Big Name Makeovers 2008
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Boy, How You've Changed!
What's a company to do when sales slump and interest in its product or service fades? One option: A major makeover. From Wal-Mart making over its Supercenters to Pepsi introducing a new product design, we profile 27 companies that decided to put on a fresh face.
Click through our gallery to see what's changed with these 27 well-known products and brands.
First Up: Wal-Mart's New LookMore Recent Features:
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Walmart
Walmart
What's Changed: Wal-Mart keeps changing constantly in all different directions. The latest shift is with Supercenters, which it will make easier for shoppers to navigate with bigger aisles and new layouts. At the same time, some stores are getting smaller. The retailer is also experimenting with Marketside stores, which measure only 15,000 square feet and offer groceries and other fresh items that shoppers can get to quickly.
See more on Wal-Mart's new look
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Pepsi Co.
Pepsi's New Look
What's Changed: Pepsi has unveiled its fifth new logo in two decades, left, as part of a new plan to redefine itself as a cultural leader. The redesigned Pepsi packages should hit store shelves early next year. Mountain Dew and Sierra Mist drinks will also get a new look.
Read more about the new Pepsi can from BloggingStocks
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AP
Chex Party Mix
What's Changed: Chex Party Mix, invented in 1955, will get a makeover with new recipes, new packaging and a new spokeschef, Katie Lee Joel, (pictured in the center, with Suzanne M. Grimes, president, Food & Entertaining at Readers Digest on the right and Cheri Olerud, senior cookbook editor and test kitchen expert for Chex cereal on the left.
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Long John Silver's
What's Changed: What changed: For the first time, Long John Silver's will be offering its first non-fried items. The Freshside Grille selections includePacific Salmon (pictured), Shrimp Scampi and Tilapia.
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RubyTuesday.com
Ruby Tuesday
What's Changed: The national restaurant chain went through a drastic decor makeover in 2008 to make the furnishings more upscale and sleek, a change from its former look with Tiffany-style lamps and antiques. Total cost? $65 million. When the company got to the last of its locations, it staged a mock explosion, blowing up the interior and replaying the action on YouTube. Now all 600 locations of the 36-year-old chain have a modern look with black awnings outside and black-and-white checked tablecloths inside, plus a new straightforward logo.
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Hasbro
Clue
What's Changed: Hasbro updated the 60-year-old game of Clue with changes that include a fancy new mansion with a spa and theater, and new weapons like a baseball bat and an ax. Professor Plum is now an Internet billionaire and Colonel Mustard is a former football star, and the murder mystery takes place during a party for the rich and famous. The game structure has also changed somewhat, with the addition of a second deck of cards, which is supposed to add an extra element of surprise.
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AP
Holiday Inn
What's Changed: Holiday Inn is in the process of a $1 billion makeover of its hotel locations as well as its logo. About 100 properties will leave the chain, while about 1,000 hotels will be added over the next three years. Existing locations will be upgraded in ways big and small -- from improved infrastructure to "triple-sheet" bedding. All locations that are spruced up will get the new logo, which will be a stylized white H on a green square, rather than the green script familiar from most highway views.
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Larry Crowe, AP
M&M's
What's Changed: The high-end chocolate market is expanding, so Mars is trying to cash in with M&M's Premiums, a specialty line of the candy which was launched in 1941 as a treat for soldiers that wouldn't melt in the battlefield. The new version comes in brightly-colored boxes, rather than small bags, and comes in flavors like chocolate almond, raspberry almond, mocha, triple chocolate and mint. The biggest difference is that the new version does not have that signature crunchy candy shell, but instead has a softer glaze and each nugget is larger than a regular M&M.
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Wyndham Worldwide
Super 8
What's Changed: The new Super 8 logo is more whimsical, with cursive script and a big red eight, than the previous boxy version. This is just part of a rebranding effort by the 33-year-old discount hotel chain that plays up new amenities like free wireless access, free premium cable or satellite and in-room coffeemakers and hair dryers. It builds on a previous upgrade that put fancier linens in rooms and expanded the breakfast options. Franchise owners have until July 2009 to implement the changes that were put in place in May.
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Popeyes
Popeyes
What's Changed: Popeyes is sporting a new look with an orange and red logo with the words "Louisiana Kitchen" set off by fleur-de-lis designs and a giant "P" in the middle -- the better to emphasize the almost 40-year-old chain's New Orleans roots. Gone is the blue-bordered logo that the company deemed not fancy enough to go after the upscale audience it seeks to court. The logo makeover comes in conjunction with a new $1.49 menu that will include a loaded chicken wrap, the delta mini sandwich and a chicken biscuit. New commercials will feature a fictional chef named Ed, who sits with diners and talks about his food.
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American Greetings
Strawberry Shortcake
What's Changed: Strawberry Shortcake got more than just a new dress or two when she got a makeover earlier this year (just before American Greetings sold the rights to the character to a Canadian company). The '80s icon got a total makeover that includes a few nips and tucks to her physique as well changes to her makeup. She will now spend a lot of time talking on her cell phone and eating fresh fruit in an effort to appeal to a new generation of young girls. A new animated movie and TV series are slated for 2009.
