Brand Tips from Blackberry: Why You'll Want to Listen Up in 2015

BlackBerry, once a leading cell phone manufacturer, couldn't even sell itself off last year. No one was interested in buying the dying brand, but as desperation leads to innovation, times have certainly changed. A rumored offer from Samsung has the industry talking, and experts say the company's comeback story is one every business owner will want to hear.

BLACKBERRY’S FALL FROM GRACE

It wasn't long ago that BlackBerry controlled nearly half of the cell phone market. Then came the smartphone revolution, and the brand quickly crashed and burned. Their market share fell from 47 percent in 2009 to less than one percent in 2014.

After the release of the iPhone, BlackBerry struggled to keep consumers engaged. The release of their first touchscreen, the Z10, definitely left buyers wanting. Last year, the company claimed a loss of $5.9 billion and attempted to sell, but the sale failed due to a lack of interest. Instead of going the way of Palm, BlackBerry brought in fresh blood to reinvigorate the company and come up with a plan to turn things around.

REINVENTING THE BRAND

November of 2014 saw the introduction of a new CEO in John Chen, the brain behind Sybase’s financial recovery. In a common sense move, he shifted the cell phone manufacturer’s focus off of the consumer market and focused on niche sales. BlackBerry’s latest endeavors — the Passport and the Classic — aren't just built for business use, they’re marketed directly to decision-makers.

Of course, features do help, and as always, these BlackBerry devices are built with power in mind. There’s no Siri to direct you to the best restaurants and no Candy Crush to distract you from work, but the 3.6-inch screen of the Passport is optimal for viewing data. While the Classic inspires nostalgia in Blackberry fans, it also has the convenient, physical QWERTY keyboard of the past, which makes for ultra-fast messaging and emailing on the move.

THE FUTURE OF BLACKBERRY

Along with a new line of phones aimed at the moguls of the business world, BlackBerry Messenger has climbed from 20 million members in 2013 to just over 140 million today. What made the difference? Releasing it for iPhone and Android devices allowed for a surge in popularity, but it’s one that can make a big impact on reputation if the company plays its cards right. It’ll raise enough capital to fund innovative phones designs, too, as mobile banking and shop advertising is expected to exceed $1 million in 2015.