20 Failed Christmas Products That Were Marketing Disasters
From bizarre flavors to misguided themes, these 20 Christmas product failures remind us that even the most festive marketing can fail due to bad ideas.
- Alyana Aguja
- 6 min read
Christmas holidays are generally characterized by great merriment, but these 20 Christmas products fail to prove that even the best-known brands can flounder when their marketing ideas fall through. Strange flavors, weird holiday twists, confusion, disappointment, and even backlash await all these products. However much promotional pushes, these holiday failures remind people that not every product was a shoo-in for a Merry Christmas but became a marketing nightmare.
1. Coca-Cola Holiday Flavored Soda (2004)
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Coca-Cola released a limited-edition holiday flavor, “Cinnamon Coke,” but the taste didn’t match the festive marketing. The drinks had a strange, cloying flavor that most consumers didn’t enjoy.
2. New Coke (1985)
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Though not necessarily associated with Christmas, New Coke’s summer release was the worst news for the brand at Christmas time. Coca-Cola infamously attempted to alter its formula, but consumers abhorred the taste and clamored for the original. The response was so intense that the company had to introduce “Coca-Cola Classic” a few months later.
3. He-Man: Masters of the Universe Holiday Special (1985)
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This Christmas special mainly featured Christmas, but its approach to this holiday was confusing. Some He-Man fans were disappointed by the low budget for animation and awkward ways of referencing holidays. Nothing else is remembered about the holiday special.
4. Pepperidge Farm’s “Cookie in a Can” (2003)
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Trying to reinvent the old cookie tin, Pepperidge Farm created a can whose cookies were stacked in a way that made it frustrating to remove them without making a mess. Quickly, the novelty wore off, and consumers were disappointed by this inconvenience. Holiday buyers preferred traditional cookie tins, which were more straightforward and reliable.
5. Scented Christmas Trees (1980s)
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These artificial trees were marketed as “the tree that smells like Christmas,” but their strong artificial scent failed to impress. Rather than evoke warm holiday memories, they smelled chemically unpleasant. Consumers quickly returned these products, preferring the real thing or naturally scented alternatives.
6. McDonald’s Holiday Pie (2000s)
Image from USA Today
McDonald’s attempted a seasonal spin on its favorite dessert with this sweet, deep-fried pie stuffed with custard and fruit. Although festive-looking, the filling was overly cloying, and the pie was greasy. Even with the “limited-edition” designation, the pie failed to strike a chord and disappeared quickly.
7. Furby Christmas Edition (2000)
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Furby was once the hottest toy, but its holiday edition, which came out in 2000, was a disaster. The toy, meant to be the most needed Christmas gift, malfunctioned frequently and proved much more annoying than endearing. Parents who hurried to buy them soon wished they hadn’t, as the toys became notorious for their odd behavior.
8. Holiday Beanie Babies (1997-2000)
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Ty released holiday-specific Beanie Babies, but they weren’t as collectible as the company wanted them to be. Too many seasonal animals flooded the market, causing their value to plummet. Toys that once were a holiday tradition were now piling up on collectors’ shelves.
9. Star Wars Holiday Special (1978)
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Aired as a made-for-TV special during the Christmas season, this Star Wars holiday special became a cringeworthy marketing blunder. Featuring awkward musical numbers and a bizarre plot, the unique left fans scratching their heads. George Lucas hater distanced himself from it, and it has since become a cult favorite for all the wrong reasons.
10. JCPenney “Santa’s Workshop” (2009)
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J.C. Penney tried reimagining its holiday marketing with a virtual “Santa’s Workshop” in-store experience, which crashed and burned. The tech failed, and no employee knew how to use the “experience,” leaving frustrated customers and abandoning the entire effort after just one holiday season.
11. Campbell’s Holiday Soup (1990s)
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Christmas came early for Campbell’s. The company created a soup line that sported a Christmas theme with flavors like “Turkey with Stuffing.” Consumers primarily panned the product for tasting terrible and completely unappetizing, with no consumer wanting to purchase holiday-flavored soup. It was not long before the soups disappeared from the marketplace.
12. Cabbage Patch Kids Christmas Tree (1984)
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In an attempt to capitalize on the success of the Cabbage Patch Kids phenomenon, the company released a Christmas tree adorned with Cabbage Patch-themed ornaments. However, the tree had nothing on the dolls regarding charm and appeal, and the over-the-top kitsch theme didn’t speak well to buyers. The product was a flop, and most were left wondering what the deal was between the toys and a holiday tree.
13. Holiday KFC Gravy Scented Candle (2009)
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KFC sought to spread holiday cheer through a gravy-scented candle. Though a savory-scented candle can be an appealing concept to a few, the smell of gravy was overwhelming, giving it no holiday charm as the company expected. It received flak for being a weird and unwanted scent, and it was soon retracted from the shelves.
14. Hershey’s Holiday Kisses (2003)
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Hershey’s tried to introduce festive variations of their popular Kisses chocolates by releasing the holiday edition, which introduced over-spiced flavors such as cinnamon and mint. These flavors did not appeal to chocolate lovers, and the limited-edition version was soon known to be too experimental for fans of the original. The new flavor never won over the hearts of their fans, and the product vanished silently.
15. Christmas-Themed Spam (2009)
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Spam tried to get into the holiday market with a Christmas-themed version of the product, packaged in red and green. This product did not have much appeal and was considered inedible by many, the holiday theme not helping the product’s case. Attempts to make it festive were quickly forgotten.
16. Frosty the Snowman Cereal (1980s)
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General Mills developed a Frosty the Snowman-themed cereal to sell during the holiday season. Although the cereal was nicely packaged and connected nicely to the popular holiday character, the taste was unoriginal and forgettable. It did not draw an audience and was out of stores after one season.
17. Holiday Mountain Dew (2013)
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Mountain Dew’s “Holiday Brew” was an experimental mix of regular Mountain Dew and Code Red marketed as a festive, seasonal beverage. However, the combination was overwhelmingly sugary and off-putting, and the taste disappointed many fans of both flavors. After a short, unimpressive run, the product was discontinued.
18. Krampus Christmas Decorations (2015)
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To capitalize on the dark holiday trend, a company created a Christmas decorations collection, including a Krampus figurine. However, the figure associated with fear and mischief didn’t appeal to traditional holiday buyers, so the line was withdrawn after massive backlash from those who wanted it to be more classic and family-friendly.
19. Holiday Spice Oreos (2008)
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Oreo introduced its holiday edition, featuring cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove-spiced flavored cookies. However, as some seasonal foods require innovative flavors, the spice-filled Oreos baffled and disappointed many. The company quickly discontinued the product since holiday shoppers rejected the off-putting taste.
20. Taco Bell Christmas Tacos (2016)
Image from Taco Bell
Taco Bell introduced a Christmas-themed taco with a green shell and holiday-inspired fillings such as cranberry and turkey in a rather bizarre move. The festive twist did not appeal to the company’s loyal fanbase and failed to impress customers who wanted more traditional holiday flavors. The item was discontinued quickly, and many were left scratching their heads at the marketing decision.