Blockbuster to Blackberry: 9 consumer brands that couldn’t keep up
Sep 18, 2024
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Blockbuster
Blockbuster’s management became complacent and failed to adapt to the changing tides. While Netflix was shipping out DVDs to their consumer's homes, Blockbuster figured their physical stores were enough to please their customers. They weren't.
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Blackberry
Blackberry ruled the smartphone market before iPhones and Androids revolutionised the industry, and was known as a premium product. Despite several attempts to make a comeback, they couldn’t regain their spot.
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Microsoft Lumia
Despite Microsoft’s ambitious attempts to enter the smartphone market, Lumia failed due to a lack of apps and developer support, ultimately leading Microsoft to discontinue its smartphone line.
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Tata Docomo
Tata Docomo entered the telecom market with innovative pricing but failed to keep up with the intense competition. Post its merger with Bharti Airtel in 2017, Tata Docomo's brand faded into obscurity.
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Polaroid
Polaroid was synonymous with instant photography, but digital cameras and smartphones rendered it obsolete. Despite attempts to revive the brand, it failed to regain its lost market share.
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Compaq
Once a popular player in the personal computer market, Compaq couldn’t keep up with the rapidly evolving industry. After being acquired by HP, the brand was gradually phased out.
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iPod
Apple’s iPod made music available on the go, but with the rise of smartphones offering music streaming services at cheaper prices, the iPod gradually lost relevance. It was officially discontinued in 2022.
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Nokia phones
Nokia dominated the early mobile phone industry, but its refusal to innovate and persistence with its operating system led to its downfall. Nokia phones were eventually overtaken by iOS and Android competitors.
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PanAm
Once an iconic airline, PanAm’s mismanagement and rising competition led to its collapse in the 1990s, marking the end of a brand that had once symbolised the golden age of air travel.
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