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Jaguar

Why Political Science Majors Excel at Marketing

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Marketing isn’t just about selling products or services; it’s about building trust and moving people to act. As a political science major turned brand marketer, I see the connection every day. Political science is a training ground for persuasion, storytelling, and strategy — the same core skills that drive great marketing.

My years studying campaigns, court cases, and historical movements weren’t just academic. They were the foundation for understanding how to influence thought, inspire action, and create lasting impact.

A Crash Course in Persuasion

In political science, you learn how movements grow, policies shape societies, and leaders rally support. Every campaign tells a story designed to build confidence and drive action. In marketing, the same principles apply.

Political campaigns, at their core, are brand campaigns. A candidate starts with nothing but their name and an idea. Success depends on creating a message that resonates, building trust, and mobilizing people. When I studied this, it wasn’t just about watching politicians shake hands or give speeches. It was about understanding how they did it. What made a message stick? How did they earn trust? Why did people not just vote, but show up, donate, and fight for them?

Good marketing follows the same rules. It’s not about features or slogans; it’s about a story that connects on a deeper level and inspires action. Whether the goal is to win an election or launch a product, the formula remains consistent: craft a clear message, build belief, and make it impossible to ignore.

The Power of Words

Constitutional law was one of the most fascinating areas of my studies. Every word in a court opinion carries weight, setting precedent that can last for generations. Reading dissents was my favorite. They weren’t just about arguing a point. They were bold, passionate attempts to influence the future.

That same precision with language is essential in marketing. Words matter. A tagline, a product description, or a single sentence in an ad can shift how people see your brand. The ability to communicate clearly and compellingly often makes the difference between being remembered or forgotten. In marketing, as in constitutional law, it’s not just what you say — it’s how you say it and why it matters.

Propaganda as Branding

Some of the biggest propaganda movements in history weren’t just political. They were massive branding campaigns. Colors, symbols, slogans, coordinated events — all designed to create recognition and loyalty. The same tools show up in modern marketing.

Take a historic movement like the civil rights struggle, or a less savory one like World War II-era propaganda. Each had a strategy built on simplicity and clarity. They used visuals, phrases, and calls to action to create momentum and inspire people. It’s not coincidence. It’s strategy. And that’s the same playbook marketing teams use to build brands today.

Politicians as Case Studies

Let’s be real: most politicians aren’t extraordinary thinkers. What they excel at is communication. They connect with people. They build trust. They understand how to inspire action. As political science majors, we studied these traits in depth — not just as spectators, but as analysts.

Campaigns gave us a blueprint for persuasion. They taught us to look at what worked and why. It wasn’t just about analyzing speeches or ads; it was about understanding human behavior. Good marketing works the same way. It’s about testing ideas, watching what resonates, and adapting until the message clicks.

My Experience in Political Science

Studying political science taught me to think critically and act strategically. I read landmark court cases, dissected movements, and studied how governments shaped the world. It wasn’t just about theory. It was about understanding how people respond to ideas and why some messages succeed where others fail.

Marketing took those same lessons and applied them to the real world. Whether building brands, launching products, or creating campaigns, the process is familiar. Research. Test. Refine. Understand the audience. Communicate with purpose. These are not abstract skills; they are practical tools I use every day.

Giving Back Through Brand Building

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In 2025, I’m reviving one of my favorite passion projects: helping local companies build strong, memorable brands. Once each quarter, I’m dedicating time to work with a small business or entrepreneur to craft their brand story, refine their marketing strategies, and set them up for long-term success. Think of it as a mini brand incubation lab—rooted in creativity and fueled by a desire to give back.

This isn’t just about supporting local businesses (though that’s a big part of it). It’s also a chance to roll up my sleeves, dive into the creative process, and collaborate with others who want to make a real impact in their communities. If you’re someone who loves to help ideas grow and wants to contribute your skills to a meaningful project, I’d love for you to join me. The more hands on deck, the bigger difference we can make.

Who We’re Looking For:

We’re on the hunt for ideas and applications from people who could benefit from this effort. Maybe you:

  • Are launching a new product and need help building buzz.
  • Run a small shop that could use a rebrand or fresh marketing strategy.
  • Have a great idea but lack the resources to take it to the next level.

If you’re Midwest-made (bonus points for Minnesota!) and passionate about what you’re building, this could be an opportunity to incubate your vision with some professional support.

Why This Matters:

Local businesses are the heartbeat of our communities. They bring innovation, connection, and character to the places we call home. This project is my way of supporting those who have the drive but might need a little extra help with the tools and strategies to succeed.

How You Can Get Involved:

  • Business Owners: If this sounds like a good fit for you, send us your idea! We’re accepting suggestions and applications for businesses to partner with each quarter.
  • Collaborators: If you’re a creative, strategist, or just someone who wants to make a difference, let’s team up! The more diverse perspectives we bring to the table, the stronger these brands will become.

