Campaigns That Flopped… and Why They’re Still Genius Lessons

By: Talia Bracho, Account Supervisor

Typically, when a campaign wants to break through the noise, it tries to push the limits of what audiences expect. But what if the company takes it too far — or simply misses the mark completely? Here are three recent campaigns that failed — and what we can learn from their mistakes.

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Cracker Barrell

By now, we’ve all heard about Cracker Barrel’s branding disaster and swift backpedal. In recent years, their customer traffic had decreased by 16%, and they wanted to regain their position at the forefront of people’s minds. They’d already succeeded in remodeling their stores to adopt a more minimalistic style. Cracker Barrel tried extending the same identity to their logo: they stripped Uncle Herschel and the “Old Country Store” copy. Their audience revolted immediately.

Why it Failed 

This campaign failed for one simple reason: it felt inauthentic to their audience. The new logo tried to prove that Cracker Barrel could keep up with the times, but it completely abandoned the nostalgia that their core audiences craved. They ditched the personable, homey feel everyone associated with the restaurant chain and erased the chain's personality from its logo. Consumers found it sterile and rejected the idea that this iconic company needed a change at all. 

Lesson

In this scenario, Cracker Barrel learned the hard way never to underestimate the power of branding. It embodies an organization’s culture, authenticity, and identity. Legacy brands like Cracker Barrel thrive on the familiarity and nostalgia they’ve created. Later that night, Cracker Barrel had reinstated Uncle Herschel and retained the brand’s originality. 

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American Eagle’s Great Jeans

Over the summer, Sydney Sweeney headlined an American Eagle campaign. She’s been dominating brand partnerships lately, and her success speaks for itself. However, this specific advertisement ignited a media frenzy.

In the ad, she states, “Genes are passed down from parents to offspring, often determining traits like hair color, personality, and even eye color. My jeans are blue." Viewers immediately flooded social media, claiming the language promoted eugenics. The ad echoed Brooke Shields’ Calvin Klein ad, which she filmed when she was a minor. 

Why it Failed

Cultural and political context is everything when launching a campaign. American Eagle either deliberately ignored or carelessly overlooked the current cultural conversation they were entering. It’s essential to understand the political lens through which consumers will view your campaign. Many viewers claimed American Eagle was intentionally stirring the pot in an environment where DEI initiatives are being dismantled—a raw topic affecting countless people. In contrast, others saw no issue and dismissed it as a fleeting attention grab. 

Lesson

The lesson here is to read the room. While American Eagle’s stock did jump, this campaign poisoned perceptions of its values, which carry far greater long-term consequences. As an organization, you have to be strategic about leveraging political relevance and ensure it authentically aligns with your brand identity. In such a polarized environment, what you say—and how you say it —matters to your audience.  

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Matt Rife and E.L.F Cosmetics

In X month, E.L.F. launched a creative campaign, parodying Celine and Barne’s law commercials from the 1990s. E.L.F. recruits trending influencers to play lawyers who advocate for accessible beauty products. When E.L.F. released the latest spot featuring Matt Rife, viewers were baffled by the choice. His recent controversy included domestic violence jokes in his 2023 Netflix comedy special in an attempt to expand his audience and cater to male viewers. When he finally responded to the criticism, he simply mocked those who called him out, which only deepened the backlash. 

Why it Failed

Matt Rife’s core values fundamentally clashed with E.L.F.’s mission. This campaign alienated its audience rather than engaging them. When an organization and an influencer collaborate, they establish a value-based connection. That’s why E.L.F.’s decision left their core consumers confused and disappointed.

Lesson

The lesson here is to choose influencers strategically, not opportunistically. Influencer marketing is a vital tool for PR practitioners to adapt to changing consumer behavior and foster brand loyalty. Yes, Matt Rife built his fame primarily on a female following, but his recent controversy proves that he’s actively trying to distance himself from that audience. Centering him in a campaign for a brand whose primary audience is women was a big misstep on their part. 

These are just a few recent campaigns that stand out for spectacularly missing the mark. Each one went viral, dominating conversations and media for days—but at what cost? While some insist all publicity is good publicity, I’d argue the adverse effects on brand

reputation tell a different story. 

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About the Author: Talia Bracho

Talia Bracho is a senior at Boston University, majoring in Public Relations with a minor in Business Administration. She’s the current Account Supervisor for Frankie’s Friends Humane, and formerly served as an Account Executive for Aaron’s Presents. With internship experience at multiple production companies, Talia combines her love of storytelling and film with her PR background. She’s also an active member of Sigma Delta Tau, where she once served as PR Chair. In her spare time, you’ll find her at a Pilates class, reading, or watching movies.