The Great Fail

In the 1980s, Action Park was a summer hotspot for many in the Tri-State area, attracting visitors from New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut. Entrepreneur Gene Mulvihill sought to transform the former Great Gorge Ski Resort into his own 'Disney of Jersey'—one of the first modern American water parks. The concept was promising. Yet, the reality took a darker turn with poorly designed rides, inexperienced staff, and unrestricted alcohol, resulting in hundreds of injuries and six deaths. These dangers left many wondering how and why Action Park could continue operating so many years without any repercussions? Tune in to Episode 65 of The Great Fail, to hear the story. Special thanks to Seth Porges, director of Class Action Park, for his insights in this segment. All credits and sources can be found at www.thegreatfail.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

American wrestling, which most notably revolves around the WWE brand, owes much of its success to the influential presence of the McMahons - Vince McMahon, most of all. There is no doubt about the influence he had on wrestling and the way he turned the likes of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, John Cena, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin, and Hulk Hogan into household names, as well as his role in creating the blueprint for pay-per-view programming. However, in the wake of the legacy he has left behind, are allegations - a dirty laundry list that includes sexual misconduct and lawsuits claiming his abuse of power. For more than four decades, he was both an executive and a performer in his own show, acting as the diabolical "Mr. McMahon." But to what extent does the fiction intertwine or blur into reality? Tune in to Episode 64 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Abraham Josephine Riesman for her contributions to this segment. For show notes and sources, please visit: www.thegreatfail.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Once at the top of the food chain, Quiznos achieved over $2 billion in sales and had nearly 5,000 restaurant chains. But just as things were heating up, the iconic company found itself in a pickle, leaving behind a very sour taste. Tune in to Episode 63 of The Great Fail to listen to one of the most significant and dramatic restaurant collapses in American history. Special thanks to Jonathan Maze for his contributions to this segment, and a shout-out to Adweek and Acast for their support. Sources: A brief history of Quiznos’ collapse The Real Reason Why Quiznos Is Disappearing Across The Country The Quiznos Story: From Huge Success To Huge Bust WHAT HAPPENED TO QUIZNOS SUBS? Wikipedia: Quiznos Quiznos – Failure Case Study Denver-based Quiznos hit by new lawsuits from disgruntled franchisees Three Factors That Led to Quiznos' Epic Decline QUIZNOS: Biggest Collapse in Restaurant History? Quiznos terminates franchisees on heels of suicide Fast Food’s Most Unhinged Mascots Are Back Quiznos is bringing back Spongmonkeys, its creepy rat-like mascots from 20 years ago, as the restaurant looks for a comeback Death of a toasted sandwich salesman How Quiznos Failed Itself By Failing Its Franchisees Quiznos Bankruptcy May Have Roots in Long Beach Franchisee’s Suicide The Untold Truth Of Quiznos Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

