably, the ad and rebrand are part of Jaguar’s shift toward an electric vehicle (EV) future. By 2025, Jaguar aims to offer an entirely electrified model range, with plans to phase out internal combustion engines.