Why Fake Outrage Is a Real Business Concern

When one of the year’s hit films includes a scene where Superman is irked at a “monkey bot farm” spreading fake outrage about him, it signals something bigger than a funny movie moment: it captures a cultural zeitgeist. Online outrage, both genuine and manufactured, has become a part of modern discourse, and for brands, a potential business threat.

This dynamic played out recently for Cracker Barrel in “logo-gate.” According to a Cyabra report, fake social media accounts helped fuel a wave of online backlash over the brand’s updated logo with real-world consequences.

“The consumer backlash to Cracker Barrel’s new logo in August triggered a sharp decline in restaurant visits, with year-over-year traffic dropping by roughly double digits for most weeks following the announcement,” said R.J. Hottovy, Head of Analytical Research at Placer.ai. “However, the company’s decision to switch back to its classic ‘Old Timer’ logo may be helping to reverse these trends, as…