Recovered from the original publisher: Kellogg Insight
But instead of a glow-up, the new logo caused a blow-up.
After a week of social-media attacks, news-channel coverage, and even attention from the White House, Cracker Barrel backed down, reverting to its original, folksy logo.
The episode epitomized an increasingly common nightmare for marketers: when your new rebrand or advertising campaign runs face-first into a severe online backlash.
Today’s polarized culture, coupled with the tendency for social media to reward outrage with engagement, can cause a small spark of controversy to spread like wildfire. From Bud Light’s campaign with trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney to the American Eagle Outfitters “good jeans” campaign with actress Sydney Sweeney, marketing initiatives can quickly become battlegrounds in the culture war.
But careful planning before the launch of a new brand or ad campaign can help companies avoid the worst, limit the damage, or even transform a backlash into a positive boost. Kellogg’s Timothy Calkins, a clinical professor of marketing, explains how, in an interview with Kellogg Insight.