An old-fashioned restaurant known for serving country-fried steak and chicken n\u2019 dumplins on the side of America\u2019s highways has become the latest flash point in the country\u2019s political divide \u2014 and a fresh opportunity for the US president to assert his power over corporate America.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cracker Barrel, a restaurant chain founded in Tennessee in 1969, is known for Southern-style comfort food, a knick-knack market and rocking chairs out front. In 2004 the justice department accused it of racial segregation and discrimination in its restaurants, claims the group denied. <\/p>\n
In recent months brands that are little known outside the US have experienced a fierce backlash over rebrands or adverts, with Donald Trump and his allies often weighing in, amplifying social media uproar that has roiled share prices and drawn in Hollywood stars.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n
Cracker Barrel ignited a firestorm when it simplified its logo on August 19, ditching \u201cOld Timer\u201d, an elderly man leaning against a barrel who has long been part of its lore, in favour of a streamlined design. <\/p>\n
Cracker Barrel\u2019s new logo sparks controversy<\/h3>\n\nOld<\/h5>\n<\/picture><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\nnew<\/h5>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2F5aba574d-66d8-4d27-ac38-fb3fcafdc12d.png?source=next-article&fit=scale-down&quality=highest&width=700&dpr=1\")
<\/picture><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe logo tweak brought a debate that had simmered in recent years over a move to offer a more inclusive culture \u2014 including an effort focused on supporting the LGBTQ+ community \u2014 to the fore. <\/p>\n
Actor James Woods told 4.9mn followers on X last week that Cracker Barrel\u2019s LGBTQ+ efforts were a \u201ccancer rotting the soul of a cherished restaurant\u201d. Rightwing activist Christopher Rufo vowed<\/a> he would \u201cbreak the Barrel\u201d to thwart any risk of \u201cwokification\u201d. Florida Congressman Byron Donalds wrote<\/a> that he gave his life \u201cto Christ in their parking lot\u201d. <\/p>\nDonald Trump Jr simply posted: \u201cWTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel??!\u201d. <\/p>\n
The backlash reflects a divided America and a deeply-fractured media ecosystem that the US president has leaned into. After weeks of anger and Fox News segments about the rebrand, President Trump on Tuesday urged Cracker Barrel to reverse course. <\/p>\n
Within hours Cracker Barrel \u2014 which is valued at $1.4bn on the stock market \u2014 complied, stating \u201cwe said we would listen, and we have\u201d. Its stock rose 8 per cent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Brian Wieser, an advertising consultant and former WPP executive, compared the current moment to \u201c1970s Quebec or Ireland during the Troubles\u201d, when brands studiously avoided political controversy.<\/p>\n
In both of those cases, \u201cbasically every brand stayed away from it, absolutely did not want to touch it. It was: \u2018whatever you say, say nothing\u2019\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\n\n![\"Entrance](\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2Feee2699f-1aba-477f-a30a-9345ac3658cc.jpg?source=next-article&fit=scale-down&quality=highest&width=700&dpr=1\")
<\/picture>Cracker Barrel is known for rocking chairs out front\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009<\/span> <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n![\"Customers](\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2F6dda71e6-d6e8-4af0-8da7-0d4a3d46a251.jpg?source=next-article&fit=scale-down&quality=highest&width=700&dpr=1\")
<\/picture>and a knick-knack market inside as well as Southern-style comfort food<\/span> \u00a9 Gregory Walton\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHowever social media has drastically changed the media landscape, allowing ordinary people to hijack brand messaging, he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cMarketers back then had complete control over their brands\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009but in this era, due to social media, individuals can commandeer the brand. This scenario can happen where your brand can be potentially destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cracker Barrel saga follows a controversy earlier this year around teen retailer American Eagle after it ran an advertisement with Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney touting her \u201cgood jeans\u201d. <\/p>\n
Some liberal voices criticised the ad for glorifying blonde-haired, blue-eyed ideals. Conservatives then attacked the left for \u201cwokeism\u201d, escalating the issue for weeks via Fox News, with President Trump weighing in to say American Eagle \u201chas the \u2018HOTTEST\u2019 ad out there.\u201d <\/p>\n
