Jaguar’s in Trouble. Can Tata Save It Again?

The British automaker’s most shocking moment wasn’t a viral 2024 ad. It was when one Indian man dared to buy it.

GettyImages-88741575 ratan tata
Tata Group chief Ratan Tata at the launch of Jaguar, Land Rover brands in Mumbai on June 28, 2009 (Bhaskar Paul/The The India Today Group via Getty Images)

Sammy Cole

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January 29, 2025

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10 min

It was one of the weirdest rebranding attempts in recent history, one that didn’t even feature the product it was trying to sell. When Jaguar launched a viral, 30-second ad in November 2024 —with a yellow elevator, pink planet, futuristic fashion, phrases like “live vivid,” and no car — long-standing fans weren’t exactly thrilled. 

The campaign sparked widespread mockery, including from Elon Musk (“Do you sell cars?”) and comedian Stephen Colbert (“looks like a luxury condom brand”). Jaguar — a car known for luxury, James Bond, and its vintage aesthetic — has struggled with its image before. Despite the internet buzz, the 2024 ad arguably isn’t even the most storied chapter in its history. It was in 2008, in the middle of America’s Great Recession, when one Indian man and company would try to pull off what many observers would call “reverse colonialism.” 

Now, industry observers are wondering: can Tata Group — which pulled off a major Jaguar resurgence not so many years ago — do it again?

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