When Jeep Wrangler YJ changed its headlights from round to square to make it modern, to their surprise, Jeep fans completely disliked the change, and sales dropped.
This, in turn, forced them to go back to the rounded design. When Cracker Barrel changed its logo from an old man leaning on the barrel to a “soon-to-be-forgotten” logo, they got serious backlash from customers.
Why did they change?
They thought their old brand image might not appeal to younger generations. So, while they started changing their menus, packaging, and color palettes, they also changed the logo.
When they got severe backlash from their loyal customers, they went back to the old logo.
Lesson: Customer association with a brand’s heritage and nostalgia is a powerful force for being a lifelong customer.
When they try to change it, they are putting their entire business in jeopardy.
Remember emotional dimensions and social dimensions from Jobs-to-be-Done.
Apart from functional jobs, emotional and social dimensions give a strong reason for customers to stay with a brand.
