Out with the Old. In with the Older: Why Both Burberry & Cracker Barrel Returned to Their Roots.

When a brand updates its identity, people notice. Sometimes they celebrate the change, other times they revolt.

Just last week, Cracker Barrel rolled out a new "modernized" logo, removing Uncle Herschel and his barrel in favor of a clean wordmark. But in today's world, where reactions spread instantly, the internet quickly pushed back. Even President Trump joined the conversation, saying the redesign stripped away too much of the brand's character.

The response? Cracker Barrel listened, and just yesterday restored its original logo. Customers and brand loyalists made it clear: they didn't want a sanitized version. They wanted the brand they knew and loved.

It reminded me of something I wrote about back in 2023, when Burberry made a similar move, but for them, it wasn't backtracking. It was a bold, intentional choice to lean on heritage. At the time, I shared my thoughts in a blog and newsletter, and looking at it now, that reflection feels even more relevant.

Burberry's Heritage Move

In 2023, Burberry unveiled a new (but actually very old) logo. The iconic fashion house brought back its 1901 Equestrian Knight Design (EKD), a motif chosen over a century ago in a public competition.

The knight, shield, lance, and banner weren't just decorative. Each symbol carried meaning:

• The Knight: Honor

• The Shield: Protection

• The Lance: Reform

• The Banner: "Prorsum", Latin for Forward

  
  

This wasn't simply nostalgia. It was a statement of continuity. By reviving a historical logo, Burberry leaned into its roots while still looking forward, a move that felt both authentic and refreshing in an era when many fashion houses were starting to look the same with minimalist, Helvetica-inspired wordmarks.

The Shared Lesson: Roots Matter

Whether by necessity (Cracker Barrel) or by design (Burberry), both brands show us the same truth:

The strongest brand don't run from their roots, they build on them.

Logos are never just logos. They're cultural anchors. They carry memories, stories, and emotional weight. When brands honor that, they move forward with both trust and authenticity.

What This Means for You

Whether you're Burberry, Cracker Barrel, or a small business owner, the principle is the same:

• Your logo can change, but your brand's essence cannot.

• Customers crave connection to heritage, meaning, and depth, not just surface-level fluff.

• Sometimes looking backward is the boldest way to move forward.

Because at the end of the day, a logo is only a mark; it's the brand beneath that makes it matter.

That's why, at Intrinsic Maven, we created the term self-development branding™, because building a brand isn't about what's seen on the outside. It's about aligning identity, values, and vision at the core. It's the inner work, the deep work that gives meaning to the outer expression.

In fact, it's the same thinking behind our Three-Path Model:

• Clarity: knowing who you are and what you stand for

• Expression: shaping the visuals, voice, and experience that reflect it

• Stewardship: carrying it forward with consistency and care

Legacy isn't built by surface change. It's built by doing the deep work first, then expressing it in a way that resonates.

📌 Takeaway: Whether by choice (Burberry) or by response (Cracker Barrel), both moves prove the same truth: the brands that endure are the ones shaped by roots and values — because that’s how legacy is built.

If you'd like more reflections like this, sign up for our newsletter [👉 click to join newsletter here]. And if you're curious about how we put these ideas into action, explore our Three-Path Model [👉 click to read more], the framework we use to meet brands where they are and guide them in building an intentional brand with clarity, expression, and stewardship.

Mary Gutierrez

Intrinsic Maven