Brands that you thought had died but haven’t

Some well-loved brands have vanished over the years. Whether a difficult climate led them to shut their doors, there was a corporate merger, or perhaps even a name change, brands that were once everywhere have been relegated to our memories. However, some names that you may not have heard about for some time are, in fact, still going strong.

So, let’s take a look at some of the surprising brands that are still alive and well in 2020, and what they’ve been up to since their heyday.

Wimpy

Fate: Still alive and well in the UK!

Long before the golden arches made its way across the pond, Wimpy – the fast-food restaurant that gave you cutlery  – was a mainstay. Until it wasn’t. Sometimes, when a high street unit gets a facelift, you might catch a glimpse at some faded Wimpy signage.

It’s common to see brands leave the UK and still see success in other territories however, we were shocked to find out that Wimpy was alive and well right here in the UK! Now owned by South African company Famous Brands since 2007, you can visit the website and even order from Deliveroo and Uber Eats from its 71 chains. It’s a far cry from the 300-restaurant chain of yesteryear…we’re off to Birkenhead to take a trip down memory lane.

Lilt

Fate: Lilt is still and has always been widely available.

Much like the Mandela Effect, where various people share a similar experience that didn’t happen, the false memory that Lilt isn’t available anymore has been doing the rounds for years.

A quick look on Twitter, you’ll find people posting photos of Lilt cans and bottles in awe that they’re still available. Of course, the supermarket-savvy among us will know that 2-litre bottles of the exotic fizz can be purchased in the likes of ASDA and Tesco, so rumours and assumptions of its disappearance are hard to pinpoint.

One explanation for Lilt’s low profile in recent years, as it was previously backed by a questionable ad campaign by today’s standards, which I’m sure parent brand Coca-Cola would like us all to forget.

It’s a brand that WXY would love to get our hands on and breathe new life into, so if anyone at Coca-Cola is reading this, get in touch!

C&A

Fate: Left the UK in 2001. Still operating across Europe.

Anyone who has taken a trip to Germany or Spain has probably come across C&A… and if you are of a certain age, you probably remember the large department stores with the logo emblazoned across its glass doors.

For the uninitiated, C&A operated in a similar space to BHS and can be roughly summed up as a more expensive Primark. Indeed, Primark’s surge in popularity was one of the reasons C&A withdrew from the UK market – with some of its locations now actually occupied by Primark.

Last seen on UK shores in 2001, the fashion retailer still has predominant high street spots across its Dutch-Belgian and German origins.

Myspace

Fate: Still in operation – you can sign up today.

Myspace Tom was everyones friend in 2007

Before there was Facebook, it was all about Myspace, one of the first globally popular social networking sites. You wouldn’t be alone in thinking that Myspace is defunct; a quick Google search brings up the term “does Myspace still exist?”.

Apart from some niche news stories (including taking a look at Kim Kardashian’s old profile), Myspace has long past its peak with its dominance largely eaten away by Facebook and Twitter in the latter half of the 2000s.

Despite it changing hands several times (once bought by News Corporation for a reported, eye-watering $580million) the site still exists. Since its peak, Myspace has undergone a few re-skins and tried to focus on what made it popular in the first place to become a hub for music and indie bands. So, it looks like the site that launched the careers of artists, including Lily Allen and the Arctic Monkeys is still kicking about after all.

Neopets

Fate: Still functional – future remains uncertain.  

Sticking to digital brands, Neopets was the Tamagotchi for generation Y as we ditched cyber-pets and booted up our PC’s to create our colourful pets online. As such, the internet became littered with customisable characters, from South Park characters to glittered Bratz-like dolls. In fact, there have been a few memes to cover the fact that you probably haven’t fed your Neopet in a few years!

You can now sign up for its mobile-optimised beta version (better late than never) and the site seems largely unchanged from back in the day. That being said, at the time of writing  Gizmondo reported that the site is at risk of closing down!

So, if you want to dip your toe into some internet nostalgia, you can go back and feed your dragon for what might be one final hurrah!

Soviet

Fate: Still going and producing new lines.

No, we don’t mean the former USSR, we’re talking about the Italian fashion brand founded in the 1990s. Men of a certain age might remember buying Soviet jeans or a zipper, which was considered the cheaper option to Diesel. The brand featured in shops such as USC, Bank and Republic and had a bit of a moment in the mid-2000s.

Its demise in the UK was likely down to the fall in availability as the aforementioned retailers shut up shop. There’s not much information on the brand online, and confusingly there are two websites, Soviet.com which looks like it hasn’t been updated in some time and SovietDenim, which claims its HQ’d in South Africa, so details are scant.

It seems to still be available across UK retailers, such as Sports Direct which states: “Inspired by the Brit-pop era of terrace fashion and lads mags, Soviet is a brand immersed in the lad's culture, style and attitude.” 

It also has a 10k strong Instagram that appears active, selling footwear remarkably similar to Converse.

So, there you have it!

Are there any brands that you’re shocked are still operating? Let us know!