Strategy before fonts.

Did you see the uproar about the new Jaguar logo?

People weren’t just angry about a font, they were reacting to a disconnect.

The new design didn’t reflect the brand they’ve known for decades—the power, the elegance, the history. It didn't feel like their Jaguar.

And look, brands have to evolve. Jaguar is moving to an all-electric future, and their look should modernize to reflect that. When I worked with Lexus, their DNA was reflected in the tagline ‘the pursuit of perfection’. This wasn't just a made up slogan but truly reflected their culture of ceaseless improvement and innovation. Their brand diminished when they moved away from this and lost sight of their key differentiator. 

But if evolving means stripping away all the well-earned heritage, what is a brand left with?

It’s a perfect lesson in what a brand really is. It’s not the logo or the colors. It’s the gut feeling people have about you. It’s your DNA.

When a design doesn’t honor that DNA, it feels fake and a bit meaningless. It breaks trust.

That’s why strategy has to come first. It’s the hard work of answering the big questions: Who are we at our core? What do we stand for? Where does this evolution come from? 

Only then can you create something that feels both new and true.