McPizzas came out in the late ’80s as a family-sized pie. They were eventually reduced to individual-sized pies, but even with the change in measurements, the cook time was still too long for McDonald’s taste.
McDonald’s Onion Nuggets
Launched in 1978 and discontinued in 1979, McDonald’s Onion Nuggets were deep fried chunks of onion, giving them a crispy, golden outer layer. They weren’t a hit for consumers but inspired Chicken McNuggets in 1983.
National Geographic
The rise of the internet and social media has revolutionized the way we consume information. National Geographic, once a trusted source of news and entertainment, is now competing with a myriad of other outlets for our attention.
National Geographic has traditionally focused on natural history and exploration. However, in recent years, the magazine has expanded its scope to include more general interest topics, such as popular culture and current events. This shift in focus has alienated some of National Geographic’s core readership.
National Geographic has been slow to adapt to the changing media landscape. While other magazines have embraced new technologies and platforms, National Geographic has largely remained stuck in the past. This lack of innovation has made it difficult for the magazine to attract and retain new readers.
McDLT
Introduced in the 1980s, temperature was a huge issue when it came to serving the McDLT. McDonald’s wanted to serve the bottom bun and burger patty hot, but also wanted the lettuce and tomato to be cold when the sandwich reached the customer. So, instead of serving the burger wrapped in paper like most of its other offerings, the McDLT arrived in a styrofoam container with two separate compartments — one for the hot ingredients and one for the cold. Of course, this meant there was some assembly required, as the customer would then have to put their burger together themselves before digging in.
The styrofoam containers were necessary to keep the ingredients at the right temperatures — paper would not insulate the hot ingredients and separate them from cold ingredients in the same way — yet they were not great for the environment. Apparently, in the 1990s, environmental activists began criticizing McDonald’s for the amount of styrofoam they were using, and the McDLT was removed from menus to help cut down on the use of non-eco-friendly materials.
Tie Rack
Founded in 1981 and peaking at 450 stores, Tie Rack was a British-based tie retailer that also sold scarves and cufflinks.
By 2013 all the stores were closed since wearing a tie was not that necessary anymore in business meetings. Plus most men got their ties from the same place they get their shirts so no longer needed to go to a tie only store.
Tie Rack is another good example of how not adapting to the changes can cost your business a lot. If Tie Rack was able to change its products or come up with a more unique idea for selling ties, it might’ve still been around. Unfortunately, with men’s interest in ties declining, Tie Rack wasn’t a necessity anymore. A business should be able to change its operations with people’s demands if it wants to keep its customers.
McLean Deluxe
The McLean Deluxe, according to nutritional information provided by The Impulsive Buy, followed through with this vision with a 91 percent fat free beef patty. Each patty had 310 calories, 10 grams of fat, 60 milligrams of cholesterol, and 670 milligrams of sodium. While the sodium levels were still too high to be a truly healthy option, the burger managed to be less fatty than the average patty.
Sam Goody
Founded in 1951 with the last of 400 stores having closed in 2025, Sam Goody was one of the record store giants from the golden age of physical media.
The chain was one of the most prominent music, video, and entertainment retailers for much of the 20th century, becoming a staple in malls and shopping centers across North America. But like many large purveyors of physical media, its fortunes turned with the rise of he internet, digital downloads, and online shopping.
Miller High Life Bar-Fume
In 2024, Miller High Life released a perfume that mixes all the essential scents of a neighborhood dive bar. According to Miller High Life, the perfume “captures every familiar dive bar scent, from the satisfying crack of a freshly opened beer to the comforting savory taste of classic bar snacks.” The “transformative” blend includes notes of cedarwood and patchouli, “so every spritz takes you back to that well-loved bar top,” and tobacco and leather, which are meant to evoke “the comforting musk of worn-in barstools.” There are also notes of champaca blossom for “that crisp, refreshing aroma when the bartender cracks open The Champagne of Beers” and a little whisper of sea salt, “like the basket of fries you look forward to at the end of the night.”
Humane AI Pin
Released in 2024 after having raised $230M, the Humane AI pin was a futuristic wearable device powered by artificial intelligence. However, the AI assistant frequently gave incorrect answers to questions, the pin struggled to complete basic tasks like setting a timer or making a phone call, the battery only lasted two to four hours, the voice commands were slow, ad the pin overheated easily.
Less than a year after its launch, the AI Pin is gone, and Humane Inc. is being sold for spare parts.
So, what went wrong?
Let’s break it down:
1. Bold vision, flawed execution
Humane marketed the AI Pin as an “iPhone killer,” but failed at product design. Slow response times, overheating issues, and an awkward user experience made it feel like a prototype.
2. A flawed pricing strategy
The $699 price was high as is, but the added $24/month subscription made possible customers say “I’ll just use my phone”.
3. Skipping real-world testing
Poor battery life, laggy cloud processing, and unreliable voice commands made it impractical for everyday use – issues that should’ve been caught in testing.
4. Operating like a corporation, not a startup
Humane followed Apple’s “big reveal” strategy instead of iterating based on user feedback. Prioritizing design over function, they ignored early warnings and launched an unfinished product.
5. No ecosystem, no adoption
Unlike Apple or Google, the AI Pin had no app store, third-party integrations, or seamless device compatibility, leaving users with a standalone gadget that didn’t fit into their workflow.
6. Burned cash without a backup plan
Despite raising $230M, Humane’s high burn rate meant they needed mass adoption fast. When early reviews highlighted flaws, demand collapsed, and they had no pivot strategy.
Spotify Car Thing
Launched in 2021 and discontinued in 2024, Car Thing was Spotify’s first hardware product, a simple touchscreen music player for car dashboards that piped tracks from the online service. The simple screen with a rotating dial and a few buttons was able to connect to your phone and your car to give you a better way to control music. Spotify stopped making Car Thing just five months after it launched due to low product demand and supply chain issues.