Brand Fail 2010

Ah December, a time to reminisce on the often shocking and often boring happenings of the recent year, and a look ahead at the predictions and forecasts of the exciting crystal (interwebby) ball.  What brands will succeed, who’s going to acquire who, and who’s gonna fold?

On an 8-hour flight, if you find a US Weekly in the back pocket of the seat in front of you, there’s a good chance you’re going to read it. It’s exciting! It’s juicy! It’s awful!

In a similar vein, we have gathered gossip & speculation from industry red flags, brand reputation, employee gossip and the cloud of doom hanging over brands headed for the branding graveyard.

Enjoy!

*Note:  FYB’s observations should not be held in the same light as sales reports, stock value or other actual means of real analysis.

“Guitar Hero” Brand

Death to a hero? They cut their sales prediction in half for the most recent music video game, DJ Hero.  The hope that DJ Hero might be the next big thing in faux-musicianship has shifted to anticipation and wonder of what’s next.

Did we get burnt out?

Guitar Hero
Guitar Hero II
Guitar Hero III
Guitar Hero World Tour
Guitar Hero V
Guitar Hero: Aerosmith
Guitar Hero: Metallica
Guitar Hero: Van Halen
Guitar Hero Encore: Rocks the 80’s
Guitar Hero Smash Hits
Band Hero
DJ Hero
etc…

Despite possible over-saturation, rhythm gaming is still hot. We think downloadable tracks will increase/stay steady in 2010, but the days of fancy pads and colorful plastic shapes for $200 bucks are slowing down.

I’ve gotta say, we’ve come a long way since the first rhythm game was produced:
Dance Aerobics (1987)!

Blockbuster

I love the concept of Blockbuster. Popping into the brick and mortar on a rainy day, browsing the genres, renting a movie in PJ’s (and noting everyone else in theirs as well) can be an event in itself.

So these guys didn’t innovate, they had prices all over the map and managed to bring themselves down shortly after running out the mom-and- pops.

Remember when “no more late fees” first hit? Do you remember it “not really working that way”?

The end of late fees campaign:

Unfortunately, we don’t think this one is a matter of “if” just “when”.

Uncrustables

Smucker’s just closed the plant that employed an uncrustable team of 140, saying they are “consolidating locations”. This is after the headline “No More PB&J”.

The Uncrustables brand had a rocky start from the get go – what with controversial patents and its secret recipe almost being leaked — just kidding about that last part.

However…fact: Smucker’s attempted to patent the process of making a sandwich. Talk about a legal jam! (Sorry for that.)

We predict 2010 is the year Crustables will say good-bye.

Crocs

via

I had a feeling it was all over when they started being banned from hospitals.

‘Nuff said on these guys.

Saab

A “challenging time” in the auto industry is putting it lightly. GM has given to the end of the month for a buyer to step forward and take the Swedish-engineered brand off their backs.

We may not be seeing anything more from Saab.

Brand Obama

There will be no talk of politics here. However, one thing we can probably all agree on is the emotional and fever-inducing campaign the Obama marketing team courageously led is finally fading.

The world ate up the messaging (“hope”, “change”, “yes we can”), modern typography (Gotham typeface), thoughtful design and an online presence unlike any other politician before.

Even the mass-market brand, Pepsi rode the “Hope” bandwagon into their own campaign.

While we obviously don’t think the Obama brand is going to “die” – the international novelty has definitely worn off and the fever has subsided. I’ve got to hand it to any past, present, and future presidents: toughest job in the country, ever!  Here’s to 2010, friends.

As with predictions, who really knows? But one thing’s for certain: nothing is certain.