Newsom mocks MAGA backlash to Cracker Barrel logo

California governor uses social media to mock the right wing backlash to Cracker Barrel’s logo update

Newsom mocks MAGA backlash to Cracker Barrel logo

Cracker Barrel unveiled a simplified logo this week, dropping the former imagery of a barrel and an old man and returning to just the name in its traditional gold and brown colors. The change sparked a political backlash from MAGA supporters who labeled it woke. The company did not provide a comment, and Cracker Barrel reportedly lost nearly 100 million in market value on the day the logo was released.

Newsom joined the online conversation with an all caps post on X, poking fun at the MAGA crowd and reframing the moment as a clash over branding and culture. The episode follows past tensions around the chain, including criticism in 2023 for Pride Month posts that celebrated LGBTQ customers. Cracker Barrel operates more than 660 locations across 45 states.

Branding has become a stage for political theater. This moment shows how a design choice can be treated as a political signal and how public figures can shape that signal online. For Cracker Barrel, the upside of a bold rebrand may be a refreshed image; the downside is heightened political risk and potential shifts in customer loyalty as politics and business intersect more openly. For Newsom, the post illustrates how political satire on social media can keep a broad audience engaged, even when the topic is a commercial decision.

Highlights

Brand choices reveal what a company is willing to defend, and that matters.