In Memoriam: 2025

At the end of every year, award and news shows are flooded with those notable personalities we lost over the year. CBS Sunday Morning's Hail and Farewell is legendary. Turner Classic Movies' is a must-see every year for anyone who loves movies.

So rather than buck the trend, we thought we'd chime in on a lighter note with our "In Memoriam" list for the marketing efforts and brand loyalty that were lost in 2025.

We Remember the Fall and Rise of Uncle Herschel

No list is complete without the unforced error and millions of dollars the Lebanon, Tennessee-based company cost itself this year with a very unpopular logo and brand refresh.

Image courtesy of NBC News/Today Show

What started out as an attempt to reach a younger demographic ended in tragedy for a brand struggling to remain relevant. As its core customer base ages, it was smart to consider how to retool and connect with a younger crowd.

Where Cracker Barrel went wrong was instead of using an incremental approach that could have resulted in a softer landing, leadership went all in and dropped a new look and feel that left brand loyalists screaming at their scrambled eggs.

After boycotts and outcry that rivaled American Eagle's error, Cracker Barrel leadership cracked under the pressure and brought back Uncle Herschel. RIP New Logo. Long Live Uncle Herschel.

We Remember Sydney Sweeney's Great Jeans/Genes

If there is a Hollywood "It girl", Sydney Sweeney certainly fits the billing. American Eagle choosing to pay a high-profile celebrity to endorse a brand is nothing new.

It's safe to say that if this same set of ads ran 10 years ago, there would not have been such a tidal wave of criticism and conspiracy theories. These are not those days.

Image Courtesy The Daily Mail

From the promotion of eugenics to white supremacy messaging, opinions were aplenty.

Putting politics aside, it is ludicrous to think that a historic brand like American Eagle would purposefully put out messaging that would knowingly damage its brand. It's just not in the brand's...genes.

Could some of what people called out as controversial have come out in the vetting process? Maybe. Was the play on "good genes" intentional? Absolutely. Did American Eagle and Sydney Sweeney knowingly engage in a messaging campaign promoting white supremacy and eugenics? Not a chance.

RIP Puns. Long Live Conspiracies.

We Remember Max

In one of the more perplexing brand moves in recent memory, Warner Bros. Discovery in 2023 decided to remove HBO from its HBO Max logo and simply be called Max.

Image Courtesy Variety

Why any entity would remove such a prestigious television brand from its branding is and was a dubious decision at best. In an ocean of channels and streaming services, HBO remains the stalwart for creating the 21st Century's version of "must see TV".

One of the rules of marketing that any pro will tell you is to first do no harm to the brand. Did David Zaslav take this into consideration when he decided to change the channel and ditch the HBO? Who knows?

Thankfully, the powers that be came to their senses before HBO became another historical marker on the pop culture Route 66.

RIP HBO Max. Long Live HBO.

We Remember Old Southwest Airlines

Southwest set itself apart from other brands for years with its open seating and "bags fly free" policy. The policy created a lot of good will and loyal customers along with being the airline with the friendliest and funniest flight crews.

The checked baggage charge sent some people flying off the handle at the change, but soaring costs, personnel shortages and shrinking profit margins certainly forced their hand.

Coupling the baggage charge with the new seating system made for a turbulent year as Southwest becomes more like all the other airlines but with fewer planes featuring TVs and charging ports in your seat.

RIP Old Southwest. Long Live Cattle Call Boarding.

Happy Trails

Image Courtesy of E! News

Happy trails to the careers of Kristin Cabot and Andy Byron, at least at the tech company Astronomer. Byron, who was CEO at the time of the viral incident, was spotted on a kiss cam at a Coldplay concert with his arms around Cabot, who also was employed by Astronomer. Here's hoping the stars align in a friendlier fashion for them both in 2026.

What's In Store for 2026?

While we aren't in the prediction business, one thing is certain: there will be tomfoolery and controversy as sure as the sun rises and we'll be here to talk about it and learn by knowing what not to do.