To stand out, brands sometimes get really creative or just plain weird. Some of these attempts went viral, some tried to be game-changers, and many just baffled customers. From toothpaste-meets-frozen-dinner to spooky candy, here are 14 of the strangest add-ons ever.
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Colgate kitchen entrees (frozen dinners)
Colgate, yes, the toothpaste company, dabbled in frozen meals (like chicken, crabmeat dinners, and possibly even a mock‐up “beef lasagna”). The idea was misguided: a brand associated with oral care trying to sell ready-meals just didn’t compute psychologically. Not surprisingly, it bombed and was swiftly pulled.
Arm & Hammer deodorant spray
Arm & Hammer expanded from baking soda and cleaning products into deodorant. Consumers balked, why trust a known cleaning brand with something applied to the body? It never gained traction.
South Park’s “Nosulus Rift” smell mask
To promote a South Park video game, Ubisoft distributed a VR nose mask that emitted fart smells, yes, real smells synced to the game. It wasn’t sold; it was purely an outrageous promotional novelty.
Virgin America’s first-class shoes
Virgin America collaborated with Eleven Inc. on a one-of-a-kind sneaker modeled after first-class cabins. It included wi-fi, mood lighting, a small screen, and a seatbelt buckle. The shoe was auctioned off on eBay, for $98,877.77 to benefit Soles4Souls. It went viral, but was never put into mass production.
Paqui Carolina reaper chip
Paqui’s Carolina Reaper chip, called the “One Chip Challenge”, is one chip made with the world’s hottest peppers. Released in 2016, the chip went viral as people dared each other to eat it and post reaction videos online. Paqui removed the chip from production in 2023 after a 14-year-old died from eating it. The company stated it was an “adults-only” product. The death led to debates on the safety of viral food challenges.
KFC Colonel Sanders pool float
KFC got weird and gave away huge Colonel Sanders pool floats with spots to store chicken and drinks. Predictably, people were quick to post their poolside photos on social media. The pool floats were unwieldy and not particularly functional, but they were absurdly over-the-top. Fans and collectors loved them. This funny promotion became a memorable event that matched KFC’s playful brand identity.
Don Zimmer teddy bear
The Tampa Bay Rays gave out teddy bears with the actual face of their coach, Don Zimmer. Fans loved Zimmer, but the human-faced plush toys were more nightmare fuel than collectible.
Namco Bandai “Muscle March” protein and underoos
To promote their Muscle March game, Namco handed out fake protein canisters and tight underoos, seemingly random and a bit unsettling.
Stupid.com horror-themed halloween candy
The collaboration offered gummies labeled Zombie Blood, Gummy Eyeballs, and even Urine Candy, gross-out humor at its promotional peak.
Compartés Chocolatier’s chocolates with movie star covers
Compartés Chocolatier designed a line with Chrissy Teigen and her family on the packaging. The bars include unique flavors like Coconut Milk & Popcorn and Carrot Cake, and are acclaimed to be smooth, flavorful and well made. With a cacao content around 36–44%, reviewers have described the bars as feeling premium and justify the higher price.
Burger King’s “Whopper toothpaste”
Did you know Burger King once created a toothpaste that tasted like a Whopper burger? The concept was “eat fast food, brush fast food.” It was disliked by most, and was quickly deemed as a novelty joke rather than an actual product.
KFC’s chicken-scented sunscreen
KFC upped the ante in 2016 by releasing a sunscreen that smelled like fried chicken. “Extra Crispy Sunscreen” was a tongue-in-cheek, limited-edition promotion that generated major earned media. You couldn’t make it up, it was odd, hilarious, and undeniably KFC.
Tate & Lyle’s edible dessert hotel
Tate & Lyle Sugars created a one-night-only edible dessert hotel in 2013. Guests could munch on pillows, windows, sinks and everything throughout the stay. It was a creative marketing stunt that got a lot of people sharing online.
Cadbury’s instant mashed potatoes
Smash, Cadbury’s instant mashed potatoes from the 1960s, struggled at first. The 1974 Martians ads made it popular, but mixing a chocolate brand with savory food caused confusion. Cadbury sold Smash in 1986, and it’s now owned by Premier Foods.
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