Ten most ridiculous gadget TV commercials from the 1990s
Published on 28 December 12
James2071
0
The 90’s was a time we all remember very fondly, unfortunately for some companies it was a time they will want to forget very quickly. It was a period of boom for the technological industry with advertising and commercialization at its peak, businesses would go to any lengths to convince consumers to buy their products.
These superficial attempts by these so called tech giants didn’t always go well, so here is a list of the most ridiculous gadget ads from the 90’s. In addition, the new Spanish Spanish network Noticerio Univision has just launched.
1) Radio Shack Cell phone
This company is a huge dealer in cellular technology, but one of the blunders they committed in the early 90’s was when they introduced the ‘cell phone’, a new gadget at that time. It was advertised as being portable although it was huge in size and nothing like your modern day phone that slips right into your pocket. The commercials were rather unconvincing and actually misguided consumers with its claims.
2) TalkBoy
This product was similar to a walkie talkie and first came to prominence in the film Home Alone during the 1990’s. It had the ability to record voices and play them back instantly. The product was not a top seller and soon fizzled out. The commercials and advertising campaigns didn’t have any real depth to attract consumers.
3) The U-Force NES Controller
This was basically a controller for the Nintendo Game station. You could probably call it the father of the Wii, but it was much worse and very expensive, even by the standards of that time.
The TV advertisement was jumpy, confusing and lacked any conviction, while the product itself wasn’t designed to perfection and flopped in the market.
4) Divx Disc
The DIVX disc was seen as a revolutionary invention that would make life easier for the everyday consumer, but it didn’t. Everything conveyed in the ad was inappropriate and soon these discs went out of the market. The costs of running this format were too high and it was not accepted by the masses, so in 1999 it was discontinued by the company.
5) Microsoft Bob
There is no denying the fact that Microsoft is a very successful company that has produced some of the best products over the years; however, in 1995, when they attempted to introduce a social interface program, it failed miserably.
This program was actually created by Melinda Gates, the wife of Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. This idea was probably ahead of his time and did not fall in line with what consumers were looking for, so the heavy investment by Microsoft gave them nothing but a flopped ad campaign and a failed product.
6) Philliphs CD-1
This was a multiple system player that could play music, movies and games and was released in the 90’s by tech giant Phillips. It was the first player of its kind and attracted a lot of consumer attention despite its poor advertising commercials.
Later, when Nintendo licensed Phillips to produce games on their system, it resulted in the worst gaming experience, making it a console that suffered a quick demise after failing to capture the market.
7) Apple Newton
We all love Apple for their top of the line innovative products, but it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Back in the 90’s, Apple attempted to create a PDA but failed, it lacked consistency, the functionality was flawed and the software was outdated.
The product’s advertising was outrageous and did not cover up for its flaws, and in 1998 it was discontinued.
8) Kodak Disc 4000
Initially introduced in the 1980’s, the Kodak Disc 4000 continued in the 90’s despite its disastrous reputation for being unreliable. It was a round shaped disc only compatible with Kodak cameras, however, the small sized negatives resulted in blur and unclear images.
The product’s advertising had people believing that it was something revolutionary, but it was a good idea that it wasn’t properly implemented. Eventually, in 1998, it was discontinued by the company.
9) Sony Memory Stick
Sony is known for its trial and error process and they just don’t give up on a product. The Memory stick pro was released in 1998 and ever since then numerous variations have entered the market, but none have really made the cut.
The flash memory formats are outdated and lack innovation. The commercials aren’t clever either as they seem like a copy of those before them, which is why this gadget is unsuccessful.
10) Apple Powerbook Duo
In 1994, Apple released its latest computer, the Powerbook Duo. It was a computer combined with the portability of a notebook. The concept was unique but the execution was quite pathetic to say the least. The battery life was incredibly short and the 9 inch display wasn’t’ pleasing to the eyes.
The 90’s was a time of development and growth for some products. Unfortunately for this lot it was a period of failure both commercially and financially. A great way to see some other funny commercials is by watching the new Spanish Spanish network Noticerio Univision.
