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www.dailypicksandflicks.com

These two robbers made their ‘mark’ in mug shot history. Why use ski masks when you can use permanent marker? It appears guilty was written all over their faces.

Alright, so sometimes people make idiotic mistakes. The same can be true when it comes to products. Who remembers Colgate’s frozen lasagna? That was as useless as the ‘g’ in lasagna. It doesn’t take a genius to realize that invention was doomed from the beginning. But one man in particular did something about it. He made a museum.

Created and founded by Dr. Samuel West, the Museum of Failure sits in the Swedish city of Helsingborg where it displays 51 products “that were intentionally developed for innovation sake, yet failed to gain commercial success.”

“We know that 80 to 90 per cent of innovation projects, they fail and you never read about them, you don’t see them, people don’t talk about them,” West says. “And if there’s anything we can do from these failures, is learn from them.” Many of the items show companies attempts to diversify their brand, but epically failing to do so. Take a look!

1. The Rejuvenique Electric Shock Facial Mask:

www.forbes.com

No. Just – no! Made of rigid plastic, this 1990 mask only comes in one size. The shocks are set up to “exercise” your face and reduce wrinkles. Many of us search for a facial product that will help reduce the look of aging and leave us looking refreshed and youthful. This one simply leaves us with nightmares. As Simon Cowell would say, “It’s going to be a no for me.” On the other hand, we think Michael Myers from Halloween would find it shockingly enjoyable.

2. Coca Cola Blaak:

www.thestar.com

This coffee-cola concoction didn’t make it on the shelves for one big reason, it didn’t taste good. “Blák” sounds like a sound you make when you find something disgusting and in this case, it was true. It could have been the sugary substance was just that, too sickening sweet. The ‘a’ didn’t earn them an A after all.

3. Harley-Davidson’s Fragrance:

www.thestar.com

With the scent being Eau De Toilette, we can see why this product was deemed a stinky mess. In 1990, the company launched their “cheap-smelling” perfumes which caused a huge backlash and an outcry from many fans who accused the company of “Disney’fying” the brand. Eventually, Harley-Davidson understood that brand loyalty does have its boundaries. In the end, they admitted they were wrong and discontinued the perfumes. That had to have been a breath of fresh air.

4. Bic for Her:

www.thestar.com

Who remembers this marketing disaster? The Bic ‘Cristal’ pen for her had terms like “elegant design – just for her!” and “thin barrel to fit a woman’s hand”. The pens also came in lovely pastel colors ‘just for her’ –  mint, pink and lavender. Can we say, “Sexist?”  This one is a no brainer as to why it ended up in the Museum of Failure. Take some notes Bic, this is how you don’t want to advertise

In the end, I think we all learned one valuable lesson. Don’t try electrocuting your face. Although the Rejuvenique Electric Shock Facial Mask could make one killer Halloween costume. It’s the bad ideas that help pave the road to success. It’s all part of the ride. Some of the largest, most productive companies in the world have made errors along the way.  As Samuel West said, “Innovation is a risky business and the majority fail.”

 

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-Haley Corkery │ Public Relations Specialist