In a world where corporations are increasingly pandering to niche ideologies at the expense of their core audiences, Volvo has bucked the trend with a heartwarming new advertisement celebrating family values. The Swedish automaker’s latest campaign stands in stark contrast to Jaguar’s latest misstep—a bizarre, artsy commercial that doesn’t even showcase its cars and has been widely panned as another example of tone-deaf corporate wokeness.
Volvo’s ad, featuring its sleek new EX90 model, has struck a chord with viewers who are tired of being inundated with messaging that feels out of touch. The commercial tells the story of a man preparing to become a father, sharing the emotional journey with his mother as he informs her she will soon be a grandmother. Through genuine, relatable moments, Volvo highlights the beauty and challenges of family life, positioning itself as the vehicle of choice for families stepping into this new chapter.
Conservatives have praised Volvo’s approach, seeing it as a refreshing acknowledgment of what truly matters to most consumers—family, stability, and reliability. In an era when many companies are alienating their base with divisive marketing, Volvo has embraced an unapologetically pro-family message that resonates with everyday people.
Jaguar, however, appears to have completely missed the memo. The British luxury carmaker released an ad campaign titled “Copy Nothing” that features no cars at all. Instead, it showcases an array of eccentrically dressed individuals with jarring makeup and hairstyles in what critics have derided as an attempt to shock and provoke. Unsurprisingly, the ad has faced swift backlash online, with many conservatives comparing it to Bud Light’s disastrous 2023 marketing blunder that alienated much of its customer base.
Social media users lambasted Jaguar for being “out of touch,” accusing the brand of prioritizing woke virtue-signaling over appealing to its core audience. One viewer quipped that the ad seemed more like a parody than a serious marketing effort, while others questioned how a campaign that ignored the product itself could possibly succeed.
Jaguar’s managing director, Rawdon Glover, defended the ad in an interview with the *Financial Times*, dismissing critics as part of a “blaze of intolerance” on social media. He insisted the ad wasn’t intended to be “woke” and claimed it had received “very positive” feedback elsewhere. Glover explained that the campaign aimed to differentiate Jaguar from traditional automotive marketing, adding, “If we play in the same way that everybody else does, we’ll just get drowned out.”
Critics, however, argue that Jaguar’s strategy risks alienating loyal customers and tarnishing its storied brand. A former advertising executive who previously worked with the company told the *Financial Times*, “You can destroy a brand in 30 seconds that took a lifetime to build. Strong brands reinvent themselves but always remain true to the core of their DNA. For luxury brands in particular, authenticity is key, and this fails the test.”
While Volvo is gaining applause for staying grounded in timeless values, Jaguar’s strange departure from its roots has left many scratching their heads. At a time when consumers are pushing back against woke overreach, Volvo’s success serves as a clear reminder: authenticity and family-centric messaging win, while virtue-signaling only leads to backlash.
