Us branding nerds have been following the shocking story of Cracker Barrel’s unfortunate branding fail. Have you?
Any change sparks resistance—when the Philadelphia Flyers introduced Gritty everyone hated him, now he’s beloved. But too often leaders want rebrand to fix operational issues yet treat it as design project. That’s like painting a house while ignoring leaking pipes. From what I’ve read, Cracker Barrel had slipping sales and decided to focus on attracting young people. JCPenney tried the same and failed. And it cost millions.
The mistake I see often is chasing “more” and “younger” without understanding the core audience. In trying to appeal broadly, brands flatten into mediocrity. That’s where brand dies. If I were their brand director, I’d start with their lovers—understanding what they value in life, not just the store. Then I’d look to likers (similar but less zealous) and find new groups who share those same values rather than chasing outliers.
Of course, their old lovers may be a shrinking audience—aging, eating out less post-pandemic, or facing tighter budgets. Cracker Barrel was right to recognize they needed change—hopefully they’ll dig deeper into who their next lovers could be and build something they value.
Just my thoughts. Add yours here!
