« What do the McDonald’s Arch Deluxe sandwich, the Nokia N-Gage, and Crystal Pepsi all have in common? All three of these innovations were failures: the “adult” McDonald’s sandwich, the mobile phone that was also a (subpar) gaming device, and the soda that tasted just like Pepsi (but looked translucent) all failed to gain enough consumer appeal to last for long on the market. Today, these products are either forgotten or remembered mostly as the butt of jokes. These three items are also featured, along with dozens of other products, in the Museum of Failure, scheduled to open in Sweden this June. The mastermind behind this museum is Samuel West, a psychologist who studies innovation and creativity. West’s new museum features items as strange as the Rejuvenique facial mask (which looks like budget costume mask and is intended to strengthen one’s facial muscles for a more youthful appearance) and as ill-conceived as Bic For Her pens marketed just to women (and, subsequently, humorously critiqued by many Amazon reviewers). Why build a Museum of Failure? West says, “I got tired of all of this glorifying of success, especially within the domain of innovation where 80 to 90 percent of all projects fail.” In addition, as West points out, “you can’t have success without failure.” [MMB] » The Scout Report

Dans The Guardian: From Colgate Lasagne to Crystal Pepsi: visit the Museum of Failure

Dans Le Smithsonian: A New Museum in Sweden Is All About Failure

Dans le New York Times: A Brief History of Failure