Juicero's $400 flop: Marketing buys attention, product trust
(Avoid the hype trap)
You can sell a dream once.
But can sell a nightmare only once.
Let’s talk about two extremes.
1. Great marketing, sloppy product trap.
Case study: Juicero.
The hype: Raised $118.5M.
Sold a $400 Wi-Fi juicer.
The reality: Squeeze packs by hand.
The fall: Sales dropped 90% overnight.
Lesson: Marketing buys attention.
Product buys trust.
2. Great product, sloppy marketing.
Case study: Dyson’s Airwrap.
The flop: Confusing ads in 2018.
Price tag: $550.
Sales stalled.
The fix: TikTok UGC went viral.
The win: Sales spiked 140% in 2020.
Lesson: Great product finds its audience.
Even if marketing fails first.
Great marketing + sloppy product.
Short-term wins, long-term losses.
Example: WeWork.
↳Valuation: $47B → $0.
↳Vision: Community-driven workspaces.
↳Ignored: Unsustainable business model.
Why it fails: Can’t A/B test a bad product.
Great product + sloppy marketing.
Slow start, but lasting loyalty.
Example: Slack.
↳ Internal tool for a gaming company.
↳ No ads, no hype.
↳ Word-of-mouth from teams.
Why it wins: Solves real problems.
Markets itself.
☑ Marketing is the spark.
☑ Product is the fire.
☑ Can’t out-market a bad product.
☑ Great product will outlast bad marketing.
Seen a brand crash from sloppy products?
Comment “🔥”.
Seen a great product win despite bad marketing?
Comment “🚀”.
♻️ Share to spark a debate.
Which side do you lean toward?
Image: IG/jaozolins
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