Jaguar's 'woke' CEO retires after nearly bankrupting the company with an advertisement

Adrian Mardell, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, has announced his retirement after more than 30 years at the company. His departure comes months after leading a disastrous rebranding campaign with a "woke" focus that almost commercially bankrupted the company.

The new image of the iconic British brand was based on the slogan "Copy Nothing" ("No copies nada") and was presented in an advertising video that did not show a single car, focusing instead on androgynous models with striking clothing, including a man in a dress.

Other slogans from the ad included "create exuberance" ("crea con exuberancia"), "live vivid" ("vive con intensidad"), "delete ordinary" ("elimina lo ordinario"), and "break moulds" ("rompe moldes").

A disastrous advertising campaign from the start. 

The commercial went viral, reaching almost 47 million views in just 24 hours on the X platform, but it was torn apart by the public. Numerous users compared it to Bud Light's failed campaign, accusing Jaguar of prioritizing a left-wing agenda over the essence of its product: luxury cars.

Jaguar replied to the controversy with a statement to FOX Business in which it defended the campaign as a "bold and imaginative reinvention" of the brand. They claimed to have preserved iconic symbols while making a "dramatic leap forward" as part of a broader transformation they promised to continue unveiling.

However, Jaguar's new creative approach was nothing but an outright disaster. The launch of its new electric vehicle was disparagingly described on social media as a "pink Batmobile," referencing its unconventional design and the continued aesthetic in line with the ad's style.

Although Jaguar Land Rover did not officially link Mardell's departure to the commercial, his retirement comes at a time when the company faces an image and positioning challenge with its traditional audience.