After its acquisition by Yahoo in 2005, some critics believe Flickr got mired in its integration with Yahoo at the expense of pursuing product innovation based on what its loyal band of users would want next.
Advances in computer know-how -- the ability to "reverse engineer" almost any product -- mean that as soon as a luxury product develops a cachet there will be a band of forgers with the technology and resources to copy it.
In addition to singing and playing bass, frontman Gene Simmons has turned the band into a merchandising machine, plastering their distinctive black-and-white facepaint on every sort of product imaginable.