12 Forgotten Celebrity-Endorsed Products from the Past
These bizarre celebrity-backed products once had star power but are now completely forgotten.
- Daisy Montero
- 3 min read
There was a time when celebrities put their faces on almost anything, and the results were often strange, funny, or downright questionable. From colognes to video games, these forgotten products once had major star backing but faded fast.
1. Shaq Fu – Shaquille O’Neal’s Video Game
Keith Allison on Wikimedia Commons
Shaquille O’Neal once starred in his own fighting video game where he battled mummies and demons. It had nothing to do with basketball, yet somehow still hit store shelves in the ’90s. Critics roasted it, and it quickly disappeared from arcades and homes.
2. Trump Steaks – Donald Trump’s Meat Line
Shealeah Craighead on wikimedia Commons
Yes, Trump once sold steaks through The Sharper Image. The branding was over-the-top, complete with “the world’s greatest steaks” tagline. Unsurprisingly, they sizzled out fast.
3. Britney Spears’ Curious Perfume
RF._.studio on pexels
This perfume flew off shelves in the early 2000s, thanks to Britney’s pop dominance. Its odd-shaped bottle and sugary scent made it a teen favorite. But now it’s more of a thrift-store shelf survivor.
4. Hulk Hogan’s Thunder Mixer
Vidal Balielo Jr. on pexels.
Move over, George Foreman — Hulk Hogan wanted in on kitchen gadgets, too. His Thunder Mixer was supposed to be the go-to for protein shakes. Instead, it flexed into obscurity.
5. Mary-Kate and Ashley Dolls
cottonbro studio on pexels
These dolls weren’t just toys — they were part of a full empire of books, clothes, and home videos. Kids snapped them up in the early 2000s like collector’s items. Now, they are mostly found in secondhand bins.
6. MC Hammer’s British Knights Shoes
Loc Dang on pexels
MC Hammer danced his way into a shoe deal with British Knights during the height of his fame. The flashy sneakers were part of the brand’s hip-hop push. After Hammer’s fall from the charts, the shoes vanished, too.
7. Paula Abdul’s Energy Drink – “Hi-Octane”
Sean Patrick on pexels
Paula Abdul launched her own energy drink during her American Idol comeback. The branding was dance-themed and full of sparkle. It never caught on, and production quietly fizzled out.
8. George Clooney’s Coffee Commercials (Before Nespresso)
Jason Villanueva on pexel.
Before Nespresso made him the face of high-end coffee, Clooney starred in some awkward, early ads for Japanese canned brews. They barely looked professional but had that Clooney charm. Most fans in the West never even knew they existed.
9. Cindy Crawford’s Furniture Line
Max Vakhtbovycn on pexels
Cindy Crawford teamed up with furniture stores to create a “model-approved” home collection. The ads were all polished glamour, but the designs leaned surprisingly basic. It quietly left showrooms as trends changed.
10. Justin Timberlake’s Tequila – 901
Chris F on pexels
JT once dipped into the liquor business with his own tequila brand, 901. It had sleek packaging and plenty of promotion but never took off like other celeb spirits. Eventually, it merged into a bigger brand and lost its solo identity.
11. Dan Aykroyd’s Crystal Head Vodka
Ibrahim Unal on pexels
Dan Aykroyd’s skull-shaped vodka bottle looked more like a movie prop than a liquor product. It was equal parts collectible and confusing. Though it still exists in limited circles, most people have forgotten he was behind it.
12. Kim Kardashian’s “Glam” Jam Music Single
Kirby Lee on Imagn Images
Before she was a beauty mogul, Kim K briefly tried launching a pop music career. The result was “Jam (Turn It Up),” a one-off track that she later called a mistake. It dropped fast, and so did the public’s interest.