The billboard above has nothing to do with this blog other than advertising comes in all shapes and sizes and those who do advertising have all kinds of reasons for doing it.

You will have to admit it got your attention.

Many advertising and marketing mistakes simply come from poor decisions that seemed like great ideas at the time.

Perhaps stupid in my title is too harsh. Are you really that ignorant might be more appropriate.

In many cases a college education is the worst thing you can do for a youngster especially if he or she plans to go into the field of marketing products and services.

Marketing Successes

While marketing successes are few and far between there are a few.

Think Pet Rock for example. Just a wacko idea from someone who overheard a workplace conversation about a problem someone was having with their pet.

He thought what pet could be more ideal and less trouble to care for than a pet rock?

The Hula-Hoop is another great moment in marketing. It’s still a monster seller.

Marketing Losers

Would you buy any of the following?

  • Ivory Shampoo
  • Life Savers Gum
  • Bic Pantyhose
  • Chanel For Men
  • Coors Water
  • Adidas Cologne
  • Pierre Cardin Wine
  • Or Levi's Shoes.

All were on the market at one time or another.

Ignorance Must Run In Packs

You know that some hotshot marketer pitched the above ideas to the powers that be and somehow got them to sign off on all of them as great ideas.

Sadly these guys get big bucks for this.

They are probably unemployed now — but still …

Imagine the total cost of all those products going bust.

Marketing, packaging, testing, design, research and development, focus group(s) what were THEY thinking, advertising, shipping, inventory, labor, etc?

Some Final Thoughts

There is never a guarantee that any product will make it. A cold remedy was deemed unsalable because it made people too drowsy.

Along comes a marketing hotshot and NyQuil, the nighttime, helps you sleep, cold medicine is born.

Maybe these guys aren’t all dummies after all. Except for Steven.

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