Brand Failures

Contents
1. Introduction 1
Why brands fail
4
Brand myths
6
Why focus on failure
7
2. Classic failures 9
1 New Coke 13
2 The Ford Edsel 19
3 Sony Betamax 26
4 McDonald’s Arch Deluxe 30
3. Idea failures 33
5 Kellogg’s Cereal Mates: warm milk, frosty reception 37
6 Sony’s Godzilla: a monster flop 40
7 Persil Power: one stubborn stain on Unilever’s reputation 44
8 Pepsi: in pursuit of purity 47
9 Earring Magic Ken: when Barbie’s boyfriend came out of 50
the closet
10 The Hot Wheels computer: stereotyping the market 53
11 Corfam: the leather substitute 55
12 RJ Reynolds’ Smokeless Cigarettes: the ultimate bad idea 57
13 Oranjolt: the drink that lost its cool 62
14 La Femme: where are the pink ladies 64
15 Radion: bright orange boxes aren’t enough 67