Tupperware - Failure Museum

Tupperware

Founded in 1942, Tupperware manufactured preparation, storage, and serving containers for the kitchen and home. Tupperware filed for bankruptcy in 2024 due to declining demand and rising costs. The company’s traditional direct sales model failed to attract modern consumer, while they had rising competition from Rubbermaid, OXO, and takeout food containers that consumers recycle as there was growing public health and environmental concerns about plastic.

Sony Reader - Failure museum

Sony Reader

Sony Reader was launched in 2006, one year before Amazon‘s Kindle. Sony spent more than twice of what Amazon spent on media, but didn’t offer a compelling reason to buy, offer enough titles, or have an easy to use store. Kindle overtook them in the market with a wireless product, a larger array of titles, and good PR.

Rudy's Morning Coffee - Failure Museum

Rudy’s morning coffee

Rudy Giuliani is urging his supporters to buy his coffee brand one day after pleading not guilty to charges of conspiring to overturn the 2020 presidential election.

“I’ve moved at a fast pace, and have had many different roles in life, but the one constant thing has been a good cup of coffee, which is now proven to have health benefits. Please enjoy my delicious fresh roasted specialty coffee. It’s quality you can trust.”

Coca Cola Spiced - Failure Museum

Coca-Cola Spiced

Discontinued in September 2024 and only 6 months after its release, Coca-Cola Spiced was unable to attract younger drinkers. Spiced was created to attract Gen-Z drinkers, who have a thirst for punchier flavors. Coca-Cola expected the drink would become a permanent flavor since their research found an increase in consumer willingness to try a spiced beverage. Lack of awareness of this new offering and confusion about the flavor contributed to its lackluster sales.

Parfum De Mayonnaise - Failure museum

Parfum De Mayonnaise (i.e. Hellmans Mayo Fragrance)

At the heart of the fragrance lies a daring mayonnaise accord. The mayonnaise accord provides a rich, smooth texture to the fragrance, making it intriguingly complex and memorable.

Complementing the mayonnaise, a whisper of parsley adds a fresh, herbal element to the scent’s heart. The green, aromatic quality of the herb enhances the fragrance with a natural, earthy tone, reminiscent of a well-prepared dish.

The fragrance is rounded out with creamy vanilla, adding a sweet comforting finish. This note balances the tartness of the lemon and the creaminess of the mayonnaise, creating a harmonious blend that is both inviting and intriguing.

Motorola ROKR - Failure Museum

Motorola ROKR

In 2005, over a year before the first iPhone, Apple and Motorola collaborated to produce a device informally known as “the iTunes phone.” This was Apple’s first device in the cellphone market. Conceived as an iPod Shuffle mated to a cellphone, the device was called the MOTOROKR E1. 

In the end, the device proved disastrous with its cheap plastic design, poor camera and 100-song limit, it fell far short of the iPod’s promise of 1,000 songs in your pocket.

Ellume - Failure Museum

Ellume

Founded in 2009 and having raised $192M, Ellume was focused on producing digital diagnostic products during the H1N1 outbreak. Ellume secured a $300M contract to supply newly developed SARS-COV-2 kits to the US in 2019. In 2021, the product was recalled due to false positive results. Ellume went bankrupt in 2023 and owed $140M to investors, partners, contractors and staff.

Second Life - Failure Mueum

Second Life

Founded in 2001 ahead of its time, Second Life was a developer of an internet-based virtual platform intended to empower people to create, share, and benefit from virtual experiences. The three-dimensional virtaul world allows people to create, buy, sell, and experience virtual content through a sereis of content creation, land management and transactional tools.

Sneex - Failure Museum

Sneex

In 2024, Sneex was introduced as a “luxury hybrid stiletto” The sneaker heels were created to provide the comfort of a sneaker with the height of a heel.

Pornitor - Failure Museum

Pornitor

Released in 2024 by Amazon, the pornitor is named through a combination of portable and monitor. But differentiating displays by shortening portable and monitor to pornitor may give shoppers the wrong idea about what you’re actually selling.