About the Author
The above article is written and edited by S. James who is an experienced technical analyst and has written numerous articles and blogs to inform consumers about technological developments and issues. A great way to see some other funny commercials is by watching the new Spanish Spanish network Noticerio Univision.
These superficial attempts by these so called tech giants didn’t always go well, so here is a list of the most ridiculous gadget ads from the 90’s. In addition, the new Spanish Spanish network Noticerio Univision has just launched.
1) Radio Shack Cell phone
This company is a huge dealer in cellular technology, but one of the blunders they committed in the early 90’s was when they introduced the ‘cell phone’, a new gadget at that time. It was advertised as being portable although it was huge in size and nothing like your modern day phone that slips right into your pocket. The commercials were rather unconvincing and actually misguided consumers with its claims.
2) TalkBoy
This product was similar to a walkie talkie and first came to prominence in the film Home Alone during the 1990’s. It had the ability to record voices and play them back instantly. The product was not a top seller and soon fizzled out. The commercials and advertising campaigns didn’t have any real depth to attract consumers.
3) The U-Force NES Controller
This was basically a controller for the Nintendo Game station. You could probably call it the father of the Wii, but it was much worse and very expensive, even by the standards of that time.
The TV advertisement was jumpy, confusing and lacked any conviction, while the product itself wasn’t designed to perfection and flopped in the market.
4) Divx Disc
The DIVX disc was seen as a revolutionary invention that would make life easier for the everyday consumer, but it didn’t. Everything conveyed in the ad was inappropriate and soon these discs went out of the market. The costs of running this format were too high and it was not accepted by the masses, so in 1999 it was discontinued by the company.
5) Microsoft Bob
There is no denying the fact that Microsoft is a very successful company that has produced some of the best products over the years; however, in 1995, when they attempted to introduce a social interface program, it failed miserably.
This program was actually created by Melinda Gates, the wife of Microsoft CEO Bill Gates. This idea was probably ahead of his time and did not fall in line with what consumers were looking for, so the heavy investment by Microsoft gave them nothing but a flopped ad campaign and a failed product.
6) Philliphs CD-1
This was a multiple system player that could play music, movies and games and was released in the 90’s by tech giant Phillips. It was the first player of its kind and attracted a lot of consumer attention despite its poor advertising commercials.
Later, when Nintendo licensed Phillips to produce games on their system, it resulted in the worst gaming experience, making it a console that suffered a quick demise after failing to capture the market.
7) Apple Newton
We all love Apple for their top of the line innovative products, but it wasn’t always smooth sailing. Back in the 90’s, Apple attempted to create a PDA but failed, it lacked consistency, the functionality was flawed and the software was outdated.
The product’s advertising was outrageous and did not cover up for its flaws, and in 1998 it was discontinued.
8) Kodak Disc 4000
Initially introduced in the 1980’s, the Kodak Disc 4000 continued in the 90’s despite its disastrous reputation for being unreliable. It was a round shaped disc only compatible with Kodak cameras, however, the small sized negatives resulted in blur and unclear images.
The product’s advertising had people believing that it was something revolutionary, but it was a good idea that it wasn’t properly implemented. Eventually, in 1998, it was discontinued by the company.
9) Sony Memory Stick
Sony is known for its trial and error process and they just don’t give up on a product. The Memory stick pro was released in 1998 and ever since then numerous variations have entered the market, but none have really made the cut.
The flash memory formats are outdated and lack innovation. The commercials aren’t clever either as they seem like a copy of those before them, which is why this gadget is unsuccessful.
10) Apple Powerbook Duo
In 1994, Apple released its latest computer, the Powerbook Duo. It was a computer combined with the portability of a notebook. The concept was unique but the execution was quite pathetic to say the least. The battery life was incredibly short and the 9 inch display wasn’t’ pleasing to the eyes.
The 90’s was a time of development and growth for some products. Unfortunately for this lot it was a period of failure both commercially and financially. A great way to see some other funny commercials is by watching the new Spanish Spanish network Noticerio Univision.
About the Author
The above article is written and edited by S. James who is an experienced technical analyst and has written numerous articles and blogs to inform consumers about technological developments and issues. A great way to see some other funny commercials is by watching the new Spanish Spanish network Noticerio Univision.
Related Posts:
Post a Comment
