Breakaway Brands from 2009: Special K, Hallmark, PayPal among the winners

What does a breakfast cereal have to do to break out of the (cereal) box? How does an offbeat TV hit like "The Dog Whisperer" differentiate a venerable media stalwart? And what does celebrity gossip have to do with Super Bowl parties? These are pieces of how some of the most innovative brands of the past three years were able to break away from the pack.

For this report, DailyFinance worked with prominent branding agency Landor Associates to develop a list of the Top 10 Breakaway Brands for 2009. The list includes some surprises, like Special K, Hallmark, PayPal and the Super Bowl. See our gallery for more information about how each Top Breakaway Brand made the cut.