Was Austin’s New Logo Worth $1 Million? What Marketers Can Learn From the Backlash
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The City of Austin had its own “Cracker Barrel moment” last year. That is to say, a moment where the unveiling of a new logo and messaging fueled fire and fury among residents. As a brand marketer based in Austin, I was intrigued by the rollout, by the backlash, and, ultimately, by the true story behind the seemingly sudden change in Austin’s identity.
Austin’s new look and feel, rolled out in September 2025, coincided with residents gearing up to vote yay or nay on the city’s highest-ever tax-increase proposition. At the moment when politicians and policy leaders were making their case for higher taxes, the city released a logo that cost $1.1 million to create. Not the best look.
So where did it all go wrong? Why were residents so angry about this new tranquil, blue-green, wavy A? How could an innocuous serif font evoke such vitriol? And what does it tell us about the greater story of brand investment for mission-driven organizations? Let’s explore.
Treat research for branding with respect and skepticism
If you aren’t steeped in brand marketing news, Cracker Barrel revealed its new look and feel shortly before Austin. The backlash was quick and painful. So painful that the down-home fast-casual restaurant chain reverted to its old logo soon after its unveiling. Drama!
Ultimately, the consensus was that the Cracker Barrel rebrand failed because they didn’t listen to their customers, nor did they make a strong case for why new customers should care. This is either a lack of investment in research, poor research, or failure to listen to the research.
The City of Austin did do extensive research. They hired an outside firm to conduct it. And while the results aren’t public, it’s safe to say we know they asked residents, community members, and leaders about Austin’s new direction.
Research is not just a box that we check off; it’s a series of checks and balances that hold us accountable to the people we aim to serve. Research informs decisions, but it also needs to be tested. We can’t assume all research is unbiased or even correct.
Just because research is completed, it doesn’t mean we are done with it. It’s something to continually revisit, to create checkpoints along the way to affirm decisions, and it’s best when done equitably.
Clearly communicate the vision behind your rebrand
Unlike Cracker Barrel, the City of Austin didn’t waver in its commitment to rebrand. As a pretty civically active resident myself, I didn’t know about my representative’s take on the logo or the rebrand, or why it was necessary for folks like me who live in Austin’s District 5. And I read my councilperson’s newsletter every month! If someone who is actively involved in local government isn’t convinced, surely others won’t be either.
A deep investment in communication is good. When we invest in communications before, during, and after a rebrand, then we bring our communities along. Their buy-in is important because they help create the vision this new brand sets out to create. A rebrand is a re-visioning. A vision, as the late bell hooks said,
“…articulates a future that someone deeply wants, and does so clearly and compellingly that it summons up the energy, agreement, sympathy, political will, creativity, resources, or whatever to make that vision happen.”
That’s a tall order. But for rebranding a city with nearly one million residents, it’s important to deliver. A vision is something that feels attainable and unrealized. It’s hopeful and galvanizing. A wavy “A” is not the vision; it’s only the mark of it.
Don’t underestimate change management
Moving from the 100+ year-old Stephen F. Austin family crest to a modern, sleek logo mark requires an investment in change. This is true for all brands that have built a community around them. Just because your board or committee is excited about the change doesn’t mean your staff, constituents, members, students, or donors will be. You need to include all your audiences and communities in strategic change management, both internally and externally.
Humans don’t adapt well to change. It’s unsettling. It may be an over-generalization to say that everyone agreed Austin needed a new look and feel—one that matched its new vibe as music capital, tech hub, nature escape, and culinary scene.
But this logo was not meant for that; it was intended to represent and unify the city’s services. Some of which had logos and others that didn’t. (ex. Austin Energy had a cool, retro logo. Austin Water had a blue wave logo. Both looked like two distinct, unrelated entities). That the City of Austin was redesigning for city services—not for culture—was a key point that failed to reach the masses. Most people agreed it was time to change the city’s logo from a slaveowner’s family crest to something more representative of Austin’s culture. Creating a corporate look-and-feel for city services felt like a gut punch to the weirdness Austin has claimed for decades.
The city decided to roll out the new logo during a tax-raising campaign. Most people don’t work in branding and marketing, so many don’t understand what a $1.1 million investment in branding means. Or why it is necessary.
I’m here to argue that you don’t have to communicate all the outputs to the masses to justify the high investment of a big rebrand. You need to create a vision that your community wants to be a part of—and then help them get through it with strategic change management.
What marketers can learn from the backlash
I still love Austin.
Passionate responses mean you have passionate communities. People responded to Austin’s new brand because we care about this city. We want the look, feel, and message of this city to reflect the values we share as its residents.
The lesson learned from Austin’s branding backlash is not that large organizations and institutions should avoid branding activities to avoid risk—quite the opposite.
When we appropriately invest in a new brand, it can create a new path forward that keeps your organization relevant, relatable, and trusted.
A rebrand is a big risk if you’re not prepared. Thoughtful research and strategic communications don’t just happen—they take thoughtful investment. While residents and Austin audiences reacted negatively to the new brand, it wasn’t because their investment was too high, but probably too small and not focused enough on the rollout.
What did we think of the brand itself?
We’d love to talk about it and your own branding project. Research, strategic communications, and change management are pillars of a successful rebrand. Let’s discuss what a new brand and vision can look like for your organization. We’re here to help—and have been doing it for over 25 years!
