Launching a new business or announcing a big idea is always a gamble. As hard as companies try, they can’t always predict exactly how the public will respond. But even when ideas flop, they can never be forgotten…
Redditors have recently been discussing the most hyped up ideas that ended up being huge failures, so we’ve gathered some of their spot-on responses below. From streaming platforms to modes of transportation, have fun taking a scroll through this memory lane of unfortunate ideas, and be sure to upvote the flops you find most amusing!
#1
So far, the Twitter acquisition and rebranding. An exceptionally expensive act of ego.
Image source: cbelt3, wikipedia.org
#2
Elon Musk. Turns out he’s a moron.
Image source: duderonomy12
#3
NFTs
Image source: justaquietboy, [deleted]
#4
Brexit. Absolute shitshow.
Image source: Many-Miles
#5
Zuckerberg’s weird avatar world.
Image source: WalksinClouds
#6
I’m showing my age, but the Geraldo Rivera special with Al Capone’s mysterious vault, which turned out to hold—nothing.
Image source: Dimeadozen21, https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0435702/?ref_=tt_mv_close
#7
For those old enough to remember: Segway was *MASSIVELY* hyped for months. It was meant to change modern mobility *forever*.
When they finally showed off that goofy thing, it basically became a proto-meme in the early internet era.
Image source: DisasterEquivalent, wikipedia.org
#8
Games of Thrones the final season
Image source: mystandtrist, Home Box Office (HBO)
#9
Adulthood
Image source: That-Statistician747, Ketut Subiyanto
#10
The Panama Papers.
Honestly, I’m still pissed nothing came of it.
Image source: Moofypoops, Pixabay
#11
Kim Kardashian’s break the internet picture.
They were weird.
https://www.papermag.com/break-the-internet-kim-kardashian-cover
Image source: Kemintiri, papermag
#12
3d Televisions were presented as the next huge thing. There was a massive amount of hype being able to watch 3d movies and games from the comfort of your living room. It flopped when it launched due to the televisions being ridiculously expensive and the technology not being there during the era and being gimmicky once the appeal wore off for the people that bought them.
Image source: DMMEPANCAKES, cottonbro studio
#13
2020
Image source: Caseated_Omentum, cottonbro studio
#14
Google Glass was a huge deal when it was announced, and it was a real pioneer in the augmented reality category. It didn’t sell all that well though, probably because it was expensive, around $1,500 if I remember right, and I don’t reckon people found it very fashionable.
Image source: Vexitar, wikipedia.org
#15
Fyre Festival
Image source: CorgiDaddy42, zykezero
#16
what was that google social media with circles, google plus?
Image source: OldMork, wikipedia.org
#17
Target in Canada!
Heard so many people addicted to the store in the US, everyone was excited to have it here, but it flopped, stores opened being half empty, more expensive then the stores they replaced, limited selections… they only lasted a few years
Image source: RealityISnotOk123123, wikipedia.org
#18
Area 51 raid
Image source: Current_Ad_6053, wikipedia.org
#19
Beanie Babies – a masterclass in hyping up something that’s worth peanuts!
Image source: JustEm84
#20
Curved TVs
Image source: londoner4life, Kārlis Dambrāns
#21
Killer/Africanized Bees. Lots of fear mongering over those in the 80s, over a lot of nothing.
Image source: temporary311, wikipedia.org
#22
Metaverse
Image source: itjare, wikipedia
#23
The end of the world in 2012
Image source: nikki_225
#24
Quibi – $1.75 billion blown in six months on a streaming service no one wanted.
Image source: iCowboy, wikipedia.org
#25
Before it became a punchline people were worried that Battlefield Earth would be a dangerously effective recruiting tool for Scientology.
Image source: 12345_PIZZA, Warner Bros.
#26
The American version of “Coupling”, which was being hyped as the next big NBC sitcom after “Friends” went off the air. When cast members were doing interviews to promote it, they were so assured that it would be a success that they were already talking about multiple seasons.
It was cancelled after four episodes.
Image source: StoolToad9, NBC Studios
#27
Scooter sharing. Raised millions for a bunch of companies to dump those scooters on our streets, then in a matter of time, cities and towns started to either ban or regulate them, and there’s very few survivors. For the price to ride a scooter, it’s way cheaper to pay to ride the bus.
Image source: GrumpyBachelorSF
#28
New Coke.
Image source: Yeuh78
#29
Your special uniqueness as a child
Image source: citrusjuicebox, jonas mohamadi
#30
[Dan & Dave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dan_%26_Dave) was an advertising and merchandising campaign by American shoe manufacturer Reebok during the build-up to the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona. The promotion was meant to generate excitement and support for the Olympic competition between American decathletes Dan O’Brien and Dave Johnson. *However, the campaign had to be modified when O’Brien failed to qualify for the Olympics.*
Image source: brktm, Karolina Grabowska
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