This project is a way to do meaningful work while having a little fun along the way. Let’s make 2025 a year of creativity, connection, and giving back. If you’re interested in teaming up or know someone who might benefit from this effort, drop me a line or share this post with them.

Here’s to helping great ideas take flight!

Jaguar Release Day

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Today isn’t just another day for Jaguar—it’s potentially the day. The iconic carmaker is poised at a crossroads: one path could redefine their legacy, and the other might cement the idea that they’ve missed their moment. I’ll be live-blogging the action as it unfolds, sharing the wins, the stumbles, and everything in between. Whether you’re a brand strategist, a marketing enthusiast, or just curious about how legacy brands navigate reinvention, this is the space to watch.

Buckle up—it’s going to be an interesting ride.

Launch Day – 7:42 PM CST. – My Initial Reactions

Review of the New Jaguar Launch in Miami

I’m conflicted. Jaguar’s long-awaited launch in Miami was one of those moments that made me question where this iconic brand is headed. The car itself? It’s fine. From a design perspective, it’s sleek and modern, but for a concept car, it didn’t leave me awestruck. And maybe that’s part of my problem—the car felt secondary to the event’s overblown theatrics, which were supposed to redefine Jaguar’s identity but missed the mark.

The real frustration lies in the branding and marketing surrounding this launch. It felt… off-brand. Jaguar has always been synonymous with effortless sophistication—timeless luxury wrapped in performance. But the event leaned so hard into gimmicky, buzzword-laden showmanship that it cheapened the experience. It’s as if Jaguar wanted to be everything to everyone, instead of leaning into its unique DNA.

Here’s the kicker: the person unveiling this supposedly game-changing product line wasn’t the CEO, an engineer, or a driver—it was the Creative Director. Now, don’t get me wrong, I respect the role of a CD immensely (it’s my own background, after all). Creative Directors are crucial to shaping a brand’s story, especially during a pivot. But putting them front and center for such a seismic moment felt odd—almost like Jaguar itself isn’t confident about what it’s selling.

This decision gives me an uneasy vibe, as if the brand is relying more on a creative persona than on the strength of its product. That’s dangerous ground for a company with a legacy as rich as Jaguar’s. When a product is truly innovative, it speaks for itself—you don’t need to overcompensate with fluff.

Despite my misgivings, I have to admit: the car does look good. It’s not groundbreaking, but it’s undeniably Jaguar in its design. That said, Jaguar’s future feels like it’s teetering on a tightrope between chasing trends and staying true to its core. For now, I’m left wondering whether this new direction is the evolution of a classic or just another brand trying too hard to reinvent itself.

Time will tell, but Jaguar’s next steps need to be bold and authentic. If they can find that balance, they might just reclaim their magic.

Launch Day – 7:27 PM CST.

Launch Day – 6:50 PM CST.

A message from JLR CEO –

As JLR continues to deliver a robust financial performance, our strong foundations enable us to invest for the future and progress our Reimagine strategy.​
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Today we get a glimpse of how that investment is coming to life through the reimagination of Jaguar as it embraces a new era.​
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As is expected of Jaguar, Type 00 is bold. It is original. It copies nothing.​
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The long bonnet, sweeping roofline and fastback profile are details that to me, recapture the emotion and magic that I felt when I sat behind the wheel of an E-type for the first time. It is this magic that the team is bringing to life through the dramatic reimagining of the brand and the beautiful Jaguars to come. ​
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This is Jaguar. Our original British luxury brand, unmatched in its heritage, artistry and magnetism. We hope current fans will join us on this exciting journey as we also look to inspire a new generation. I am confident it will be a British design icon.​
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Launch Day – 4:45 PM CST.

Jaguar’s Rebrand: Copy Nothing (Except What Everyone Recognizes)

Jaguar’s new rebrand boldly claims to “copy nothing,” but the execution tells a different story. Let’s start with the choice of pink for a Jaguar—a decision that feels more like an unintentional homage to the Pink Panther than a statement of originality. While pink isn’t inherently wrong for a luxury brand, it demands a razor-sharp context. For Jaguar, a name synonymous with sleek aggression and poised sophistication, the color choice comes off as cheeky at best and jarringly off-brand at worst. It’s as if they wanted to be bold but lost sight of whether the move reinforced or diluted their identity.

Copy Nothing? Really?

Jaguar’s claim to “copy nothing” is a clever tagline—but one that struggles under scrutiny. The campaign heavily borrows the shadowy, rebellious vibes of Apple’s iconic “1984” commercial, complete with the same anti-establishment undertones. The problem? Apple’s ad was groundbreaking because it positioned a product as the antidote to conformity. Jaguar is a luxury automotive brand, not a Silicon Valley disruptor. The attempt to echo Apple’s energy feels more like a borrowed costume than a natural fit for the brand’s DNA.

