Cracker Barrel cracks under the pressure: how can companies rebrand successfully?
Cracker Barrel said late Tuesday it’s returning to its old logo after critics — including President Donald Trump — protested the company’s plan to modernize. In a post on its website, Cracker Barrel said it will retain its old logo, which features an older man in overalls sitting next to a barrel and the words “Old Country Store.” “We thank our guests for sharing your voices and love for Cracker Barrel,” the company said in a statement. “Our new logo is going away and our ‘Old Timer’ will remain.” The tempest over the logo began last week, when the company announced plans for a simplified design featuring only the company’s name. Lebanon, Tennessee-based Cracker Barrel, which has 660 restaurants in 43 states, made the change as part of a wider plan to modernize its restaurants and appeal to younger customers. The chain’s sales have been slipping as it faces growing competition from breakfast chains and others. In its 2024 fiscal year, Cracker Barrel’s same-store sales, or sales at locations open at least a year, dropped 0.1% despite a 4.9% increase in menu prices. Same-store retail sales at its shops fell 5.5%. So why did Cracker Barrel’s logo change cause such a stir with its customers?
Today on AirTalk, we discuss how companies toe the line of updating branding for the modern age without isolating their loyal customer base. Joining us is Americus Reed II, professor of marketing at the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business.
With files from the Associated Press
No wife? No woman? No problem. Why some men are choosing to be single dads by choice
Mothers by choice is both a growing term and cohort these days meant to refer to women who decide to pursue parenthood independently, often through adoption, surrogacy, or assisted reproductive technology without a partner. But what about single dads by choice? Who are they and why have they decided to take on parenthood solo? Atlantic staff writer Faith Hill explores the rise, if marginal, of single dads by choice in her latest article “The Growing Cohort of Single Dads by Choice.” She joins us today on AirTalk to talk about the trend.
A new book makes the case for low-tech heat abatement in the form of shade
When we have a heatwave here in Southern California, many of us turn to our old, reliable air conditioners to keep us cool. But as residents of the Golden State know all too well, the California electrical grid strains — and occasionally breaks — under the immense energy demand needed to keep us all at a comfortable temperature. A new book out now makes the case that as the world heats up, we should be looking towards more low-tech cooling solutions, chiefly the shade that trees naturally provide. Today on AirTalk, Sam Bloch, environmental journalist and the author of Shade: The Promise of a Forgotten Natural Resource, joins the program to talk about his book, and how he thinks we can all keep cool.
Taylor Swift is engaged — why do we all care so much?
It’s a love story, and baby, she said yes: Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce are engaged, they announced Tuesday. In a five-photo joint post on Instagram, the superstar singer and football player revealed their engagement, the fairytale culmination of a courtship that for two years has thrilled and fascinated millions around the world, but especially Swifties, the pop star’s enormous and ardent fan base.
“Your English teacher and your gym teacher are getting married,” the caption read, accompanied by an emoji of a dynamite stick. Given the fact that this relationship has taken a life of its own, we want to understand what’s caused this to become so popular. Joining us for this conversation is Mikael Wood, pop music critic for the Los Angeles Times, and Yusra Farzan, LAist Orange County reporter and resident Swiftie. Join the conversation: Why do you think people have grown to care so much about this relationship?
With files from the Associated Press
Tea App: What it is, what its leaks mean for digital privacy, and the rise of “whisper networks”
Last month, the Tea app took social media by storm, becoming one of the most popular applications and serving as the catalyst for polarizing conversations tied to dating. The app’s expressed intention was to be a place where women could share information about men, ranging from background checks to reverse image searches, with the idea of making dating men in general safer. What’s been described as an online whisper network, the app’s publicity was then followed by 3 data leaks. The leaks themselves led to many users having private information doxxed. Today on AirTalk, we’ll dig into the app’s history, as well as the social and legal questions surrounding it. Joining us is 404 Media journalist Emanuel Maiberg, Northwestern law professor Matthew Kugler, and Carrie Ann Johnson, assistant professor in Women's and Gender Studies at Iowa State University.
