The Cracker Barrel Re-Branding Saga

There’s been a lot of controversy surrounding the Cracker Barrel re-brand this week. The majority of folks actually hated the re-brand; the updated interior, the slimmed down menu and the simpler logo….without “Uncle Hershel.” They actually hated it. To me, the work looked good, so where did the agency (or in this case agencies) go wrong?

In March, Cracker Barrel hired three new agencies, after dumping their longtime marketing agency. Mistake #1. Would you hire three different law firms or three different accounting firms or three different interior decorators? No, of course not. 

I’ve always tried to break down complicated subjects into basic, understandable concepts. There are only three types of Brands; 1) Brands you know and love. 2) Brands you know and don’t love. 3) Brands you’ve never heard of. 

Mistake #2. Re-branding is for #2 and #3 brands. Never for #1.

Cracker Barrel is a brand that everyone knows and loves. So why change it drastically? Re-branding is the last resort for a company that has lost its way, ticked off everyone and will go out of business unless it makes DRASTIC changes to its reputation. That’s why Comcast is now Xfinity. When a well respected and well-loved brand is rebranded, all hell breaks loose. Look no further than the fateful tale of New Coke, launched in 1985.

Nostalgia is one of the most powerful brand drivers you can possess. It creates strong, positive emotional connections with consumers, making them feel safe, comforted, and connected to a simpler, happier past. Mistake #3. You cannot modernize a brand built entirely on nostalgia. 

Customer feedback in social media comments was relentless. The media was scrutinizing the rebrand. Industry experts said it was a flop. Competitors, like Steak n’ Shake, waded into the controversy,“This is what happens when you have a board that does not respect their historical customers or their brand.” 

Cracker Barrel’s Chief Marketing Officer responded, “There may be a vocal minority who feel differently.” Mistake #4. You have to listen to your customers, not dismiss them.

In the end Cracker Barrel did an “about face” this week and brought the old logo back, just like Coca-Cola did in 1985. However Cracker Barrel deserves credit, because it only took them a week, not 79 days, to rectify the mistake.

#BoldBrandsWin