5 Companies That ‘Brought it Back’

If at first you don�t succeed … well, try doing what made you a success in the first place. “Bringin’ it Back” appears be the motto of an increasing number of companies — given the state of the economy, that�s not a surprise.

But going back to one�s roots is not easy and is no guarantee of success. Walt Disney�s (NYSE:DIS) ABC network just canceled �Charlie�s Angels,” which was one of the most iconic TV series of the 1970s — and should have been left there. And Sears Holdings‘ (NASDAQ:SHLD) Kmart brought back “blue-light specials” in 2009 after an 18-year absence, and that hasn’t done much to turn things around — while same-store sales rose 0.7% in 2010, Kmart�s same-store sales fell 1.7% in the first quarter and were flat in Q2.

Still, it’s difficult to ignore the temptation to retry something that worked before. MySpace’s new owners are trying to rekindle the once-explosive social network’s success, and heck, someone is even trying to bring back the DeLorean — a success as a pop culture icon thanks to “Back to the Future” but a business failure.

These five companies couldn’t resist and have either succeeded or are waiting for the payoff as they try to “bring it back”:

Wendy’s

The Wendy�s (NYSE:WEN) hamburger chain has struggled in the years since the 2002 death of founder Dave Thomas, who became a celebrity from his time as the company�s TV pitchman. When billionaire Nelson Peltz acquired the chain in 2008, Wendy’s stock had shed almost three-fourths of its 2012 value, and it dropped another 25% from that point through this year. To help revitalize the company, Wendy’s is invoking the name of its late founder.

Last month, Wendy’s rolled out its new burger, dubbed “Dave’s Hot and Juicy.” And while the burger’s moniker is a throwback to a much better time, the sandwich is a complete revamping of a decades-old recipe. Wendy�s sweated every detail of the burger, which features a bigger patty, buttered bun and extra cheese. USA TODAY even pointed out that the company consulted a �pickle chemist.� Whether the new burger will help boost Wendy�s bottom line is not clear.

    

Motorola

Back in the administration of George W. Bush, only the cool kids had a Motorola (NYSE:MMI) RAZR flip-phone. Millions of them were sold from 2004-07. Then, the RAZR faded into oblivion after Apple (NASDAQ:AAPL) introduced the iPhone in 2007, and Motorola eventually replaced it with its own smartphone, the Droid, in 2009.

This month, Motorola announced it would be bringing back the RAZR name and pairing it with the aforementioned Droid. The pairing of old and new will use Google�s (NASDAQ:GOOG) Android operating system and boast 1 GB of RAM and 16 GB of storage — and it will be made out of the takes-a-licking synthetic fiber Kevlar. So far, the verdict from experts is cautiously optimistic. Wired magazine noted, �With the solid performance, suite of accessories and fantastic industrial design, it’s only the somewhat unattractive interface that lets the Motorola Razr down.�

Gap

Casual clothing chain Gap Inc. (NYSE:GAP)’s namesake Gap stores have fallen on hard times.�North American same-store sales�are dropping this year and have fallen at least 5% in six of the last seven years. Gap has made numerous attempts to jolt the company back to life, including a logo change that lasted a week and, most recently, a clever but otherwise ineffective advertising campaign.

This month, Gap announced a two-pronged approach to finding its footing. The company will close 200 North American stores while opening 30 stores in China by next year. And the Gap also will go back to its roots — “high-quality jeans and casual clothes with an American aesthetic,” according to a Reuters report. The Gap hopes to build positive momentum behind its popular 1969 brand of jeans, bring back more bold colors and even simplify floor sets.

Volkswagen

The German automaker played the nostalgia game once, and now it’s doing it again — with a twist. In 1998, Volkswagen (PINK:VLKAY) introduced the �New Beetle,” whose design was inspired by the company�s best-selling �Bug� that was available in the U.S. from 1949 to 1979. The company sold 50,000, 80,000 and 80,000 more units in its first three years. However, the company’s annual number dwindled to less than 15,000 by 2009, and the Beetle was discontinued in 2010.

The 2012 Beetle will be the “new” New Beetle. Volkswagen promoted the vehicle in Super Bowl commercials and gave them away to members of the audience of the �Oprah Winfrey Show.� According to Auto Week, the Beetle is expected to sell 50,000 to 60,000 units in the U.S. annually. Some analysts expect the company to topple Toyota (NYSE:TM) as the world’s largest automaker

News Corp.

After News Corp.�s (NASDAQ:NWS) Fox network canceled �Family Guy�in 2002, the show developed a cult following. Reruns featuring the foul-mouthed Griffin family saw 1.9 million viewers, easily besting the rest of the programming on Cartoon Network’s late-night Adult Swim block of shows. And the first DVD volume of shows sold 1.6 million copies in 2003, making it the top TV DVD of the year, and the second volume sold another million copies.

Viewer love for “Family Guy” was so pronounced that Fox brought the show back after an unprecedented three-year hiatus. The show even poked fun of Fox, rattling off the 29 shows that had aired and been canceled during the interim. Since then, �Family Guy� has led or been among Fox’s top-rated shows.

As of this writing, Jonathan Berr does not own any shares of the aforementioned stocks. Follow him on Twitter at @Jdberr.