Of Course, the Cracker Barrel Logo "Backlash" Was Planned ... And It Worked Perfectly

Cracker Barrel announced they were ditching their old logo for a forgettable generic new one. The news got people to pay attention. Lots of them condemned the switch. Then predictably a few weeks later, they backtracked and brought back the old logo. I suspect that was always the plan. Here's the one headline that should tell you everything you need to know about the ideal outcome of this strategy.

The Washington Post ran an article with this headline: "Cracker Barrel is trying to modernize. Bless its heart. Everyone's mad at the old chain, but what is eating at one actually like in 2025?" And then the journalist goes on to visit, talks about his own nostalgia for the restaurant and even raves about their revamped menu. There is no way the restaurant brand could have pitched for such a rave review in a top-tier media publication which likely will get people to come and try it for themselves ... but their temporary logo switch made it happen.

The brand is relevant again, and people are talking about it and visiting. The PR playbook for this strategy is simple:

• Identify a brand that is facing irrelevance.
• Change the logo to something boring and forgettable.
• Encourage the stories of "outrage" at the switch.
• Use the stories to demonstrate how much people care.
• Switch the logo back because you're listening to your fans.
• Enjoy your newfound brand relevance.

This whole story strikes me as a great PR strategy executed perfectly. If anyone deserves credit (and a raise), it's the PR team behind this whole thing.