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Cracker Barrel partnered with three completely different advertising businesses on its controversial rebranding, in keeping with a March 2025 press launch.
In keeping with the discharge on Cracker Barrel’s web site, the corporate introduced on advertising and PR corporations Viral Nation, Prophet and Blue Engine as a part of what it known as a “daring strategic transformation to revitalize its iconic American restaurant model.”
It’s unclear how a lot affect every agency had on the rebranding — or which, if any, was liable for the closely criticized new emblem. A model of the discharge additionally seems on Viral Nation’s web site.
“Cracker Barrel Outdated Nation Retailer, Inc. introduced it has appointed industry-leading businesses to assist its model refresh, an necessary milestone in Cracker Barrel’s journey to strengthen its reference to each loyal and new friends,” the press launch mentioned.
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Cracker Barrel labored with a number of corporations on its rebrand. (iStock / iStock)
Cracker Barrel confronted intense shopper backlash after unveiling a brand new emblem and redesigned shops that longtime followers mentioned undermined what they cherished most concerning the model. The chain’s eating places have been lengthy recognized for a kitschy Americana really feel. Against this, the brand new design was broadly panned as drab and soulless.
The brand new emblem sparked a social media uproar after Cracker Barrel unveiled a scaled-down model that eliminated the longtime picture of an aged man leaning on a barrel.
“The model refresh, which is at the moment underway, contains visible components, reimagined restaurant areas, and modern meals and retail choices – all whereas honoring the genuine hospitality and heat that retains friends falling in love with the model,” the press launch mentioned.
The discharge additionally famous that Viral Nation was liable for crafting a social media marketing campaign for Cracker Barrel.
“The company will develop end-to-end social media advertising options; curate, launch, and create modern, high-volume content material to resonate with new, socially-native audiences whereas sustaining engagement with Cracker Barrel’s core viewers. This partnership will gasoline the Firm’s development objectives, increasing its digital presence and evolving the model’s positioning inside tradition,” the press launch mentioned.
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Cracker Barrel’s emblem change elicited a fierce social media outcry. (Cracker Barrel / Fox Information)
Viral Nation beforehand partnered with Bud Mild on its thirty fifth Summer season Celebration in Los Angeles, a marketing campaign that focused California’s Hispanic neighborhood and generated 11.5 million impressions on social media, in keeping with the agency’s web site.
“With distinguished Latinx influencers like Solace Rose and Oscar Miranda selling the Californian connection of America’s best-selling brew, we re-established significant connections between Bud Mild and the Hispanic neighborhood,” Viral Nation’s webpage mentioned.
Viral Nation additionally printed a Satisfaction advertising information advising manufacturers on tips on how to keep away from “company rainbow washing.” Fox Information Digital discovered no proof that the agency was concerned in Cracker Barrel’s previous Satisfaction efforts — together with a 2024 Nashville Satisfaction sponsorship and rainbow-colored rocking chairs — and the corporate didn’t return Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
“Rainbow washing happens when a model adorns its merchandise, social media accounts, or promotional supplies with rainbow colours or symbols, typically throughout Satisfaction occasions, with out substantiating its assist for the LGBTQIA+ neighborhood in any deeper manner,” the information mentioned.
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Clients have been additionally dismayed by Cracker Barrel’s retailer redesigns. (Gregory Walton/AFP by way of Getty Pictures / Getty Pictures)
Prophet was tapped to revamp Cracker Barrel’s restaurant and lead a model advertising marketing campaign, the press launch mentioned.
“In collaboration with Cracker Barrel, they’re targeted on shaping a brand new model imaginative and prescient that may improve market share whereas preserving the Firm’s distinctive heritage. This new technique will inform model communication, restaurant redesigns, model advertising campaigns and a redefined worker worth proposition,” it acknowledged.
Prophet CEO Michael Dunn pledged $4 million for the agency’s DEI initiatives in 2020. The corporate mentioned on the time it will “herald Black workforce members throughout each stage of the agency,” rent a DEI-specific recruiter and supply $4 million in professional bono work to social justice organizations, in keeping with a 2020 weblog publish.
Fox Information Digital discovered no proof that Prophet’s DEI commitments have been linked to Cracker Barrel’s rebranding. Prophet didn’t reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
Blue Engine — which lists Burger King, Ketle One and Planet Health as shoppers — was tapped to deal with company communications, in keeping with the press launch. Its web site doesn’t record Cracker Barrel as a shopper.
Blue Engine did not reply to a request for remark.
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Cracker Barrel didn’t reply to Fox Information Digital’s request for remark.
