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For every successful product that hits the market, there are several others that flop — and an exhibit featuring more than 159 of these failed innovations opened Friday in New York City.
The Museum of Failuresbased in Brooklyn, it features more than 159 failed products and services, such as Google Glass Glasses, a Barbie doll that grows breasts, and self-destruct DVDs.
Founder Samuel West said he created the exhibit to help the public learn from failure, which is “an essential aspect of progress and innovation.”
The showroom features items from big tech names like Apple, Google, and Microsoft, but there are also nutritional products like Crystal Pepsi and fat-free Pringles that have missed the mark in the marketplace.
DailyMail.com has picked seven of the weirdest failed items to see.
Growing Up Skipper was released in 1975 but was discontinued in 1977. The doll would grow breasts when its arm was rotated
The Museum of Failures is open in Industry City and will be on display until May 14.
Located in Industry City, the location is between 33rd and 34th Streets at 900 Third Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11232.
Jim Somoza, Managing Director of Industry City, said in a statement: “Industry City represents a diverse community of forward-thinking businesses built on the idea of innovation and experimentation, much like the Museum of Failure.
‘Thinking outside the box and running the risk of failure is often the only way to success. We look forward to welcoming this exhibition back to the US.”
Skipper growing up
Mattel released Barbie’s little sister in 1975, but she suffered some growing pains that were not welcomed by parents who bought the doll for their child.
Growing Up Skipper is designed to blossom when you twist her left arm clockwise, causing breasts to sprout from her rubber chest and her waste to expand an inch.
Its tagline was “Two dolls in one for twice the fun,” but was seen as a toy by Mattel and perverted by the media.
A coalition of Connecticut women’s groups protested the doll, urging manufacturers to stop advertising a doll that “matures” when the arm is twisted.
“It is destructive to the image of women,” said the Connecticut Feminist Committees Media Reform in 1975.
Growing Up Skipper was discontinued in 1977.
Google Glass
Google Glass hit the market in 2012 for $1,500, but fell flat due to privacy, legal, and security concerns. Googled ended sales in 2015
Google Glass was publicly unveiled to much fanfare in April 2012 as “smart glasses” that could display information in addition to what the wearer sees using an optical screen mounted on the head.
A prototype version was made available for a limited period of time in April 2013, before becoming more widely available in May 2014 for $1,500.
However, Google Glass quickly became a lightning rod for criticism, particularly on privacy, legal, and security issues.
The criticism, among other issues that hampered the product, such as a high price tag and software issues, prompted Google to end sales to consumers in January 2015.
Google launched $999 enterprise smart glasses in 2019 that look like a pair of traditional specs, rather than futuristic headgear.
Flexplay DVDs
Released in 2003, Flexplay had opened up that its disposable DVDs would revolutionize the way people watch movies.
The company developed “self-destructing” videodiscs that would turn from red to black within 48 hours of being unpacked.
FlexPlay had hoped to revolutionize the way people watch movies when it released its ‘self-destructing’ DVDs in 2003
The videodiscos would turn from red to black within 48 hours of being unpacked. It failed to gain popularity and was discontinued in 2008
The DVDs are made with a special adhesive that is sensitive to oxygen. Once the disc is exposed to air, a chemical reaction causes the adhesive to darken,” TIME reports.
The discs cost $7 each, which was more than a rental from BlockBuster at the time, and while cheaper than buying a traditional DVD, FlexPlay’s was unusable after two days.
Not only did it flop with consumers, environmental groups were also not a fan of the disposable disc.
And in 2008, FlexPlay finally withdrew its ‘innovation’ from the market.
Hawaiian chair
The Hawaii chair was released in 2007, which promised users a slimmer weight loss by forcing them to hula while sitting.
According to the Perfect USA website, the Hawaii Chair “combines the ancient art of the Hawaiians’ Hula with an easy-to-use, fun exercise machine.”
The user’s hips rotate as the chair rotates clockwise and counterclockwise at the desired speed.
Released in 2007, Perfect USA’s Hawaii Chair promised to slim the waist by forcing users to do the hula dance, but consumers realized it failed to do so
The website states that “the Hawaii Chair exercises strongly impact your waist, buttocks and thighs to thaw and loosen excess fat.”
“After using the Hawaii Chair you will have a narrow and well-defined waist.”
The power chair offers nine speeds that get the job done for users, “without strenuous exercise, for anyone who wants to achieve a good waistline and maintain a fit body.”
The $350 gadget gained immense popularity when it appeared on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” in early 2008, but it slowly lost the market as consumers realized it wasn’t the fitness marvel it claimed to be.
It is not known when Perfect USA discontinued its chair, but they are no longer for sale.
Nintendo Power Glove
Released in 1989 for $100, the Power Glove was a virtual reality game controller for the Entertainment System (NES).
The device detected wrist tilt and finger movements that were converted into video game action.
Released in 1989 for $100, the Power Glove was a virtual reality game controller for the Entertainment System (NES). However, it didn’t really work and was discontinued five months later
It gained popularity when it was featured in the 1989 movie “Wizard,” which happened to hit theaters just before Christmas.
Shortly after launch, Mattel reported that it had sold 100,000 copies – a big win for the company.
However, problems surfaced when gamers realized that the Power Glove was not working.
Consumers found it difficult to operate and connect to the game console.
And in just five months after its launch, the Power Glove was no more.
Rejuvenic face mask
Launched in 1999, Rejuvenique Face Mask attaches to your head and tightens facial muscles using electrical stimulation.
Rejuvenique Face Mask: Launched in 1999, the device attaches to your head and tightens facial muscles using electrical stimulation. It claimed that your skin would be youthful in just 12 weeks. The FDA declared it unsafe and it was withdrawn from the market
The company said users should use the mask for 15 minutes at least three times a week and it’s “clinically proven” to improve skin elasticity, reduce crow’s feet, ringing and give you a beautiful complexion in just 12 weeks.
The Rejuvenique face mask required a nine-volt battery and came with a VHS user manual. It sold for about $400.
However, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared the mask unsafe in 2000, stating a year after its launch that without FDA approval “marketing Rejuvenique is a violation of the law.”
The ‘specially designed gold-plated face cushions’ are said to train all 12 ‘facial zones’ to give you a youthful look.
Crystal Pepsi
Crystal Pepsi, which tastes like regular Pepsi but has no caramel coloring, debuted in test markets on April 13, 1992 before being rolled out nationwide in December of that year.
Crystal Pepsi, which tastes like regular Pepsi but has no caramel coloring, debuted in test markets on April 13, 1992 — and pilled a year later
It came at a time when food and beverage companies were thinking outside the box to outsmart the competition.
The colorless soft drink was developed with the help of a food scientist named Surinder Kumar, who was behind Nacho Cheese Doritos.
Pepsi made a soft launch in select U.S. cities, including Denver and Sacrament, receiving positive reviews of the new soft drink.
Crystal Pepsi totaled about $474 million in its first season, and Coca-Cola retaliated with Tab the following year.
Coca-Cola has admitted that it made Tab to kill Crystal Pepsi, but Pepsi’s own product shut itself down.
People weren’t interested once they learned it tasted like the original, dark soda, but not enough like Pepsi.
Crystal Pepsi was discontinued a year later in late 1993.