Thomas Edison, the inventor of the lightbulb, once said “genius is one percent inspiration, ninety-nine percent perspiration.” There’s a high chance that whatever an inventor creates, might fizzle and flop. However, if everyone had that attitude when creating, nothing would be invented would it? You have to persist! Here we have a list of some incredible products, that despite their good intentions, ultimately failed. We think some of these are a little harsh, and in a different era perhaps would’ve done better.
That being said… we have to say for several of these: what were they thinking? See more below…
The “ESPN” Phone
This flip phone with the ESPN logo offered blurry video clips and constant sports news. With a $65–225/month plan, it was “free”, or you could buy the device outright for a price of $399. Steve Jobs told ESPN executives, “Your phone is the dumbest f***ing idea I have ever heard” after it had been running for about a year. It’s fair to say the phone didn’t last a whole lot longer.
The ‘ESPN’ Phone
Ikea a.i.r.
Ikea is renowned for its reasonably priced and occasionally simple to assemble home furnishings. In the 1980s, however, they experimented with inflatable furniture, which proved to be a waste of time. Since it used fewer resources and cut down on transportation expenses, the concept made sense: it was essentially weightless. With a ceiling fan, however, your living room was constantly in danger of being rearranged, as the valves leaked and required frequent re-inflation of the furnishings. Ikea pulled the a.i.r., defeated. Ten years later, they briefly resurrected the children’s furniture line. However, it also turned out to be very flat.
Ikea A.i.r.
Twitter Peek
TwitterPeek was designed to be a one-time usage only gadget. For $200. Why did this product ever exist is the fundamental concern here. Didn’t everyone who used Twitter frequently already own a smartphone? The fact that the smartphone couldn’t even tweet well was another problem. Only the first 20 characters of each message are shown on the screen, therefore scrolling painfully slowly was required to read an entire tweet. The list of undesirable qualities is endless: fresh tweets were delayed, linked websites were unreachable, etc. The TwitterPeek is so stupid it hurts my brain, said one tech critic.
Twitter Peak
Spray-on Condom
Nobody on this earth was created the same. Some condoms are overly large, some perhaps too little. It can be challenging for some to locate the ideal fit. The German Institute for Condom Consultancy made the decision to take on this issue. Their solution was a spray-on latex condom, which you apply by merely placing your *male item* inside a device that coats it in melted latex. After that, allow latex to dry for 3 minutes.
Men were however afraid to put their genitals inside the device, thus testing was stopped. Additionally, there was a mystery around the three-minute hardening time. The project withered away. In 2015, a student of art reimagined the spray-on condom, but this time with a less terrifying spray can.
Spray-on Condom
Colgate Kitchen
Colgate sought to capitalize on its strong brand loyalty by breaking into the lucrative ready meal business. In the 1960s, they introduced a frozen food line. They may have attempted to persuade consumers to consume their frozen food before brushing their teeth with brand-name toothpaste. Whatever the cause, this brand-extension was a total failure.
Colgate Kitchen
The Monoski
Before snowboarding became incredibly popular, the ‘monoski’ was at its height in the 1980s. This broad ski, which utilizes alpine-style bindings, was never particularly popular. The monoski was declared extinct when snowboards first appeared in the 1990s, and its two top producers immediately entered the snowboard market. A ski rental company in Re, Sweden, claims that the monoski was a failure. It was so weird, we just don’t know why anyone would use it to ski on typical slopes. However, this year a few monoskis have been spotted around, so perhaps they’re making a comeback?
The Monoski
Rely Tampon
This incredibly absorbent tampon was developed by Procter & Gamble under the slogan “it even absorbs the worry.” They had no idea that their product would result in much more than just fear. A novel, extremely absorbent substance called carboxymethyl-cellulose and polyester were used to create Rely. This was simply just a safety failure. Tampons were being left in for considerably longer by women, which increased the risk of a bacterial infection known as toxic shock syndrome. Rely tampons were rapidly phased out after becoming connected to disease and mortality.
Rely Tampon
Olestra
There is “100% Satisfaction, 0% Guilt.” Olestra, a contentious ingredient, is present in these fat-free chips. Numerous varieties of low-calorie chips were introduced during the 1990s low-calorie fad. What could possibly be superior to chips with no calories? Olestra was approved as an addition in 1996, however due to unfavorable side effects, it swiftly fell out of favor. The material was unable to be absorbed by the body, which in bigger doses led to diarrhea and gastrointestinal cramps. Olestra and the chips have a reputation for contributing to “an*l leaking.”
Olestra
Hysteria (And It’s Treatment)
British doctors claimed that 75% of all women had hysteria in the early 1900s, when this ancient condition first attained epidemic proportions. People who could afford the most up-to-date medical care had a range of options for triggering “hysterical paroxysms.” Horseback riding and hydrotherapy, in which a water jet is directed at their more ‘private areas’, were both possibilities.
The most common treatment was manual stimulation by a licensed medical professional. The revolutionary mechanized vibrator improved the process’ efficiency and reduced practitioners’ fatigue. Not only did it allow a doctor to treat a lot more patients, but it also required less skill than manual treatment. Hysteria was no longer recognized as a condition by the American Psychiatric Association in 1952. The hysterical account highlights how prevailing societal norms and customs have an impact on medical advancement.
Hysteria (And It’s Treatment)
AYDS Diet Candy
“Why take diet pills when you can enjoy Ayds?” With the aid of Hollywood stars, this novel appetite-suppressing confectionery enjoyed decades of success before reaching its zenith in the 1970s.
As you might expect, the weight-loss product was doomed when the AIDS crisis broke out in the 1980s. It didn’t help at all when the brand was changed to Diet Ayds. Products can occasionally fail because of uncontrollable circumstances.
