Jaguar mixes it with boats and planes for Imagination launch

Jaguar dramatically unveiled its brand new sports saloon, the Jaguar XE, celebrating British creativity with a number of exhilarating live performances and stunts.

Global creative agency, Imagination was briefed by Jaguar to design and produce a series of innovative special events across London at iconic locations, defining another moment in the remarkable history of this brand.

Events started with an installation of the XE word cloud sculpture in ‘The Tank’ at the design museum on the 5 September. Imagination worked closely with Jaguar’s design team to hand craft these unique and contemporary pieces.

Global lifestyle and automotive media were flown into London where they attended a media briefing at the ME Hotel on the 8 September. Imagination produced a series of workshops based around the all new XE, which was then revealed to them later that evening.

The journey began with 1,000 employees, filmed from a helicopter to form an ‘XE’ shape, as the Red Arrows flew past in formation. The car was then air-lifted to London, before racing along the Thames on a high-speed landing craft, continuing its journey towards Chelsea Harbour. Imagination creatively directed this journey and worked with TVC and Inc to create a stunning reveal film that would support the launch of the car, both online and live, at the World Premiere event. The XE was finally escorted by two 1960’s Mark II Jaguar police cars into the Earls Court Arena.

The venue choice for the evening event was significant. It was where Jaguar launched their first aluminium saloon car in 1948 and it was the host of 14 Jaguar debuts since 1935. The Jaguar XE will be the last ever automotive event to be held there.

An audience of over 3,000 VIP guests, media and celebrities were treated to a star-studded evening, as Imagination took over both Earls Court One and Two, to create a vast bespoke environment for the XE reveal.

Jaguar, Imagination, Brooklyn Brothers and other supporting agencies called upon some of the best talent from the West End and Broadway to produce a 90 minute theatrical spectacle, narrated by John Hannah. The show celebrated Jaguar’s past, present and future with exhilarating performances by great British talent including Emeli Sandé, The Kaiser Chiefs, Eliza Doolittle and Max Milner from The Voice. The cast of over 100 dancers, actors, musicians and singers included West End stars, the Royal Ballet and a thirty piece Orchestra, with MD Stephen Brooker.

The showcase, streamed live on the night, brought to life significant moments in the history of Jaguar, from the launch of the SS100 in 1935 to the global success of the current Jaguar line-up, culminating in a spectacular reveal of the Jaguar XE, showing its dramatic journey from the new XE state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Solihull, UK to Earls Court.

The finale of the evening’s events was an exclusive, 45 minute performance by British singer songwriter Emeli Sandé, live from a floating stage in the middle of the Thames.

The multi-platinum star premiered a new track she had created for Jaguar, ‘Feels Like’, which has been inspired by the public through social media. Emeli Sande said: “This unique collaboration with Jaguar is even more special to have performed it live in the heart of London in a breathtaking setting.”

A crowd of 300 Jaguar customers on a nearby boat and assembled crowds were treated to a projection-mapping spectacle on County Hall that included the public’s social media insights that inspired the song. To create a truly stunning setting, landmarks including The London Eye, County Hall and Shell Building were lit red, while a series of red flares were launched along the river to turn the skyline red during the performance.

On the 9 September 2014, Imagination produced a Global Jaguar Land Rover dealer conference at Earls Court utilising the vast and versatile set from the previous evening’s performance. Jaguar Land Rover presented a line-up of future product to an audience of over 2,000 dealers.

Richard Agnew, global PR director at Jaguar said: “The Jaguar XE represents a step change for the business. Our ambition for the reveal event was to create newsworthy content to connect with a new group of customers around the world.”

Phil Popham, group marketing director at Jaguar Land Rover added: “Such a significant car for Jaguar deserved a suitably fitting world premiere here in Britain where the car is designed, engineered and manufactured.”

Ross Wheeler, head of automotive at Imagination said: “With a brief to take over London, we developed a plan to not only launch a car but transform one of the world’s biggest and brightest cities.”