Top 10 Breakaway Brands 2009

Payless ShoeSource

Once viewed as downmarket shoe dump, Payless has remade itself as a shoe shop that "democratizes fashion." The company brightened dank, dim store interiors and added mom-friendly concepts such as children's play areas. Payless also began stocking accessories such as purses and even stole a march from low-brow fashion champ Target by adding exclusive designer shoe deals. The result? Customers came to see Payless as a fashionable shoe alternative where spending a little more on a slightly more posh pair of boots is A-OK.

Next: Special K

Special K

Long branded as a nutritious breakfast staple, Special K has successfully remade itself as a “shape management” tool and a supportive partner for women seeking to drop pounds. The Kellogg's brand mounted a Special K Challenge that encouraged women to lose six pounds in two weeks by replacing two regular daily meals with Special K products -- including new non-cereal, diet-friendly foods such as waffles and meal replacement bars. New flavors, like Chocolatey Delight, repositioned a stodgy cold cereal as a low-calorie, anytime treat. Online, Kellogg built a personalized Special K Challenge diet plan, a mom-and bride-focused diet support message board, and even a celebrity weight-loss blog by volleyball champion Gabrielle Reece.

Next: Hallmark

Hallmark

The greeting card company earned a spot on our list by going non-traditional, rolling out a customizable digital e-card studio, a line of earth-friendly greeting cards, and a card series called “Journeys” (a line of encouragement cards focused on fighting cancer, coming out, and battling depression). On the screen, the Hallmark Channel reached out to a younger audience by casting more youthful actors and updating music and advertising to appeal to the under-30 set. The company also dramatically expanded its retail presence in grocery stores, drugstores, and even into Walmart.

Next: Haagen-Dazs

Häagen-Dazs

The granddaddy of the super-premium ice cream brands, Häagen-Dazs was struggling to compete against a rush of pretenders both local and regional in this popular niche. To fight back, the company touted its super-high-quality, globally-sourced ingredients and a mantra "made like no other." Responding to recent megatrends toward healthier eating and portion control, Häagen-Dazs introduced single-serving mini cups, snack-sized treats packaged with a plastic spoon. To maintain its exclusive image for hard core ice cream lovers, the company unveiled a limited-edition, limited-availability "Reserve" series (Fleur de Sel caramel, anyone?). And Häagen-Daz tapped into the simple food zeitgeist with its "Five" series of ice creams made with only five ingredients.

Next: Super Bowl

Super Bowl

Once a male-dominated event watched in sweaty sports bars, the Super Bowl has gone family-style thanks to the rapid proliferation of large-screen TVs in dens across America. The National Football League recognized this cultural shift and remade the Super Bowl into more of a multi-culti extravaganza with bigger and better half-time shows and entertainment geared to appeal to the entire family unit. The wild popularity of fantasy football, likewise, helped turn the Super Bowl into a must-view for participants in the online sports leagues. And the rise of the online gossipsphere (TMZ, PerezHilton.com, etc) with its unlimited space for celeb-watching has meant closer scrutiny to all athletes and, by extension, a new audience of football fans who initially connected through following online the foibles of their favorites.

Next: Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's

Long lauded as the perfect purveyor of the most unique selection of modestly-priced and mostly natural foods, this family-run company is now a national buzzword among foodies. The public’s increased interest in recent years in natural, healthy, and organic products has made Trade Joe's the preferred lower-cost alternative to gourmet grocery chains like Whole Foods (derided as Whole Paycheck). TJ’s (as its rabidly loyal fans call the store) stocks foods from around the globe that can’t be found easily anywhere else (dried hibiscus flowers, anyone?) and offers healthier, unprocessed options that are predominantly private label to keep costs down. A happy, knowledgeable staff clad in Hawaiian shirts doesn't hurt.

Next: National Geographic TV

National Geographic TV

After realizing its science- and nature-focused programming appealed mostly to a male audience, National Geographic TV added new programs to attract the fairer sex. Mission accomplished. The wildly popular show, "The Dog Whisperer" has been a hit with both guys and girls. To further extend its brand into new frontiers, National Geographic forged partnerships with like-minded companies and organizations, such as creating a “Climate Connections” segment on National Public Radio and partnering with Big Fish Games, an online games developer. Got green? National Geo's been there forever and its old focus on the environment, the planet and animals has been repolished for renewed relevance with stunning imagery and programming.

Next: PayPal

PayPal

Once a staple of the digiterati and eBay users, PayPal entered the vernacular over the last three years as more and more people have come to see it simply as an easy way to pay for things and send or receive money online. A merchant’s darling because of its lower-than-credit-card service fees, PayPal is also a favorite with customers without cards or those who are especially concerned about security (the PayPal “P” is a symbol synonymous with safe online transactions). PayPal bolstered its brand by introducing mobile payment options and merchant services such as online invoicing, express checkout, and recurrent billing.

Next: Apple

Apple

In previous Breakaway Brands surveys, the iPod and iPhone were celebrated for their "reinterpretations" of personal music players and the cell phone, respectively. But this year, it is Apple itself we recognize for its remarkable metamorphosis from computer company to ubiquitous modern accessory, and lifestyle entertainment brand. In addition to stylish design and easy-to-use products, Apple provides a rock-solid infrastructure platform (the iTunes Store) that supports its trendy tools. Apple's retail stores feel high-end without being stuffy, and encourage shoppers to touch and play with tech gear. With its confidence-inspiring Genius Bar, the tech support station inside every Apple retail store, Apple has made tech safe for everyone. Of course, Apple's eye-catching, hip and often funny ads drive all the above points home quite well.

Next: Google

Google

Need movie showtimes, medieval history, or Michael Jackson’s glove size? America Googles it. Google has so dominated the search engine landscape that the Oxford English Dictionary added "to Google" as a verb. Now Google is also breaking away with other popular branded products. YouTube is the most powerful force in online video. GoogleMaps and GoogleEarth are the dominant players in mapping and consumer geolocation services. That Google has been able to both dominate search and expand while expending hardly any advertising dollars is testament to the strength of the brand that broke away a long time ago and now appears to be adding even more distance between itself and the also-rans.

Next: More on AOL

More on AOL:
Disappearing Brands

In our next feature, DailyFinance's Latif Lewis rounds up snapshots of brands across all industries -- automotive, publishing, tech -- forced to fold recently, or at least announce their exits from the U.S. market.

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