5 Companies That ‘Brought it Back’

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tdp2664 InvestorPlace 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.