Jaguar Land Rover’s chief designer Gerry McGovern has been dismissed following the automaker’s failed rebrand that coincided with a reported 98% drop in sales.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has terminated Chief Creative Officer Gerry McGovern, the designer responsible for the company’s widely criticized rebranding campaign, according to The Telegraph. McGovern was reportedly informed of his dismissal on Monday and escorted from the company’s headquarters shortly thereafter.
McGovern’s departure ends his 21-year tenure at JLR. The move follows a radical overhaul of the Jaguar brand that sought to reposition the automaker as a high-end, fashion-forward marque targeting ultra-wealthy consumers. The campaign replaced Jaguar’s traditional luxury image with an avant-garde aesthetic that critics called alienating to the company’s core customer base.
The “Type 00” concept car, unveiled last December at an international art show, featured a futuristic electric design with bright pink and blue tones. An accompanying advertisement showcased androgynous models but no vehicles — a choice that drew backlash for prioritizing style messaging over automotive substance. Public figures including Nigel Farage and President Donald Trump were among those who denounced the ad as “too woke.”
Industry commentators and social media users linked the brand’s dramatic sales decline to the campaign’s direction. One viral post read, “The person responsible for Jaguar going woke was fired today and escorted from the building,” adding, “Jaguar sales plummeted and its reputation along with it after the new campaign was launched last year.”
Top Gear confirmed McGovern’s exit, noting he was the creative force behind the polarizing Type 00 project.
The company has not yet commented publicly on McGovern’s dismissal or announced who will assume leadership of Jaguar’s design team.
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