Transformation Series: AOL

I still remember the AOL dial-up era. "I’d hit ‘Go,’ listen to the dial tone screech, swap one of the six CDs in my AIWA stereo, flip through Seventeen magazine, and grab a Frosted Brown Sugar Cinnamon Pop-Tart — because even waiting to get online was its own ritual.

What if the sound of “You’ve got mail” wasn’t just nostalgia…but a signal it’s time to reinvent?

Slow, clunky, but magical. It was the gateway to a world we were just starting to explore….

Fast forward to September 30, 2025 — and after 34 years, AOL is finally shutting down its dial-up internet service (along with its legacy Dialer and Shield browser). The email and web portal will live on, but that frustrating symphony of beeps and static is gone for good.

For years, AOL held onto dial-up — even as subscribers dwindled into the single digits, mostly in remote areas. Whether out of nostalgia, brand equity, or a reluctance to cut ties with what once defined them, they kept the infrastructure alive long after its prime. But now, the decision to let it go clears space to invest in services that are actually relevant today.

The lesson? Emotional equity can carry a brand only so far. At some point, letting go isn’t a loss — it’s what creates the conditions to thrive in the future. Reinvention requires abandoning what no longer serves so you can make room for what’s next.

Here’s what AOL’s sunset asks us to consider:

• Are you holding onto legacy that no longer serves, but still drains resources?

• Is your brand remembered fondly…but no longer delivering real value?

• Have you proactively reinvented, or are you waiting until the market makes the choice for you?

Future-proofing means honoring legacy without being trapped by it. Being remembered fondly is nice, but being relevant is what creates impact.

AOL is finally shutting down dial-up after 34 years