Who doesn’t like a good comeback-kid storyline? Cherished brands that were once staples often fall out of the limelight and never return. But there are some brands that have made impressive comebacks, reinventing their message yet still keeping parts of their original identities intact.
Check out the following brands that are writing a comeback story worth rooting for.
Tommy Hilfiger: Remember that iconic, all-American, red, white and blue Tommy Hilfiger logo? Back in the 80s and 90s Tommy Hilfiger led the fashion world, but it’s appeal began to fade away as 2000 struck. But the brand is back on the market and fitting back in quite nicely in the modern era of fashion.
As one of the pioneers of “athleisure,” the designer has taken his original forte to today’s desire for cool and comfortable style. A collaboration with supermodel Gigi Hadid has catapulted the brand back into the fashion world gauntlet and it’s going to continue to ride the high for quite some time.
Chevrolet Camaro: With the volatile market that is the automobile industry, the Chevy Camaro is currently experiencing a comeback in its own right. The sixth-generation Chevy Camaro is making up for an unimpressive launch last year—the car brand that has routinely outsold the Ford Mustang for half a decade, failed to do so.
But with improvements implemented, General Motors reported a 17% year-over-year increase, making it GM’s third-best-selling car in April. It’s a notable comeback since the Camaro in the past, held dominance as a top-selling sports car from 2010 through 2014. These 2017 sales are hopefully a revamp in momentum for the longstanding car brand.
Nintendo: With the rapid rise of smart and mobile technology along with advances in augmented and virtual reality, the video-gaming industry is experience a boom. But gaming giants like Nintendo have also had to adapt and evolve to today’s consumer expectations of having connection everywhere.
Just a couple years ago, Nintendo’s role in the video game hardware business was looking bleak, after releasing some duds like the GameCube and Wii U.
The company took a deep dive into figuring out what their loyalists really appreciated and discovered it’s their roots. It unveiled a mini version of its classic Nintendo Entertainment System last Christmas and the nostalgic move was a major hit. The console fit in the palm of a hand and had 30 original NES games built-in including throwbacks like Zelda and Mario.
Nintendo plans to continue this reignited interest in the brand by releasing a second miniature-sized console: the SNES Classic Edition for the upcoming holiday shopping season.
Abercrombie and Fitch: For those who grew up walking into the cologne-scented stores of Abercrombie and Fitch, the brand has now grown up itself. The brand is in the process of rebranding itself to increase appeal—that means losing the moose logos on some of its merchandise.
Ever since “fast-fashion” companies began to appear (think – H&M and Forever 21), the brand began to see a significant drop in sales. It’s changing its signature “preppy” style and shifting it to a more accessible one, offering trendy, minimalist designs that that more consumers can relate to.
Polaroid: Polaroid pioneered the idea of instant pictures. But then came digital photography and the ability to be able to capture all your pictures with just the tap of a smartphone touchscreen. The brand may have gotten lost in the new age of photography, filing bankruptcy twice in the early 2000s, but it’s made one of the biggest comebacks and assimilations to the modern way of capturing a moment.
Polaroid leveraged its now-considered “niche” method of taking a picture and capitalized on its minimalistic concept. The brand unveiled a new suite of photography products that ties together iPhone cameras, 3D printing, camera drones and on-the-spot prints.
The new Polaroid brand is offering something for every type of photographer, from seasoned-vets and professionals to amateurs and the Centennial generation.
These brands who once captured the hearts (and wallets) of consumers have had their fair share of declining moments. The better storyline, however, is their impressive comebacks and ability to reinvent, adapt and reclaim their spots as the leaders in their industries.
From leveraging nostalgia to simplifying and collaborating with today’s trends, they’ve made their comebacks and don’t plan on moving backward anytime soon.