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PRO-Keds
What's Changed: Now owned by Stride Rite, which re-acquired the rights to the sneaker brand from hip-hop mogul Damon Dash (a recent foreclosure victim), PRO-Keds are going to get a makeover as they come back into the fold. Stride Rite will focus on classic styles, such as the "Royal" canvas basketball shoe, first introduced in 1949, and give it an overhaul that will hit stores in November and retail for $50 to $80.
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AP | Disney
Tinker Bell
What's Changed: Little girls have been inundated with Disney princess paraphernalia for years now, and the line has been so popular that the company wants to try to do the same thing with fairies. Tinker Bell, a mere side character in J.M. Barrie's 1911 novel and the 1953 movie version of Peter Pan, is going to soon be a leading lady. A straight-to-DVD movie, 'Tinker Bell,' comes out October 28, and that will be followed by a line of books, toys, lip gloss and stationery. The new line could mean big bucks as Tink already brings in about $800 million in retail sales for existing products.
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Avon.com
Avon
What's Changed: At 120 years old, Avon is not stuck in its ways. As fashion goes upscale, the company is trying to go with it. New products with premium pricing are the order of the day, and Avon is also concentrating on a world market, with sales up in Brazil, Russia and Venezuela. In 2007, the company signed Reese Witherspoon as the first-ever Avon Global Ambassador, and while she has official duties focusing on health and charity issues, she also promotes products like the Pro-to-Go lipstick.
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R.J. Reynolds Tobacco, AP
Camel Cigarettes
What's Changed: After nearly 100 years, R.J. Reynolds is giving the Camel cigarette box a makeover. While the company has tried numerous brand campaigns in print, the actual product packaging hasn't budged. But now, while the camel picture remains untouched, its milieu is different. The graphics are rounded, the pyramids are larger and the lettering is darker. Color-coded ribbons also identify the style of the cigarettes. The change comes in the wake of R.J. Reynolds vow last November now to buy newspaper or magazine ads in 2008.
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AP | Cole Haan
Cole Haan
What's Changed: The footwear and fashion retailer is giving the boot to shoes and putting the emphasis on handbags and accessories to try to better compete with Coach and other luxury goods purveyors. The company, which is owned by Nike, is lightening up the décor of its stores as well, and adding video screens to demonstrate products rather than rely on salespeople to sell the goods.
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Crock-Pot | Hughes Design Group
Crock-Pot
What's Changed: The venerable crock pot, long a staple of the American kitchen, is trying to become the ultimate multi-tasker for the contemporary two-income family that wants to eat healthy. Crock-Pot's owner, Jarden Consumer Solutions, wants the slow cooker to become a "trophy" product that people want to give as gifts and buy for themselves. So new cookers will come in bright colors -- no more cream and burgundy -- and will feature updated packaging that evokes savory root vegetables rather than grandma's quilt.
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Ford
Ford
What's Changed: U.S. automakers are in trouble, with sales down almost across the board. So what's a financially troubled company to do? Makeover its products. Ford is introducing the Ford Flex crossover in 2009, and it will also be revamping its Lincoln brand with two new models -- the MkZ mid-sized car and the MkX crossover -- that have luxury amenities at entry-level prices. That leaves little excitement in store for the lower-end Mercury line, but stay tuned in case the Lincoln update doesn't yield enough sales – maybe Ford will try sprucing up Mercury’s next.
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Monopoly
What's Changed: A new global version of Monopoly Here & Now replaces the streets of Atlantic City with world metropolises like Taipei, Cape Town and the Latvian capital of Riga, which nabbed the Park Place spot in a round of online voting. Hasbro's new board game, which will be printed in 37 languages, goes on sale in early Sept. You'll still be able to find the original version on sale, but the game maker is trying to attract a global audience with this new version.
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myspace.com
MySpace
What's Changed: The social networking Web site unveiled a redesign over the summer that wasn't so much a graphic change as a shift in functionality and availability of features. The site, owned by News Corp., is attempting to capture more casual users and keep them on the site longer, so it revamped navigation tools and upped the profile of video features. The site then went on to log 2.5 million new users in July, a new record, and record 75.2 million unique visits. The site also increased user engagement -- with each visitor spending an average of nearly 4 hours on MySpace in the month.
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The Coca-Cola Company
Nestea
What's Changed: Iced tea is more popular than ever, and so Nestea has decided to make its bottles look as different as possible from traditional soda bottles. Sales in the tea category went up 24 percent in 2007 -- with green tea sales skyrocketing in particular -- and so now Nestea wants tea to stand on its own. The new bottles are sleek and thin with clean graphics that call out the antioxidant content and all-natural elements of the flavoring. Judging by the sudden surge in popularity, you might think iced tea is a relatively new phenomenon, but Nestea, which is owned by Coke, has been around for 50 years.
Click for Next MakeoverMore Recent Features:
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OldNavy.com/Next
Old Navy
What's Changed: Old Navy didn’t want to be "old" anymore, and so to better compete with the likes of H&M and other teen-oriented mall chains, it has updated and jazzed up its look. Now, instead of touting plain jeans and hoodies, the company is courting young celebrities to show off its new high-fashion designs with four new lines which were rolled out over the spring. The campaign kicked off with a star-studded launch party in New York that was attended by Hayden Panettiere, Kristen Bell and Sophia Bush.
