Some ideas are well-intentioned but don't pan out the way they were expected to. Maybe that explains what went so badly haywire a few months back when Cracker Barrel ditched its familiar iconic logo. It featured an older gent typically referred to as "Old Timer." It represented traditional, welcoming Americana.
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What was substituted in its place was a pared-down logo totally without the same homey feel. Customers rebelled against the blandness. They did not like it at all and they spoke up. Now, Cracker Barrel CEO Julie Masimo is talking about how intense and excruciating the fallout was, especially for her.
CEO Julie Masino Was a Guest on Glenn Beck's Podcast
Cracker Barrel rolled out the new logo in August. When the public reaction was overwhelmingly negative, the chain brought back the popular former iteration. Unfortunately, however, the damage was already done. The brand took a big hit for its major corporate misstep.
Julie Masino appeared on The Glenn Beck Podcast on November 20. She talked candidly about the logo debacle and her role in it. Per Parade via The Glenn Beck Podcast, Beck questioned her about whether she anticipated being let go after the disastrous uproar. Masino acknowledged, "I feel like I've been fired by America."
She Cares Deeply About Cracker Barrel and Its Image
Masino said, "It's hard because, again, all I've wanted to do was help people love this brand the way I love this brand. This brand deserves to have another 50, 60 years in front of it. We're trying to set it up for the future...the feeling that you get here is so special. It's so unique."
Masino Was Honest About What a Mistake It Was To Tamper With the Logo
She didn't minimize the extent of the public backlash. Per the outlet, Masino said, "Look, our guests have a right to be upset...we messed up. The intent was not ideological; it was not to put the old version of Cracker Barrel in a box."
The exec explained the rationale behind the updated logo. "The logo was one piece of a system. The Old Timer was never going anywhere." Nevertheless, customers believed Cracker Barrel "had 'taken them out of it and that we weren't valuing what they valued.'"
The Company Listened to Its Detractors
Masino apologized. "We are so sorry for the misunderstanding. I regret it. I don't want people to be mad at us. My job is to make people love Cracker Barrel."
