‘I get more meetings because of the brand’: BlackBerry’s CEO on keeping a famous name

BlackBerry’s most visible product may be gone, but its name remains firmly attached to the company. The business no longer makes BlackBerry handsets, yet it continues to operate under the brand that became synonymous with an earlier era of mobile communications.

A famous name with a different business

The company was previously known as Research In Motion, or RIM, when it manufactured BlackBerry devices. Its rise and subsequent decline became one of the most closely followed stories in the technology industry. BlackBerry fell off Interbrand’s Best Global Brands list in 2013, the same year Apple first reached the top of the ranking.

Interbrand’s 2026 list again places Apple at No. 1, offering a reminder of how far the technology landscape has shifted since BlackBerry’s strongest years. The BlackBerry name, however, has not disappeared with the handset business.

Brand recognition remains an asset

BlackBerry’s chief executive says the company’s well-known identity continues to open doors, including helping generate more meetings. That suggests the name still carries recognition beyond the devices that originally made it famous.

For the company, retaining the BlackBerry name preserves a direct link to its history while distinguishing it from its former corporate identity as RIM. The brand now represents a company that has moved beyond making phones, even as its legacy remains closely associated with them.

A legacy that continues

BlackBerry’s story is no longer defined solely by its rise and fall in handsets. Its continued use of the name shows the lasting business value of familiarity, even after a company leaves its best-known market.