In another similar incident, Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2023 suffered a steep drop in sales of Bud Light after it collaborated with a transgender influencer, triggering a furious reaction from some conservatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe takeaway for the companies is that there are a group of people: customers, regulators, the whole gamut on both the right and left that increasingly see things in political terms,\u201d said Jill Fisch, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Wharton School. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve seen an environment that\u2019s as politically charged before [in the US].\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Billboards](\"https:\/\/www.ft.com\/__origami\/service\/image\/v2\/images\/raw\/https%3A%2F%2Fd1e00ek4ebabms.cloudfront.net%2Fproduction%2F07e93af1-d11c-4948-b4da-8c5cecf78c50.jpg?source=next-article&fit=scale-down&quality=highest&width=700&dpr=1\")
<\/picture>American Eagle\u2019s ad campaign touting Sydney Sweeney\u2019s \u2018good jeans\u2019 sparked criticism from some liberal voices, but was also praised by Donald Trump<\/span> \u00a9 Michael M Santiago\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIn Cracker Barrel\u2019s case, the logo change was part of a years-long effort to turn around the company\u2019s fortunes. <\/p>\n
Chief executive Julie Masino, who was appointed in 2023, has been pushing to modernise the company as its sales have struggled in recent years, forcing the group to close hundreds of locations. \u201cWe\u2019re just not as relevant as we once were,\u201d Masino said last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In recent years the company has backed Pride celebrations and revamped its restaurants, replacing ornate colonial furniture with brighter lighting and more modern interiors. People who did not appear politically motivated were upset by the overhaul of the restaurants, posting on social media in recent months that the new look was bland.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As recently as last week, Masino had gone on Good Morning America<\/em> stating that the logo change was \u201cworking\u201d. \u201cThe feedback\u2019s been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we\u2019re doing,\u201d she said. \u201cThe buzz is so good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\nBut the abrupt reversal underscores the tightrope US companies now walk in a hyper-partisan America. <\/p>\n
Fox News host Jesse Watters captured the sentiment on Tuesday: \u201cYou just have to keep your audience happy with what they\u2019re used to,\u201d he told viewers. \u201cThat\u2019s why people will be watching Fox until they die.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An old-fashioned restaurant known for serving country-fried steak and chicken n\u2019 dumplins on the side of America\u2019s highways…\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":35454,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-us","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=35453"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35453\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/35454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=35453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=35453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=35453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
Old<\/h5>\n<\/picture><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\nnew<\/h5>\n<\/picture><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe logo tweak brought a debate that had simmered in recent years over a move to offer a more inclusive culture \u2014 including an effort focused on supporting the LGBTQ+ community \u2014 to the fore. <\/p>\n
Actor James Woods told 4.9mn followers on X last week that Cracker Barrel\u2019s LGBTQ+ efforts were a \u201ccancer rotting the soul of a cherished restaurant\u201d. Rightwing activist Christopher Rufo vowed<\/a> he would \u201cbreak the Barrel\u201d to thwart any risk of \u201cwokification\u201d. Florida Congressman Byron Donalds wrote<\/a> that he gave his life \u201cto Christ in their parking lot\u201d. <\/p>\nDonald Trump Jr simply posted: \u201cWTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel??!\u201d. <\/p>\n
The backlash reflects a divided America and a deeply-fractured media ecosystem that the US president has leaned into. After weeks of anger and Fox News segments about the rebrand, President Trump on Tuesday urged Cracker Barrel to reverse course. <\/p>\n
Within hours Cracker Barrel \u2014 which is valued at $1.4bn on the stock market \u2014 complied, stating \u201cwe said we would listen, and we have\u201d. Its stock rose 8 per cent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Brian Wieser, an advertising consultant and former WPP executive, compared the current moment to \u201c1970s Quebec or Ireland during the Troubles\u201d, when brands studiously avoided political controversy.<\/p>\n
