Cracker Barrel’s $700M Rebrand: Logo Design Fail or Brand Fail?

Cracker Barrel spent $700 million on a logo rebrand…and within a week, they had to crawl back to their old logo design. Designers, this isn’t just a logo design fail. It’s a branding disaster. And it proves how dangerous it is when companies confuse modernization with progress.

Here’s the part that should sting: most graphic designers would have made the exact same mistake. Why? Because too many of us still think rebrands are about logos instead of brand strategy.

In this episode of The Angry Designer Podcast, we break down exactly what went wrong with the Cracker Barrel rebrand, why it triggered massive backlash, and the lessons every graphic designer needs to hear if they want to avoid the same fate.

In this episode, you’ll discover:
• Why Cracker Barrel’s rebrand backlash proves logos aren’t the problem. Branding is
• The 10 WORST times to update a logo design (and how to avoid them)
• How to tell if your rebrand should be an evolution…not a full-blown identity crisis

This isn’t just about Cracker Barrel, it’s about you. Because if you think “design” alone is enough, you’re already on the wrong side of branding.

Subscribe to The Angry Designer Podcast for no-BS design truths, controversial takes, and lessons that help you charge what you’re worth and future-proof your career.

Stay Angry our Friends
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The Angry Designer is a no-BS Graphic Design podcast created for frustrated creatives who are ready to ditch the fluff, destroy outdated advice, and start building a real, badass design career. Whether you're a freelancer, agency owner, or in-house designer, this podcast gives you the tools, mindset, and strategies to evolve in an industry that’s changing fast, especially with AI shaking everything up.

🎯 What The Angry Designer Actually Helps With:

✅ Clients ghosting you, underpaying you, or disrespecting your work
✅ Not knowing how to price your design work (without feeling like a fraud)
✅ Stuck in imposter syndrome or feeling like “everyone else has it figured out”
✅ Confused by AI tools and where they fit in your creative process
✅ Struggling to get out of execution mode and into strategy
✅ Overwhelmed by the pressure to stay relevant in a saturated industry
✅ Wanting to charge more, but unsure how to actually do it
✅ Ready to shift from freelancer to brand builder to respected expert

We don’t believe in perfection. We believe in progress, truth bombs, strong opinions, and results. We’ve been in the design game for 25+ years, built a 7-figure agency, sold it, and now sharing exactly what worked for our agency (and what didn’t) with real stories, practical frameworks, and hard truths every designer needs to hear.

🧠 WHAT YOU’LL HEAR ON THIS CHANNEL:

How to use AI without losing your creative soul
How to raise your rates and finally get paid what you're worth
How to niche down (without selling your soul)
How to build a real personal brand that attracts high-paying clients
How to stop designing for your client — and start designing for theirs
How to deal with toxic clients, burnout, and creative ruts
How to design legendary logos, brand identities, and killer strategies
How to future-proof your design career

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🎥 ABOUT THIS CHANNEL
This channel features video versions of our podcast episodes, bold design commentary, AI critiques, savage shorts, and reaction content from a designer who’s been in the game for 30+ years. Expect truth bombs, strong opinions, zero fluff — and the kind of advice that gets you ahead, not left behind.
We’re not here to impress the gatekeepers. We’re here to help designers level up, break rules, and stay paid doing what they love.



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