Happy Labor Day!
Newsletter #86
This Week:
Cracker Barrel’s Rebrand-Then-Reverse Maneuver
ICYMI: Lessons from Meghan Markle’s Brand Launch
Spotted
Before We Go…
1. Rebrand Regrets: What Cracker Barrel and Jaguar Teach Us About Change
You know the phrase, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it?” That old adage could have saved restaurant chain Cracker Barrel a world of trouble when it revealed plans to modernize its brand with a new logo and remodeled locations.
Cracker Barrel is known for its folksy feel and nostalgic décor. A little cheesy, yes, but intentionally so. But the new CEO, Julie Felss Masino, told investors that Cracker Barrel’s customer traffic had fallen 16% from pre-pandemic levels and admitted the brand was losing relevance, saying, “we are not leading in any area. We will change that.”
And change they did.
2. ICYMI: Lessons from Meghan Markle’s Lifestyle Brand Launch
Earlier this year, Meghan Markle relaunched her brand, changing the name of “America Riviera Orchard” to “As Ever.” Along the way, she ran into some name and logo obstacles.
We thought revisiting this article was timely in the face of Cracker Barrel’s logo woes. Here’s how some comprehensive research in advance of a launch can save you time (and embarrassment).
3. Spotted
While visiting Omaha’s Archetype Coffee, we spotted this mug declaring them the home of the fourth-best barista in the world.
Barista Isaiah Sheese placed fourth in the World Barista Championship in 2023.
The mug is a fun, clever (and true!) twist on traditional “World’s Best” mugs, while also showcasing the coffee shop’s in-house expertise. Smart!
4. Before We Go…
From The Guardian: Reading for fun in the U.S. has fallen by 40%, new study says.
“Researchers at the University of Florida and University College London have found that between 2003 and 2023, daily reading for reasons other than work and study fell by about 3% each year.”
From NPR: Brands are loving Taylor Swift’s engagement. Do they need to calm down?
As bona fide Swifities, we vehemently say “no.” But as communications strategists, we agree with some of the points in the article – that for many brands, there’s no real alignment warranting a celebration of the happy couple.
But from the other side of the coin (and because we simply can’t resist), here are some great brand responses to the news.
From Marketing Brew: Ads are loud, flashy, and in-your-face. Except these ones.
A new trend in marketing is helping brands stand out by doing…nothing. They’re breaking through the noise by making none and giving their customers a moment of respite. (We wrote about how Calm did this on election night back in November.)
Know someone working on a rebrand? Send ‘em our way to save them a future headache.