More Brands That May Disappear

With technology changing a mile a minute and with the economic downturn, we've seen a lot of great brands go by the wayside.  As a marketer, it's sad because I know the blood, sweat, and tears that team after team has put into building years and years of brand equity.  But also as a marketer I know that this is the reality of a free market and if you don't keep up you get shut out.

There's a great article that predicts the brands that won't make it into 2012 -- it's now become an annual review of brands in trouble.  The list is quite shocking, actually.  You can read it here.  There are some biggies on the list, including:

Sears!  Yes, the holding company that owns Sears and Kmart is in desperate trouble.  Could be the end of an era to see this great brand go down.

Saab!  When I graduated from college and moved to Boston, Saab was the "it" car in New England.  It's so strange to see this brand in trouble.  But the car industry has been hit hard, and many have not responded with the kind of innovation necessary to keep up.

Sony Pictures!  Once a big powerhouse in entertainment, it looks like the company now needs to focus on its core electronics business to keep afloat.

MySpace!  Not a surprise, actually, if you think about it.  Since Facebook exploded, has anyone gone to this site?

A&W?  Maybe not such a surprise either, but fond memories of pulling up to that place!

Are the folks that compiled this list right?  Not 100%, the market is too fluid and unpredictable to be sure.  But last year they noted Blockbuster and T-Mobile so they have their finger on the pulse to some extent.  Stay tuned.

What's your experience?  Jim.