4 Celebrity Endorsed Start Ups That Failed

Remember MC Hammer’s search engine start-up? Neither does Google. On stage at Web 2.0 Summit a few years ago, MC Hammer announced WireDoo, an attempt at a relational search engine that he was somehow involved in. According to Hammer, “You could always make things better, create the next version.” WireDoo users would be able to search for things that related to keywords. Unfortunately you weren’t able to search for WireDoo. It couldn’t be found anywhere search-wise. Maybe some “O” was needed in their SE.

2. CAN’T STOP THE INEVITABLE

Justin Timberlake starred as Facebook investor Sean Parker in the Hollywood hit ‘The Social Network’, and ironically took a stake in Myspace along with the online advertising company, Specific Media, in 2011. Timberlake said in a statement: “There’s a need for a place where fans can go to interact with their favorite entertainers, listen to music, watch videos, share and discover cool stuff and just connect. Myspace has the potential to be that place.” The social network underwent several brand and design changes hoping to achieve what Timberlake envisioned. Although he is currently known for his chart topping summer hit, “Can’t Stop the Feeling”, he was unable to stop Myspace’s decline into obscurity.  The company was purchased in February of this year by Time INC. Did Timberlake take a loss on the deal? Cry me a River.

3. THE WATCH HATED ‘ROUND THE WORLD

I am sure the who’s who of the wearable tech world has encountered and despised Will.i.am’s smartwatch released in 2015. Seriously, a google search returns results of pure disdain. Maybe you are thinking, “Could it really be that bad?”. Yes, it could. The product launch was #0to100 real quick. He dialed it straight to the level of an Apple or Samsung launch with a free concert at an illustrious 5,000-seat concert hall and a star studded guest list. The watch did not live up to the hype. It was hated for its clunky design, poor interface and the fact that no one wants to replace their entire cell phone with a watch. Current smartwatches act only as tethers to the user’s smartphone. On the bright side, Puls is perfect for those looking to arouse suspicion as they talk into a watch. Excuse me, Will.i.am refers to it as a smart cuff. It’s just not smart enough.

4. THE NEXT AMERICAN FLOP WILL BE…. “TYPO”

Ryan Seacrest invested a substantial $1 Million dollars in the iPhone keyboard attachment “Typo”. It seemed like a great idea, so great if fact that Blackberry had already done it! The keyboard’s design was so similar that Blackberry sued Typo for copyright infringement twice and won. Sales of the first model were halted shortly after release due to Blackberry’s first suit. The company came out with a second model, Typo2, only to have it blocked by another Blackberry lawsuit claiming it still looked too similar. Blackberry stated, “while we are flattered by the desire to graft our keyboard onto other smartphones, we will not tolerate the deliberate use of our iconic design without proper permission.” #ShotsFired. Back to the drawing board, no peeking this time.

START UP ON THE RIGHT FOOT

Don’t let these business bummers bum you out. It just goes to show how important a solid foundation is to ensure your start-up or growing brand takes off. The celebrity endorsement isn’t all bad either, especially if you include “instafamous” influencers. A marketing strategy with both celebrities and social media influencers can be more effective than one with celebrity only.

To learn more about celebrity and influencer marketing partnerships or to schedule a free consultation click here!