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At times over the last few years, the flat-panel revolution has appeared to erode the prestige--or at least the market share--of the best-known brands in television. However, last year saw a reversal of the trend, with the traditional brands back on top.

In the fourth quarter of 2007, Samsung was the number one LCD brand in North America, with a market share of 14.2 percent, up from 12.8 percent the previous quarter. Number two was Sony, with market share of 12.5 percent, up from 10.8 percent the previous quarter. The former number one, Vizio, sank to third place with 12.4 percent, down from 13 percent the previous quarter. Panasonic continued to top the plasma rankings. The figures are from the market research firm iSuppli.

What turned the tide? The winning brands used more aggressive pricing and promotion than their lesser-known rivals. That, combined with the inherent power of certain brand names, caused the shift. Analyst Riddhi Patel told the estimable Dennis Barker of EETimes: "Consumers in the television industry are not as brand conscious as they once were, as evidenced by the popularity of Vizio. However, when the difference in pricing between a value-brand television and a premium-brand set is within the 10 percent range, consumers often will go for the premium brand."