Which brands generated a big buzz online and offline this year and how did they do it? I compiled a list of 10 of the biggest buzz brands in the United States during 2010 to get an idea of what got people talking and sharing this year. These brands are in no particular order — just as I thought of them. Check out the list below.
1. Old Spice
Thanks to a clever commercial, Old Spice enjoyed a resurgence in popularity that hasn’t been seen since the return of bell-bottom pants in the early 1990s.
2. Silly Bandz
Is there a store in the country that doesn’t sell Silly Bandz? Okay, I’m exaggerating the popularity of Silly Bandz with that question, but just a bit. These little plastic bracelets come in more shapes than you can imagine and have become the “must-have” item for girls and boys. Whether kids want to wear Silly Bandz, trade them with friends, or use them as weapons to flick at each other in the absence of rubber bands, there is a reason why schools across the country have banned them.
3. Droid
It seemed like no one could compete with Apple’s iPhone. Then Google’s Android smart phone hit the market and customers noticed. With a better network and similar features, Droid has been nipping away at Apple’s market share (not to mention the market shares of other mobile device brands).
4. Angry Birds
It’s the hottest game in mobile apps and soon it will become available for gaming devices like the Wii. Angry Birds 2 is in the works by creator Rovio, and the number of people trying to help a bunch of angry birds destroy pigs continues to grow.
5. iPad
Everyone was interested in the iPad in 2010. Whether or not consumers dished out the money to get one is another story entirely, but they certainly were talking about it.
6. Kindle
With a drop in price, the buzz about Amazon’s Kindle e-reader device kicked up. Considering how many other e-reader devices are hitting the market or dropping prices, it’s a good thing for Amazon that the Kindle followed suit.
7. Sarah Palin
Whether or not you agree with her politics, you can’t argue with the marketing machine behind Sarah Palin which turned a reputation that could have gone down in history as a 15-minutes of fame story into a brand that’s bringing in big bucks through multiple ventures.
8. Facebook
2010 could be called the year that Facebook took over the world — 350 million users globally, a movie, access to way too much private information, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
9. Groupon
Who doesn’t like big discounts? Is it really surprising that Groupon got people talking (and joining) in 2010?
10. RedBox
First came Netflix, then came RedBox. Blockbuster didn’t stand a chance. How can you compete with cheap and convenient?
What do you think were the biggest buzz brands of 2010 in the United States or other parts of the world? Leave a comment and share your thoughts.
Susan Gunelius is the author of 10 marketing, social media, branding, copywriting, and technology books, and she is President & CEO of KeySplash Creative, Inc., a marketing communications company. She also owns Women on Business, an award-wining blog for business women. She is a featured columnist for Entrepreneur.com and Forbes.com, and her marketing-related articles have appeared on websites such as MSNBC.com, BusinessWeek.com, TodayShow.com, and more.
She has over 20 years of experience in the marketing field having spent the first decade of her career directing marketing programs for some of the largest companies in the world, including divisions of AT&T and HSBC. Today, her clients include large and small companies around the world and household brands like Citigroup, Cox Communications, Intuit, and more. Susan is frequently interviewed about marketing and branding by television, radio, print, and online media organizations, and she speaks about these topics at events around the world. You can connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or Google+.
