Design

Museum of Failure

Izzy Ashton

Deputy Editor, BITE Creativebrief

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The majority of innovative ideas fail, something that is not often celebrated, for apparent good reason. The Museum of Failure however, aims to change this by highlighting the importance of failure to eventual success. Because even the most successful brands can’t win at everything they do.

The Museum of Failure in Helsingborg, Sweden is a curation of over seventy products from around the world, collected by Samuel West, a clinical psychologist. From green Heinz ketchup to Fat-Free Pringles, Colgate frozen lasagne and Harley Davidson cologne, the museum is the ultimate collection of failed innovation.

Not only does it feature failed attempts at diversifying a brand, but also various tech experiments that didn’t quite meet the mark, including Google Glass. Launched before it was actually ready, the product failed because of timing rather than design. Similarly the Segway also features. Although it was designed to revolutionise the way we get around, it ended up being a toy used almost solely by tourists.

Failure is only natural in the development of a brand and this museum is about learning from those failures. It features Apple’s Newton personal assistant from 1993 which, although a bulky failure in itself, paved the way for the development of both the iPad and iPhone.

Though failure may be held up as a negative outcome, it highlights the necessary risks of innovation and also the hope that you might, eventually, succeed.

Visit the Museum of Failure’s website to find out more.

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