A logo is not a brand; Cracker Barrel's redesign shows a visual change without clear…

A logo is not a brand. I’ll say it again… A LOGO IS NOT A BRAND. And neither is a uniform or a campaign slogan.

So often, when I tell people what I do, their first thought is: “Oh, so you design logos or uniforms?” Don’t get me wrong—those are critical pieces of conveying a brand—but they’re just the tip of the iceberg.

Take last week’s Cracker Barrel logo news. I still haven’t understood what their new brand positioning is, or how the logo helps convey it.

I remember working at TGI Fridays—yes, I wore flair. Then one day, we didn’t. And then came the modern redesign. Why? Because leadership had decided to pursue a different demographic. Right or wrong, they chose a path and executed it unapologetically.

The impact of moves like this—whether by Cracker Barrel, TGI Fridays, or any brand—is revealed over time. It’s measured by results, not applause or ego.

Fun fact: If you look at the CUENTO Marketing (opens the CUENTO site in a new tab) logo, the top and bottom lines represent the front and back cover of a book, with the STORY in the middle. Why?

Because we tell stories—that’s the heart of a brand.

#BrandStrategy #Marketing #Storytelling #CUENTO #crackerBarrel