Do you remember the Cracker Barrel outrage when they tried to evolve their brand? It was their first logo update in nearly 50 years. They rolled out a cleaner, text-only look and dropped the iconic “Old Timer.”
There was a lot of customer outrage, right? That’s what it looked like at first. It looked like a typical wave of customer grumblings hitting social media; people didn’t like the change and were vocal about it. But the truth? Something else was driving the conversation.
Now, let’s first get something out of the way: there were a lot of things that could have been done better by the Cracker Barrel leadership in changing a brand that people have an emotional attachment to but the actual number of real people that were upset is less than we thought.
Evaluation of the crisis revealed something important to every business in the area of AI: a big chunk of the early backlash came from bots, not real customers. Automated accounts cranked up the criticism, making it seem louder, faster, and more widespread than it really was. Once that momentum built, real people — including some high-profile voices — jumped in, and the story snowballed.
Within days, the narrative shifted from “new logo” to “Cracker Barrel is abandoning its roots.” Under the pressure, the company pulled the new logo and brought back the classic version.
The bigger lesson isn’t just about branding. It’s about perception at scale. Bots don’t just create noise; they can shape the story. They can turn a routine update into a reputational headache before leaders even realize what’s happening.
As mentioned earlier, there are “things” that Cracker Barrel should have done before upending their brand. One in particular should be done by anyone before launching a change — and especially before reversing one — leaders should pause for a values check:
- Is our action/reaction inline with our values ?
- Who are we really serving: our core customers, or the loudest voices online?
- Does this decision align with our long-term direction, or are we reacting out of fear?
Doing a simple values exercise ahead of time creates a decision making filter. When backlash appears, you’re not scrambling to define your position in real time. You already know where you stand, which reactions deserve attention, and which don’t. Without that clarity, bots and bad-faith actors can effectively steer the ship — not because they’re right, but because no one has anchored the response.
Takeaways for leaders:
- Volume ≠ sentiment: Just because something looks loud online doesn’t mean it reflects real customers
- Early reactions matter: Once automated outrage sets the tone, it’s tough to reset the conversation
- Crisis planning now includes “bot spotting”: Monitoring chatter isn’t enough. You need to know who’s driving it.
- Plan for what happens after launch. A “crisis” isn’t the backlash itself … it’s being unprepared for it.
This wasn’t just a logo misstep or a story about a restaurant. It’s a clear example of how automated voices can influence perception and how it can snowball, and why leaders need to be ready for that reality.
A quote from the immensely quotable Dr. Seuss: “Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.”
Here are a few thought starters you can discuss at your next team meeting to help your leaders and team see how your business would handle this situation:
- How does your organization differentiate authentic feedback from noise?
- Would you adjust your response if criticism came from bots vs. genuine stakeholders?
- What frameworks do you have to assess brand risk before it reaches crisis levels?
Kith facilitates crisis preparedness workshops that will help your company attain the clarity, trust, and strategic speed you need to respond confidently – no dithering! – to any crisis. We’d be happy to have a conversation about how we can help your company be ready to chart an effective course to reputation protection.
Looking for more fresh insights? Crisis of the Month is a no-fluff Substack that breaks down real-world crises and what they teach us about leadership, communication, and damage control. Whether you’re in comms, ops, or just crisis-curious, this is your monthly guide to what went wrong — and how to do it better. Sign up today!
