Following Jaguar, Ferrari accepts 'woke' culture

"Ferrari redesigns its logo to promote "diversity"

Ferrari, the Italian luxury sports car manufacturer renowned for its exclusive models and involvement in motorsport, seems to have "woken up"^[1]. Initially, the Jaguar car maker announced that it was changing the design of its brand. "Ferrari was quick to follow suit. Ferrari's corporate logo - a black horse standing on its haunches against a yellow background - is one of the most recognizable in the automotive industry. Despite its well-deserved popularity, it is following the same path as Jaguar.

Jaguar, as it is known, has introduced a new brand identity. In this way, it aims to move towards the production of electric cars. This relaunch includes a new logo and an advertising campaign which, strange as it may sound, does not feature cars, but focuses on artistic images and slogans such as 'Copy Nothing'. However, this campaign has already been criticized and ridiculed.

Jaguar now seems to have other ambitions to highlight "Diversity, Equity and Inclusion" (DEI). The design of the logo is expected to evolve with the inclusive culture. Jaguar is looking to refresh its image and attract a new, younger and more diverse customer base. 

However, some people oppose this, saying that a strong focus on DEI features will detract from the quality of the products. These people argue that the brand has become a pawn in a 'woke' culture that expresses different values.

Of course, 'woke' originally stood for social awareness and attention to discrimination. However, this approach has been widely criticized for its extremes. For example, the woke movement goes overboard in censoring art, literature or historical monuments that supposedly do not conform to "modern" norms. People may fear so-called 'new names' for good reason. After all, they have also led to the banning of some classic books and films, with the emphasis on 'intolerance'. In other words, some people are afraid that 'woke' will eat up the remnants of history and trample on traditions and fundamental values, upsetting people's minds - especially the younger generation.

Jaguar is set to become an electric luxury carmaker by 2025

The new Jaguar logo features a modern typeface and the traditional symbol has been removed. "The Jaguar logo design has always been one of the most iconic symbols in the automotive industry, reflecting agility, style and innovation. The brand seems ready for a transformation. One of them is preparing to become an all-electric luxury car manufacturer by 2025^[2].

Jaguar and Ferrari have received a lot of attention and criticism due to the changes.

Those expressing dissatisfaction argue that removing Jaguar deprives the brand of its visual heritage and emotional connection with long-time enthusiasts. The same applies to Ferrari. People fear that the new logos sacrifice heritage for modernity.

Rebranding disputes - a tool to increase visibility

There is a risk that loyal customers who associate emblems with the identity of these brands will turn away. The planned minimalist wordmark may lack the iconic identity that made the Jaguar and Ferrari logos recognizable. However, both car manufacturers seem to have different objectives.

This windswept move is aimed not only at attracting the attention of loyal customers but also at attracting new audiences. Rebranding disputes has become a powerful tool to increase their visibility beyond their existing market. Whether loved or criticised, both Jaguar and Ferrari look set to remain in the spotlight - at least for a while. After all, contemporary culture and creative expression do not respect boundaries, but on the contrary subvert them by pushing into the field of vision of the progressives. 

Ferrari can't resist jumping on the "diversity and inclusion" bandwagon 

Consumers are boycotting brands that they feel over-emphasize woke culture. Bud Light and Disney are among them (for example, Bud Light lost billions in 2023 because of an advertising campaign featuring an LGBTQ+ person). While the goals of woke culture may seem beneficial to some, the extremes have a number of negative consequences.

DEI's new worldview will reportedly include "inclusive hiring practices, "a "Gender and Diversity Empowerment Committee," and DEI training programs to create an environment of mutual respect. "However, some find it ironic that a manufacturer of luxury cars, which are out of reach for many because of their price, should want to talk about inclusion and fairness.

Jaguar advert shows men wearing dresses

A spokesperson for car manufacturer Jaguar said they are not trying to ride the "woke" wave. Rather, he said, the aim is to help Jaguar "move away from the traditional stereotypes of cars" and sell more of them. This is perhaps reflected in the latest Jaguar advertisement, which shows a man wearing a dress; other models wear brightly colored clothes. The slogans in the advert are: "erase the ordinary", "break the norm", etc. It should be noted that no cars were depicted in the advertisement. So what exactly is the 'traditional car stereotype' from which it is supposedly intended to break away can only be speculated. The video advert was popular on social media and received over 165 million views.

Rawdon Glover, CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, defended the brand relaunch and denied that the advert promoted the woke. The latter praises the campaign and says he is disappointed by social media commentators' "level of intolerance" towards the models shown in the video^[3].

"This is not a representation of our future customers," said Glover, adding that he is not looking to leave his old customers behind but wants to attract a new customer base. Nevertheless, some lay people want the ads to at least reflect the reality of most people - rather than emphasizing a minority perspective.

It is known that a Jaguar can cost between USD 50 000 and around USD 92 000; a Ferrari costs between around USD 200 000 and over USD 1.5 million for specialised or limited edition versions. So cars are not easily affordable for a family of four or for transgender people.