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Springmaid
Springmaid and Wamsutta
What's Changed: The linen brands, now owned by the Brazilian company Springs Global, are being re-launched to better connect with consumers. The Springmaid brand, which became a Wal-Mart house brand in 2000, will be re-introduced to a wider market to try to better capitalize on its popularity. Wamsutta is going for a "lingerie" feel and featuring more sensuous palettes and feels, like a lush blanket with "warm dry" technology that removes moisture from the body, micro-sateen sheets and an Eco-Luxe line of organic cotton duvets with fill made of recycled water bottles or duck down.
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theathletesfoot.com
The Athlete's Foot
What's Changed: The athletic shoe retailer is trading in its franchise name for the acronym TAF (all lowercase on the new logo) and will move into making signature apparel and other accessories. It worked for KFC, right? The new name-change will extend to the company's 242 stores, and stores in urban areas will also be branded with tafUP (The Athlete's Foot Urban Premium), which will be more like boutiques specializing in sports fashion and urban wear.
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Veal
What's Changed: Ethical concerns about how young calves are raised for food have curtailed veal consumption in recent years, but a new campaign is trying to tout the meat, at least for high-end buyers. "Certified Humane" meat packers raise calves in group housing, which means they are free to move about in pens, and are fed some grain rather than all milk. The resulting veal is sold in specialty butcher shops, for now, and commands only 5 to 10 percent of the veal market.
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Xerox
Xerox
What's Changed: Xerox has one of those special brand names that has become the common name of a product or process -- in this case photocopying documents. But in 2008, after 40 years of the same boxy, bland look, the company decided it needed a makeover and it rolled out a new logo and branding campaign. Now, the logo has a red sphere attached to it that is supposed to symbolize the brand's worldwide reach and rounded lower-case letters.
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Sheraton Hotel
What's Changed: The 400-location worldwide hotel chain is in the middle of a $1.7 billion project to renovate about half its U.S. hotels. The new look includes brighter colors in the room, with pillowtop beds and white duvets and flat-screen TVs. Sheraton is rolling out a branded line of toiletries, called Shine by Bliss, and fitness centers will get upgrades. Lobbies will feature restaurants, most with a casual dining chain called Relish, and cafes with Internet stations. Some locations may also have a steakhouse developed by Shula's.
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Now that you've seen which brands and products have undergone a major makeover, check out our reviews of "As Seen on TV" products. Do they really work? Find out.
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Recent Comments
Smald4lib 07:05:06 PM Nov 02 2008
Half the money you send to government is ripped off by the wealthy and corporate socialists that have taken control of you tax dollar for their benefit. Read Free Lunch, by David Cay Johnston, and get a real blood pressure spike. After meditating and some aspirin, start writing, emailing your congressman. People don't realize how good governance makes a difference in your quality of life, and when money is being spent on things like stadiums for billionaires, tax dollars are being diverted from parks, sewage, water, schools, etc.. Why do you think people in Denamark are happy paying a 50% tax rate? Because they are more democratic then we are. And when you think about all the taxes you pay youâre at 50% and the wealthy investors pay, 15% because they create jobs. Ya right, in China.
Smald4lib 07:01:34 PM Nov 02 2008
The city who gets these on the average lose 100 businesses.
Smald4lib 07:00:23 PM Nov 02 2008
I don't shop at Walmart, period. These stores come to town asking for tax payer subsidies and then run the other tax paying businesses out by pricing their cheap communist China prices way below wholesale. Read Free Lunch, by David Cay Johnston and learn how other big box stores use your tax dollars to basically ruin competition and make their corporate CEOâs wealthy at the tax payers expense, not unlike what billionaire ball club owners do, pitting one city against another. Iâm for free markets but when use subsidies from taxes to your advantage, you are no better than the British Red Coats were, and we all know what happened then, itâs Tea Party time.
HHinkel526 06:53:02 PM Nov 02 2008
I will never again take a prescription to be filled at Wal-Mart. Took an hour to fill one prescription that they did not even have to count the pills. Six pills on a bubble pack, all they had to do is slap on a label. Two minutes max, I'd give them 10 but an hour is ridiculous.They want to keep you in the store as long as they can so they can get you to impulse buy stuff.
Dmsmith102057 06:48:25 PM Nov 02 2008
Walmart sucks!!!! Worked thernd e before....treat employees like crap...and if you work there for years, they cap your pay...cut your hours and push you out the door...they food sucks...management sucks...and dont even think about getting sick..you get sick 3 times in 6 months...your fired...so if you get a job or shop there you are really stupid
HHinkel526 06:40:34 PM Nov 02 2008
What I am waiting to see is Wal-Mart Funeral Service. You can pick up a loaf of bread and some milk and then push your cart by the casket and pay your respects to the deceased on the way to the check out.Another Idea is high rise apartments above the store. Only access to your apartment is through the store.
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