If there’s one thing marketers can learn from global companies at the end of 2024, it’s that taking risks can be critical to growth.

Coca-Cola Updates Historic Ads

Coca-Cola took a gamble this holiday season by updating its 1995 ads known as “Holidays Are Coming” using generative AI software. The original 1995 ads feature a fleet of holiday-lights-adorned semitrucks with Coca-Cola emblazoned on their sides driving into town. As the cavalcade rolls by, it turns Christmas lights on along the way, spreading cheer – and soft drinks – to townspeople.

At first glance, the ads were well received by industry professionals and audiences alike. Coca-Cola earned accolades for pushing the limits of several relatively new AI programs. On second glance, however, the criticisms started rolling in along with the semitrucks. Closer inspection of the commercials showed the limits of the AI programs. The trucks don’t match. All of the wheels don’t turn in unison, if at all. Drivers appear and disappear.

The question is: why did Coca-Cola marketers decide to risk their reputation for highly perfected commercials with technology that apparently wasn’t ready for prime time yet?

In our opinion, Coca-Cola used AI to once again assert itself as a marketing leader. AI is no longer a debate, it’s the future. And Coca-Cola showed that it is taking the lead in mastering this new technology. As a pioneer in applying AI, the company’s immediate results won’t be perfect but they will provide a blueprint for how the world’s top soft drink brand can get there. We applaud Coca-Cola’s efforts and urge other communications and advertising professionals to learn about applying AI in their work.

Jaguar’s Rebrand

Rebranding a product or company is fraught with challenges. Those challenges are magnified when the product is as iconic as the Jaguar sports car. On November 18, 2024, Jaguar’s marketing team took on those challenges when it unveiled a new brand. In their own words:

“A new era begins today for Jaguar. A completely transformed Jaguar brand recaptures an ethos to Copy Nothing that can trace its roots back to the words of its founder, Sir William Lyons.”

The good news is the unveiling received a lot of media coverage and public engagement. As the company desired, the rebrand stirred debate and captured the attention of new audiences, including people who never intend to buy a high-end luxury car. Many looked at Jaguar’s unveiling of its new car design just to see what all the fuss is about.

The bad news is most of the media attention was negative. Critics universally panned the launch, which took attention away from the redesign of the car itself.

But is the negative media attention a defeat or a win for the brand? Some would argue the unveiling achieved its goal. The fact of the matter is Jaguar has been a dying brand for some time. It consistently lost significant year-over-year sales and market share for at least the last four years. Now, everyone is talking about them for the first time in a long time, even if it is negative. One could argue that defeat would have been if no one took notice at all.

Strategically, the idea of rebranding Jaguar makes perfect sense. It’s an old company in a new world. Despite its significant, annual loss of market share, Jaguar decided to embrace the new world by delivering 100% electric vehicles in 2026. To win market share again and create an all-electric product line requires rebranding.

Unfortunately, the unveiling provided fodder for picking the brand apart. In defense of the Jaguar creative team, “copy nothing” is a tough ethos to live up to. While the rebrand’s introductory video got attention, it failed because it copied what was original back in the 1970s and 1980s. In it, models wear outfits that look like every art school’s graduate designer fashion showcase – daring but not new. It features androgynous looks like the ones David Bowie broke ground with in the 1970s and Grace Jones and Boy George in the 1980s. On top of that are an Andy Warhol look-a-like disturbingly painting in circles and a bit of homage to Apple’s 1984 ad that introduced the Macintosh computer. It ends with a 1980s Star Wars-like desert scene. Selling the concept of “copy nothing” when you “copy everything” misses the mark. And there are no images of cars or customers. As a result, the introductory video leaves the audience asking what are they selling, who are they selling it to, and why are we watching this?

Fortunately, the social media posts that followed do focus on the car and Jaguar’s target markets. The redesigned car looks rich and impressive. And Jaguar is targeting the ultra-rich market, not just the highly affluent buyer. Despite everything, the company has captured attention through its brand relaunch: people are talking about the new branding. But will the wealthy respond and buy into it? That remains to be seen.

In our opinion, the controversy around Jaguar’s rebranding has drawn attention to the company for the first time in years. That alone should be considered a win.

Let us know your thoughts about both Coca-Cola and Jaguar. Write to takeoff@verticalincorporated.com and weigh in.