But for each failure combined, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) would need but one success to cancel them all out — and the iPod was the jumping-off point for that success. Through last September, Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) had sold 350 million iPods and 400 million iOS devices (i.e., smartphones and tablets). It is perhaps one of the few tech companies that have an almost cult-like following, with fans who will line up outside its retail outlets to purchase new products when they’re introduced. Apple is the epitome of a rejuvenated brand-name company.
Who’s next?
As you can see, the importance of innovation cannot be discounted. It can transform a forgotten company into today’s news in an instant and completely revitalize a brand. Let me break out my crystal ball and throw a bone at two companies that could be next in line to renew and refresh their image.
General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)
Having rid itself of the “Government Motors” moniker dubbed after it took a $49.5 billion loan during the recession, which helped it get through a bankruptcy reorganization, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) is turning to its line of trucks to revitalize its image.
The GMC Silverado and Sierra haven’t hadn’t seen sweeping design changes since 2006, so it was long overdue for a face-lift. General Motors Company (NYSE:GM) understood that its new Silverado and Sierra wouldn’t have an easy go of things, as Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F)‘s F-150 is the king of all trucks in terms of U.S. unit sales, and Chrysler’s Dodge Ram was also holding its footing, but a rebound in housing — which often coincides with strong truck sales — was too great an opportunity to pass up.
Initial sales would suggest that the company’s time and effort spent on branding the new Silverado as both rugged and fuel-efficient are working. In March’s U.S. auto sales report, General Motors Company (NYSE:GM)’s domestic truck sales trumped the competition, gaining 13.8% over the year-ago period, compared with just 9.4% for Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F) and a decline of 2.1% for Chrysler.
NVIDIA Corporaiton (NASDAQ:NVDA)
The slow demise of the PC with the proliferation of mobile devices has been the straw that broke NVIDIA Corporaiton (NASDAQ:NVDA)’s back. The company, which makes graphic cards for PCs and now processors for mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets, has struggled to keep up with this transformation. However, two major upgrades in its product line could turn that frown upside down for investors.
For starters, the company’s Tegra line of mobile-device chips is turning in the fastest processing speed of anything currently available — yes, even the QUALCOMM, Inc. (NASDAQ:QCOM), The Coca-Cola Company (KO), Intel Corporation (INTC), UnitedHealth Group Inc. (UNH) & More: What to Watch for From the Dow (.DJI)’s Earnings This Week) Snapdragon processor. Tegra is going to face a challenge breaking into a very difficult-to-penetrate smartphone market, but the early results of 50% revenue growth in its most recent quarter are encouraging.
The gaming sector is where NVIDIA Corporaiton (NASDAQ:NVDA) could make its presence known and become the new driving force in innovation. The company’s well-funded Project Shield is a hybrid gaming system set to make its debut in the second quarter of 2014 and will allow gamers to use the cloud to stream PC and Android-based games onto their HDTVs. Furthermore, Project Shield will be the first mobile and hybrid service capable of streaming a library of 4,000 shows to HDTVs. It’s on pace to be a game-changer and brand-rejuvenator for the company.
The article 3 Big Brands That Innovated Their Way Back From the Dead originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Sean Williams has no material interest in any companies mentioned in this article. You can follow him on CAPS under the screen name TMFUltraLong, track every pick he makes under the screen name TrackUltraLong, and check him out on Twitter, where he goes by the handle @TMFUltraLong.The Motley Fool owns shares of Apple, Ford, PepsiCo, and Qualcomm and recommends Apple, Ford, General Motors, NVIDIA, and PepsiCo.
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