In both of those cases, \u201cbasically every brand stayed away from it, absolutely did not want to touch it. It was: \u2018whatever you say, say nothing\u2019\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/picture>Cracker Barrel is known for rocking chairs out front\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009<\/span> <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/picture>and a knick-knack market inside as well as Southern-style comfort food<\/span> \u00a9 Gregory Walton\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHowever social media has drastically changed the media landscape, allowing ordinary people to hijack brand messaging, he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cMarketers back then had complete control over their brands\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009but in this era, due to social media, individuals can commandeer the brand. This scenario can happen where your brand can be potentially destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cracker Barrel saga follows a controversy earlier this year around teen retailer American Eagle after it ran an advertisement with Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney touting her \u201cgood jeans\u201d. <\/p>\n
Some liberal voices criticised the ad for glorifying blonde-haired, blue-eyed ideals. Conservatives then attacked the left for \u201cwokeism\u201d, escalating the issue for weeks via Fox News, with President Trump weighing in to say American Eagle \u201chas the \u2018HOTTEST\u2019 ad out there.\u201d <\/p>\n
In another similar incident, Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2023 suffered a steep drop in sales of Bud Light after it collaborated with a transgender influencer, triggering a furious reaction from some conservatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe takeaway for the companies is that there are a group of people: customers, regulators, the whole gamut on both the right and left that increasingly see things in political terms,\u201d said Jill Fisch, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Wharton School. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve seen an environment that\u2019s as politically charged before [in the US].\u201d<\/p>\n<\/picture>American Eagle\u2019s ad campaign touting Sydney Sweeney\u2019s \u2018good jeans\u2019 sparked criticism from some liberal voices, but was also praised by Donald Trump<\/span> \u00a9 Michael M Santiago\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIn Cracker Barrel\u2019s case, the logo change was part of a years-long effort to turn around the company\u2019s fortunes. <\/p>\n
Chief executive Julie Masino, who was appointed in 2023, has been pushing to modernise the company as its sales have struggled in recent years, forcing the group to close hundreds of locations. \u201cWe\u2019re just not as relevant as we once were,\u201d Masino said last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In recent years the company has backed Pride celebrations and revamped its restaurants, replacing ornate colonial furniture with brighter lighting and more modern interiors. People who did not appear politically motivated were upset by the overhaul of the restaurants, posting on social media in recent months that the new look was bland.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As recently as last week, Masino had gone on Good Morning America<\/em> stating that the logo change was \u201cworking\u201d. \u201cThe feedback\u2019s been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we\u2019re doing,\u201d she said. \u201cThe buzz is so good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\nBut the abrupt reversal underscores the tightrope US companies now walk in a hyper-partisan America. <\/p>\n
Fox News host Jesse Watters captured the sentiment on Tuesday: \u201cYou just have to keep your audience happy with what they\u2019re used to,\u201d he told viewers. \u201cThat\u2019s why people will be watching Fox until they die.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An old-fashioned restaurant known for serving country-fried steak and chicken n\u2019 dumplins on the side of America\u2019s highways…\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":35454,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-us","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=35453"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35453\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/35454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=35453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=35453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=35453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
new<\/h5>\n<\/picture><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe logo tweak brought a debate that had simmered in recent years over a move to offer a more inclusive culture \u2014 including an effort focused on supporting the LGBTQ+ community \u2014 to the fore. <\/p>\n
Actor James Woods told 4.9mn followers on X last week that Cracker Barrel\u2019s LGBTQ+ efforts were a \u201ccancer rotting the soul of a cherished restaurant\u201d. Rightwing activist Christopher Rufo vowed<\/a> he would \u201cbreak the Barrel\u201d to thwart any risk of \u201cwokification\u201d. Florida Congressman Byron Donalds wrote<\/a> that he gave his life \u201cto Christ in their parking lot\u201d. <\/p>\nDonald Trump Jr simply posted: \u201cWTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel??!\u201d. <\/p>\n
