In February of this year Sharper Image went bankrupt. Nevertheless, the brand lives on! Hilco Organization and Gordon Brothers Group LLC purchased Sharper Image for $49 million including $33 million for the brand name. According to Hilco's Chief Executive, James Salter as quoted in the Wall Street Journal; the Sharper Image products will be sold on the web, through catalogs, and possibly through large department stores like Target or Best Buy. Mr. Salter claims the Sharper Image name could generate sales of $1 billion.

Brand value never ceases to amaze me. Sharper image started losing sales back in 2005 when it received a damning review of its Ionic Breeze air purifier in Consumer Reports magazine. With sales floundering, founder, Richard Thalheimer left Sharper Image in 2007 with a $30 million buyout. He has since started a new gadget company called RichardSolo.com.
Here you have a bankrupt company that paid its former owner $30 million, the brand name is purchased for $33 million, and the company expects sales on that name of $1 billion. I wonder how many other unsuccessful companies are making it big on their brand names. What's your brand worth?