And let’s not overlook the elephant—or Rolls-Royce—in the room. From the refined simplicity of their design language to a certain minimalist elegance, Jaguar’s new aesthetic bears more than a passing resemblance to Rolls-Royce’s latest models. “Copy nothing” starts to sound a little ironic when the product itself seems to lean heavily on cues from a direct competitor. Imitation isn’t a bad thing when it’s done right, but it undermines the “we’re different” claim they’re staking their future on.

A Missed Opportunity

Jaguar’s heritage is a treasure trove of iconic moments, from its legendary racing success to its sleek, unmistakable designs. Yet, instead of finding a modern way to amplify that legacy, this rebrand feels scattered—trying too hard to chase trends rather than setting them. Originality doesn’t mean ignoring what came before; it means building on it in a way that only you can. Pink panthers and borrowed ideas aren’t going to cut it for a brand that should own boldness, sophistication, and timeless luxury.

It’s not too late for Jaguar to find its voice. But first, it needs to ask itself: are we chasing cool, or are we leading the pack? Right now, the answer seems unclear.

Launch Day – 4:36 PM CST.

Jaguar’s Rebrand: The Roar That’s Dividing the Room

Jaguar’s recent rebrand has sparked plenty of chatter, but not exactly the kind that fuels admiration. Responses so far can be summed up in two distinct camps:

  1. The Critics Who Aren’t Convinced
    This group, made up largely of automotive and marketing enthusiasts, isn’t buying what Jaguar is selling. Some are lamenting what feels like a departure from the brand’s iconic heritage, while others see the rebrand as missing the mark for luxury or innovation. Instead of elevating Jaguar’s image, they argue, the rebrand seems to have taken a detour into the generic.
  2. The Contrarians and Opportunists
    On the flip side, there’s a vocal segment of people defending the rebrand—not necessarily because they love it, but because they’re zigging where others are zagging. Mixed into this group are opportunists pitching themselves as problem-solvers for Jaguar’s leadership. Whether they genuinely believe in the rebrand or are angling for a shot at future projects, their enthusiasm feels more strategic than heartfelt.

While the buzz shows Jaguar is still a brand worth talking about, the lack of a unified positive response suggests this rebrand isn’t quite firing on all cylinders. For a company with Jaguar’s legacy, the stakes are high—let’s see if this rebrand’s polarizing reception leads to any course corrections or just becomes another chapter in their evolving story.

Launch Day – 1:32 PM CST.

It’s hard to tell if the photos leaked below are real or not.  Nobody from Jaguar has responded.  Quite frankly, they look like bad models from a 1990’s computer game.  If this is what Jaguar has really released, they need to evaluate what business they are in.  As a car person, who ran a car company, this is absolute garbage.  I say that with the deepest respect and hope that it’s just meant to generate buzz.  Bad buzz is not good buzz, no matter what anyone says.

Here’s the most recent concept car releases on cochespias.net:

Launch Day – 10:25 AM CST.

Jaguar is set to unveil its Design Vision Concept today at Miami Art Week, marking a significant step in its transformation into an all-electric luxury brand. This concept car previews a four-door grand tourer, the first in Jaguar’s new lineup, expected to offer over 400 miles of range and priced around £130,000.

Auto Express

The rebranding has sparked controversy, with critics labeling it as ‘woke’ due to promotional materials featuring androgynous models and a new logo design. Jaguar’s managing director, Rawdon Glover, defends the strategy, emphasizing the need to distinguish Jaguar from traditional automotive brands and attract a wealthier customer base.

New York Post

Leaked images of the Design Vision Concept reveal a bold pink exterior, stirring further debate among enthusiasts and industry experts.  We’re not sure if these are real.  We hope not.  It’s really bad rendering if it is.

Wired

The official reveal is scheduled for 8:00 PM EST, where more details about Jaguar’s future direction are anticipated.

Twitter Conversations

Audio Podcast Updates

Sneak Preview Week

We took Jaguar’s reimagined ad and reimagined it ourselves—not to outshine their creative team, but to explore what might resonate more with their audience. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, not because we crafted something extraordinary, but because it seems people are craving something different than what Jaguar delivered. It’s less about our execution and more about the underlying hunger for a message that feels authentic, connected, and less polarizing than their current direction.

Read My Original Critique

 

Re-Imagined Campaign

I spent a couple hours on the launch day fuming.  So rather than just hate on what Jaguar had released, I did some re-imaginging myself.  It’s not perfect, but it cost $50 million less and was done in about 4 hours.

View My Re-Imagination

 

Final Thoughts

As the day wraps up, one thing will be clear: Jaguar’s rebrand and unveiling will have sparked a storm of reactions—some celebrating bold moves, others questioning their choices. Whether you see this as a step into the future or a stumble into confusion, it’s undeniable that Jaguar has captured attention.

For a legacy brand navigating reinvention, the road is never smooth. Today has shown us the power of perception, the weight of legacy, and the high stakes of daring to do something different. Time will tell if this marks the beginning of a new golden era for Jaguar or a lesson in what not to do.

Thanks for joining me on this journey. If nothing else, it’s been an exhilarating ride—just like a Jaguar should be.