The backlash reflects a divided America and a deeply-fractured media ecosystem that the US president has leaned into. After weeks of anger and Fox News segments about the rebrand, President Trump on Tuesday urged Cracker Barrel to reverse course. <\/p>\n
Within hours Cracker Barrel \u2014 which is valued at $1.4bn on the stock market \u2014 complied, stating \u201cwe said we would listen, and we have\u201d. Its stock rose 8 per cent.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Brian Wieser, an advertising consultant and former WPP executive, compared the current moment to \u201c1970s Quebec or Ireland during the Troubles\u201d, when brands studiously avoided political controversy.<\/p>\n
In both of those cases, \u201cbasically every brand stayed away from it, absolutely did not want to touch it. It was: \u2018whatever you say, say nothing\u2019\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n\n\n<\/picture>Cracker Barrel is known for rocking chairs out front\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009<\/span> <\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/picture>and a knick-knack market inside as well as Southern-style comfort food<\/span> \u00a9 Gregory Walton\/AFP\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nHowever social media has drastically changed the media landscape, allowing ordinary people to hijack brand messaging, he said. <\/p>\n
\u201cMarketers back then had complete control over their brands\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009but in this era, due to social media, individuals can commandeer the brand. This scenario can happen where your brand can be potentially destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n
The Cracker Barrel saga follows a controversy earlier this year around teen retailer American Eagle after it ran an advertisement with Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney touting her \u201cgood jeans\u201d. <\/p>\n
Some liberal voices criticised the ad for glorifying blonde-haired, blue-eyed ideals. Conservatives then attacked the left for \u201cwokeism\u201d, escalating the issue for weeks via Fox News, with President Trump weighing in to say American Eagle \u201chas the \u2018HOTTEST\u2019 ad out there.\u201d <\/p>\n
In another similar incident, Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2023 suffered a steep drop in sales of Bud Light after it collaborated with a transgender influencer, triggering a furious reaction from some conservatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe takeaway for the companies is that there are a group of people: customers, regulators, the whole gamut on both the right and left that increasingly see things in political terms,\u201d said Jill Fisch, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Wharton School. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve seen an environment that\u2019s as politically charged before [in the US].\u201d<\/p>\n<\/picture>American Eagle\u2019s ad campaign touting Sydney Sweeney\u2019s \u2018good jeans\u2019 sparked criticism from some liberal voices, but was also praised by Donald Trump<\/span> \u00a9 Michael M Santiago\/Getty Images<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\nIn Cracker Barrel\u2019s case, the logo change was part of a years-long effort to turn around the company\u2019s fortunes. <\/p>\n
Chief executive Julie Masino, who was appointed in 2023, has been pushing to modernise the company as its sales have struggled in recent years, forcing the group to close hundreds of locations. \u201cWe\u2019re just not as relevant as we once were,\u201d Masino said last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n
In recent years the company has backed Pride celebrations and revamped its restaurants, replacing ornate colonial furniture with brighter lighting and more modern interiors. People who did not appear politically motivated were upset by the overhaul of the restaurants, posting on social media in recent months that the new look was bland.\u00a0<\/p>\n
As recently as last week, Masino had gone on Good Morning America<\/em> stating that the logo change was \u201cworking\u201d. \u201cThe feedback\u2019s been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we\u2019re doing,\u201d she said. \u201cThe buzz is so good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\nBut the abrupt reversal underscores the tightrope US companies now walk in a hyper-partisan America. <\/p>\n
Fox News host Jesse Watters captured the sentiment on Tuesday: \u201cYou just have to keep your audience happy with what they\u2019re used to,\u201d he told viewers. \u201cThat\u2019s why people will be watching Fox until they die.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n
Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"An old-fashioned restaurant known for serving country-fried steak and chicken n\u2019 dumplins on the side of America\u2019s highways…\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":35454,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[23],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-35453","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-us","cs-entry","cs-video-wrap"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35453","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=35453"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/35453\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/35454"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=35453"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=35453"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/financialrush.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=35453"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
