Who wouldn’t want to enjoy the flavor of potato chips but without the fat? That was the premise of Frito Lay’s WOW Chips, which were released in 1998. The people who tried this product may never forget the experience, the flavor may have been great, but the aftermath was not. Turns out that instead of fat, the company used a secret ingredient, a compound known as Olestra. Although Olestra may have not impacted the flavor, it definitely impacted the bowels of the people who were snacking on the chips, making them run to the bathroom after every bag. What no one seemed to know, is that if it is overconsumed, Olestra becomes an intense laxative.
There wasn’t a problem if you ate the recommended serving size, but whoever does, especially with a bag of chips. Wow, chips were quickly withdrawn from the market and Frito Lay was left dealing with a bunch of lawsuits. If you never bought into the idea of healthy chips, let’s see what you think of this next strangely branded treat.
McDonald’s Arch Deluxe
The classic hamburger is a staple of American cuisine, but these days people also appreciate fancier variations of this fast food. It’s not unusual to find burgers offered with no bun in a red wine reduction, for twice the price of course. McDonald’s must have seen this trend coming and in 1996 they decided to launch a gourmet burger before anyone else had even thought of the idea. That is how the Arch deluxe was born, a more mature burger that targeted adults.
Many people claim that the burger was delicious, made with peppered bacon and a secret mayonnaise, mustard sauce. However, it seemed like McDonald's made a big miscalculation when it came to marketing. They aired commercials that showed kids looking at the burger and being disgusted. After that, it seemed like the parents had no interest in the burger either. This soda is so out of this world, the company that made it sunk into a black hole.
Orbitz Soda
This otherworldly soda was marketed for kids, with floating candy balls that were meant to look like a lava lamp. The product looked inviting, but unfortunately did not taste good, with many comparing it to cough syrup. The creators should have known this product wasn’t going to make it when they advertised it as a “texturally enhanced alternative beverage.” That does not sound good at all, or even good for you
Despite the colored gelatin balls, which were extremely eye-catching, Orbitz Soda, which launched in 1997, was pulled off the shelves in less than a year. However, if you are intrigued and would like to try one of them for yourself, just head to eBay. For $20 you can enjoy the out of this world experience of drinking it. People who munched on the next snack food had to stay close to the toilet.
Segway
In 2001, the first Segway Personal Transporter was released and changed the lives of mall cops forever. The release made a lot of waves, and tech leaders from all over got super excited about these fancy scooters and their self-balancing technology. They were embraced by Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos and Apple creator Steve Jobs, who believed that in the future, every person who lived in a city would own a Segway.
Unfortunately, the Segway never really hit its stride, after they were outlawed from using sidewalks because of the danger to pedestrians. They also could not use roads, because their top speed of 12 miles an hour was too slow. Add in the exorbitant cost of $5,000 for a new scooter, and you will understand why transportation has pretty much stayed the same. The high retail price was also an issue for the fashionable fail coming up next.
Oakley THUMP
Sunglass giant Oakley decided to play up the outdoorsy side of their shades by adding a built-in MP3 player. Their reasoning, you can listen to music while riding your bike, jogging or just lounging in the sun. The THUMP, however, was on the pricey side, $249 to $349 depending on if you chose the 256 MB, the 512 MB, or the 1 GB version. Also, they did not look great and the worst part, apparently the sound was extremely weak.
'Oakley also decided to help you keep your music with you in case you were indoors. They offered the sunglasses with the ever-fashionable flip lenses so that you could keep them on inside and look amazing doing it. Unsurprisingly, Oakley THUMP shades were off the market in the blink of an eye. But that wasn’t the only big fail in the world of MP3’s.