By Mark Seavy 

As more rebranding efforts emerge companies are seeking to refashion themselves for the digital era and younger consumers. 

But this recent spate of corporate rebranding also provides a lesson in the challenges that are inherent in changing a name or an image. 

The most recent case involved 660-store Cracker Barrel, whose brand mark has changed five times over its 46-year history. Most recently, the restaurant sought to simplify its logo by removing the image of a man leaning against a barrel and the phrase “old country store,” an image that first appeared in 1977. It was part of a $700-million campaign of new TV commercials and fall-themed food aimed at attracting new diners. But the strategy received backlash from customers and conservative commentators, leading the chain to reverse course this week and return to the prior branding. 

Cracker Barrell wasn’t alone in rethinking a rebranding decision. After WarnerMedia and Discovery merged in 2022, the “HBO Max” streaming service was renamed “Max.” Then, earlier this year, “Max” was dropped in favor of reverting back to “HBO Max.”  

“Brands can have a hold on us, and they have tremendous power when it comes to consumers,” said Adina Avery-Grossman, Managing Director at Brandgenuity. “When a decision is made to change a brand, it must be done with deep thought and benefits from a check in from consumers to see how emotionally affected they will be. Consumers and fans are deeply connected not only to the brand but the name, which signals what the product experience service is going to be about. If you move away from that, the company stops providing direction to the consumer about what to expect.”  

Beyond Inc. was renamed from Overtstock.com in November 2023 to reflect the acquisition of IP from bankrupt retailer Bed Bath & Beyond earlier that year. Beyond Inc. then changed its corporate name to Bed Bath & Beyond earlier this year. The brand itself was licensed to Kirkland’s Home, which has adopted it for stores, the first of which opened in Nashville, TN in July. Kirkland’s then changed its name to The Brand House Collective as it started rebranding its stores.  

Among the other changes that recently drew attention was the cable channel MSNBC rebranding as MS NOW, a curious switch given that “MS” stood for Microsoft when its joint venture with NBC was formed in 1996. The rebranding came as MSNBC left NBCUniversal to become part of the newly formed media company Versant. Microsoft sold its investment in the cable channel in 2005 and in the website (msnbc.com) in 2012.  

And car dealership chain CarMax, which itself spun out of the defunct electronics retailer Circuit City in 2002, this month dropped its 20-year-old tagline “The Way Car Buying Should Be.” The tagline was replaced by “Wanna Drive?” and new ad spots, which feature a house band that follows customers through car buying and selling, is aimed at attracting younger consumers. 

“There are so many disruptions in business now and everyone is trying find their place in the new world order,” said Elise Contarsy, a former Bed Bath & Beyond and Meredith Corp. executive. “The companies are trying to shift their strategies as consumer habits and technology change. And since younger consumers have different habits and respond to different things, you must move along with them or you will be left at the station.” 

The other option can be revamping a former competitor’s brand. The crafts chain The Michael’s Companies bought the IP assets of bankrupt rival Joann Fabrics earlier this year and is refashioning the brand for sewing and other products, as well as weighing launching in-store formats. 

“There are certain brands that have certain meaning to customers,” said Carolyn D’Angelo, Senior Managing Director and Head of Brand Operations at Gordon Brothers. “Michael’s knows there are customers that were big fans of Joann Fabrics and that the brand stood for sewing and novelty. They are now going to get whole new customers walking through their doors.”