The big decision makers in business tend to make their choices based on data, the market and other sensible parameters.
But sometimes there’s some truly out-of-box thinking that creates memorable publicity for companies.
Sometimes it’s good, sometimes it’s bad, but it’s usually something people don’t forget for a long time.
Here are some of the most unusual and intriguing business ventures that have caught public attention over the years.
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Taco Bell’s Liberty Bell Prank
In a bold marketing move that left Americans astounded, Taco Bell declared on April 1, 1996, it had purchased the iconic Liberty Bell and renamed it the “Taco Liberty Bell.”
The announcement, which was actually an April Fool’s Day joke, sparked widespread public outcry until it was revealed as a prank.
This stunt not only garnered massive media attention but also demonstrated the power of creative marketing in boosting brand visibility.
This was before widespread internet use – you can only imagine the reaction today.
Holiday Inn’s Human Bed-Warming Service
Aiming to provide extra comfort to guests during cold winters, Holiday Inn trialed a unique service in 2010 at select locations in the UK.
The hotel chain introduced “human bed warmers” who, dressed in special all-in-one sleeper suits, would warm guests’ beds before bedtime.
The staff members would lie in the beds for about five minutes, heating the sheets to a cozy temperature, ensuring guests could slip into a warm and inviting bed—a service that was as unusual as it was appreciated by chilly travelers.
Kodak’s Secret Nuclear Reactor
In 2012 Kodak admitted it had operated a small nuclear reactor loaded with 3.5 pounds of enriched uranium in a basement in Rochester, New York.
The reactor, which was used from 1978 to 2006, served for high-precision neutron imaging and other experiments.
The existence of this reactor was only known only to a handful of government officials and company engineers.
Did you know Kodak also invented a very early version of digital photography and decided it wasn’t worth bothering with?
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IKEA’s In-House Town
In 2012, IKEA took its DIY ethos to a whole new level by aiming to build an entire neighborhood in East London.
The development was known as Strand East.
It covered 26 acres and includes homes, shops, and facilities designed around the principles of community and sustainability that IKEA champions.
However, IKEA then handed over the project to another team who renamed it “Vastint
Curiously, the Swedish flat pack giant never planned to have a store there.
The local planners didn’t like the, admittedly rather dull, name.
Vastint rebranded the project as Sugar House Island, a homage to Sugar House Lane, which runs through the center of the site, in 2017.
The development is now largely complete and contains a number of luxurious rental homes.
Blockbuster’s Missed Opportunity
In the early 2000s, Blockbuster had the opportunity to purchase Netflix for a mere $50 million.
At the time, Netflix was a fledgling DVD rental service, and Blockbuster was a giant in the video rental industry.
Blockbuster’s decision to pass on this opportunity became an infamous error as Netflix evolved into a streaming powerhouse, leading to Blockbuster’s decline and eventual bankruptcy.
Jell-O’s Name Change Negotiation
In an odd twist of marketing, Jell-O made an offer in 2001 to the residents of Jellico, Utah, to change their town’s name to “Jell-O” in exchange for $25,000 and other community benefits.
The brand aimed to capitalize on the name similarity for promotional purposes.
However, the townspeople voted against the proposal, choosing to retain their historical identity over a corporate sponsorship.
It’s not the first town to get involved involved in a dispute over its name – Read the bizarre story of the Turkish town of Batman here.
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Fordlandia’s Failure
Fordlandia was an ambitious venture by Henry Ford to create a rubber plantation and a model American town in the Brazilian Amazon in the 1920s.
The goal was to secure a source of rubber for Ford’s automobile tires.
Despite massive investment, the project was plagued by management issues, labor unrest, and ecological challenges, ultimately leading to its abandonment in the 1940s.
Henry Ford is well-known for his revolutionary visions for business, but this project seems extraordinarily ambitious give it was around 100 years ago.
Fordlandia remains a fascinating example of an industrialist’s dream clashing with complex realities.