<\/picture><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nThe logo tweak brought a debate that had simmered in recent years over a move to offer a more inclusive culture \u2014 including an effort focused on supporting the LGBTQ+ community \u2014 to the fore. <\/p>\n
Actor James Woods told 4.9mn followers on X last week that Cracker Barrel\u2019s LGBTQ+ efforts were a \u201ccancer rotting the soul of a cherished restaurant\u201d. Rightwing activist Christopher Rufo vowed<\/a> he would \u201cbreak the Barrel\u201d to thwart any risk of \u201cwokification\u201d. Florida Congressman Byron Donalds wrote<\/a> that he gave his life \u201cto Christ in their parking lot\u201d. <\/p>\n Donald Trump Jr simply posted: \u201cWTF is wrong with Cracker Barrel??!\u201d. <\/p>\n The backlash reflects a divided America and a deeply-fractured media ecosystem that the US president has leaned into. After weeks of anger and Fox News segments about the rebrand, President Trump on Tuesday urged Cracker Barrel to reverse course. <\/p>\n Within hours Cracker Barrel \u2014 which is valued at $1.4bn on the stock market \u2014 complied, stating \u201cwe said we would listen, and we have\u201d. Its stock rose 8 per cent.\u00a0<\/p>\n Brian Wieser, an advertising consultant and former WPP executive, compared the current moment to \u201c1970s Quebec or Ireland during the Troubles\u201d, when brands studiously avoided political controversy.<\/p>\n In both of those cases, \u201cbasically every brand stayed away from it, absolutely did not want to touch it. It was: \u2018whatever you say, say nothing\u2019\u201d.\u00a0<\/p>\n However social media has drastically changed the media landscape, allowing ordinary people to hijack brand messaging, he said. <\/p>\n \u201cMarketers back then had complete control over their brands\u2009.\u2009.\u2009.\u2009but in this era, due to social media, individuals can commandeer the brand. This scenario can happen where your brand can be potentially destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n The Cracker Barrel saga follows a controversy earlier this year around teen retailer American Eagle after it ran an advertisement with Hollywood actor Sydney Sweeney touting her \u201cgood jeans\u201d. <\/p>\n Some liberal voices criticised the ad for glorifying blonde-haired, blue-eyed ideals. Conservatives then attacked the left for \u201cwokeism\u201d, escalating the issue for weeks via Fox News, with President Trump weighing in to say American Eagle \u201chas the \u2018HOTTEST\u2019 ad out there.\u201d <\/p>\n In another similar incident, Anheuser-Busch InBev in 2023 suffered a steep drop in sales of Bud Light after it collaborated with a transgender influencer, triggering a furious reaction from some conservatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThe takeaway for the companies is that there are a group of people: customers, regulators, the whole gamut on both the right and left that increasingly see things in political terms,\u201d said Jill Fisch, a professor at the University of Pennsylvania\u2019s Wharton School. \u201cI don\u2019t think we\u2019ve seen an environment that\u2019s as politically charged before [in the US].\u201d<\/p>\n In Cracker Barrel\u2019s case, the logo change was part of a years-long effort to turn around the company\u2019s fortunes. <\/p>\n Chief executive Julie Masino, who was appointed in 2023, has been pushing to modernise the company as its sales have struggled in recent years, forcing the group to close hundreds of locations. \u201cWe\u2019re just not as relevant as we once were,\u201d Masino said last year.\u00a0<\/p>\n In recent years the company has backed Pride celebrations and revamped its restaurants, replacing ornate colonial furniture with brighter lighting and more modern interiors. People who did not appear politically motivated were upset by the overhaul of the restaurants, posting on social media in recent months that the new look was bland.\u00a0<\/p>\n As recently as last week, Masino had gone on Good Morning America<\/em> stating that the logo change was \u201cworking\u201d. \u201cThe feedback\u2019s been overwhelmingly positive that people like what we\u2019re doing,\u201d she said. \u201cThe buzz is so good.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n But the abrupt reversal underscores the tightrope US companies now walk in a hyper-partisan America. <\/p>\n Fox News host Jesse Watters captured the sentiment on Tuesday: \u201cYou just have to keep your audience happy with what they\u2019re used to,\u201d he told viewers. \u201cThat\u2019s why people will be watching Fox until they die.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<\/picture><\/picture><\/picture>
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