Zombie Brands

Many brands thrive in their market for years, only to become dormant and unheard of. From changes in technology to the inability to adapt, there are several reasons why some brands don’t survive. Most of the time these brands stay buried, but sometimes marketers dig up these brands and put them back in the market, giving us “zombie brands.” Some zombie brands are similar to their first shelf life, while others are not even recognizable. Warning: This show may cause nostalgia!

In an interesting Brand Rant, NY attorney general is suing Dell for fraud, false advertising and deceptive business practice. This is a case that has left many New Yorkers with ruined credit. With earnings up 89 cents from a year ago, J.C. Penney is featured in the Brand Spotlight. A new deal with Saatchi & Saatchi and a new campaign called “Every Day Matters” is helping Penney’s establish a more fashionable image.

Bohus Blahut, filmmaker and production company owner in Chicago, is also a writer for the Web site retrothing.com. He joins the show to discuss retro brands that have been resuscitated in today's market.