A surprising announcement rippled through Silicon Valley in the Spring of 2017. A mysterious 'flying car' venture took the spotlight, fueled by rumors of Google co-founder Larry Page's involvement. A marvel of engineering, this all-electric innovation promised to reduce traffic congestion and open the skies for dreamers—a moonshot that captivated engineers, futurists, and tech enthusiasts. But over time, that moonshot started to look more like a longshot. With Page’s financial backing and abundant resources, how could this project have possibly failed? Hear the full story on episode 62 of The Great Fail. Special thanks for Hugh Langley for his contributions to this episode. Shoutout to Adweek and Acast. Sources: Throwback Thursday: The Rise and Fall of Flying-Car Startup Kittyhawk Kitty Hawk, the electric aircraft moonshot backed by Larry Page, is shutting down Inside the rise and fall of Kittyhawk, Larry Page's failed flying car company How Larry Page's flying-car company of the future turned into a stunning failure Kittyhawk: Employees should “blindly” trust Larry Page Where Kittyhawk Failed: The Case of Disruptive Technologies Case Study Larry Page’s Flying Car Failure Is a Lesson For Us All Larry Page’s Kitty Hawk air taxi startup is shutting down Hewlett-Packard: The Flight of the Kittyhawk (A) Harvard Case Solution & Analysis Inside the rise and fall of Kittyhawk Google co-founder’s flying car startup is winding down Visit https://thegreatfail.com/ for more sources! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a special bonus episode this week, we are spotlighting another amazing series on the Adweek Podcast Network. Hosted by Jenny Rooney, Adweek's first chief experience officer, Marketing Vanguard: the podcast, spotlights the people who are driving the industry forward. It will feature valuable, must-listen nuggets of marketing-leadership wisdom, humility, stories, strategic insights, and growth opportunities in an era of ever more complex industry pressures and realities. Together we’ll dive into what's driving the decision-makers of today to move the needle of some of the world’s most exciting brands in incremental or monumental ways. In the world of modern business, adaptability and evolution are often paramount for success. The same holds true for the field of marketing, where Vineet Mehra, the CMO of Chime, exemplifies a career path that embodies the dynamic nature of marketing leadership. In a recent conversation, Vineet shared insights into his professional journey, highlighting how his roles in various industries have shaped his perspective on marketing's role in the growth engine of companies. Listen to this week's episode of Marketing Vanguard to hear how Vineet continues to drive innovation at Chime, while his journey remains an inspiration to those seeking to redefine the boundaries of marketing leadership in an ever-changing world. Listen and subscribe to Marketing Vanguard on Apple Podcasts or find it on Spotify. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Wing, a pioneering and exclusive women's co-working space, shattered glass ceilings and secured over $100 million from investors, including WeWork and Airbnb, venture capitalists, and celebrity investors such as Megan Rapinoe, star of the US National Women's Soccer Team, and comedian, writer, and actress Mindy Kaling. At its peak, The Wing held a valuation of approximately $365 million, maintained 11 locations across NY, LA, Boston, and Chicago, and catered to 12,000 members with a waitlist of 9,000. But as The Wing was enjoying its ascent into stardom, its employees would soon threaten to clip the Company’s soaring wings. Tune in to Episode 61 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Adweek’s Olivia Morley for her contributions to this segment and shout out to Adweek and Acast for their support. Sources: Why woke women’s co-working space the Wing failed: ‘A gossipy, very toxic environment’ The Wing Shuts Down After an astonishing rise and fall, the Wing finally folds Perspective: The real reason the all-women workspace failed What Was the Wing? To the extent that it’s remembered, it will be as an artifact of the Trump era. The girlbosses who girlbossed too close to the sun: The demise of ‘women’s utopia’ The Wing was long overdue The exclusive no-men-allowed club that raised $32 million from investors like WeWork just opened a brand new location — take a look inside The Wing CEO Audrey Gelman resigns amid employee ‘digital walkout’ Inside The Wing: How Cofounders Raised $2.4M To Open All-Women Social And Coworking Club The Wing's Chic New SoHo Space Will Make You Want to Join ASAP Audrey Gelman Is Stepping Down As CEO of The Wing Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For 52 years, Bed, Bath & Beyond was the destination for high-quality home goods merchandise, top brands, and a discovery zone for home shopping that made it inspiring and fun. By January 2014, the company had operated more than 1500 stores in North America and had reached a share price of $70 dollars. Despite all the success, the company would soon become a victim of mismanagement, burdened with debt and unwanted inventory, unaware that its own fate would soon be put on layaway. Tune in to Episode 60 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Seth Basham for his contributions to this segment. Sources: Bed Bath & Beyond Used to Be Great. These Two Are Why. Inside Overstock’s grand plan to reinvent itself as Bed Bath & Beyond All Buy Buy Baby stores losing after last-ditch deal falls through The $11.8 billion mistake that led to Bed Bath & Beyond’s demise 3 key mistakes that doomed Bed Bath & Beyond The rise and fall of Bed Bath & Beyond, the iconic housewares retailer that has filed for bankruptcy and is closing its remaining stores After 52 Years, Why Bed Bath & Beyond Went Bankrupt What Went Wrong at Bed Bath & Beyond The Hidden Reason Behind Bed Bath & Beyond's Demise Bed Bath & Beyond and bankrupt? Bed Bath & the great Beyond: How the home goods giant went bankrupt Why is Bed Bath & Beyond failing? Reasons behind bankruptcy protection explored Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The DeLorean was one of the most era-defining cars of the ‘80s. Sleek, sexy, and unconventional, this iconic car had much promise-- engineering ingenuity, celebrity fanfare, and media hype. But less than a year after it rolled out its first cars, the Company would collapse in a tailspin of lies, drug scandal, bankruptcy, racketeering, criminal trials, and government conspiracies. Find out what led to the downfall of the DeLorean Motor Company on Episode 40 of The Great Fail. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1952, Revlon created one of the most iconic, paradigm-shifting ad campaigns known as "Fire & Ice," which posed a dramatic twist on why women wore makeup. Instead of seeking male admiration, it empowered women by prioritizing their ambitions and needs. For decades, Revlon spearheaded feminism and cosmetic innovation, establishing itself as the world's second-largest producer, with products sold in 150 countries. However, in 2022, it faced another transformative phase, resulting in Revlon's once-vibrant prominence fading in its luster. Tune in to Episode 59 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Robin Albin for her contributions to this segment. Revlon Sources What Went Wrong at Revlon Why did cosmetic giant Revlon fail? Revlon Proves That You Can Be Too Big To Fail Here’s why Revlon just filed for bankruptcy—no, it’s not because of the #NoMakeup movement Revlon, Beauty Icon In Crowded Market, Files For Bankruptcy Revlon files for bankruptcy in US after supply chain trouble and surging costs Revlon: makeup icon falls to social media rivals Wikipedia: Revlon Citigroup cannot recoup Revlon payouts after nearly $900 million gaffe: U.S. judge Citibank can’t get back $500 million it wired by mistake, judge rules What went wrong with cosmetics giant Revlon? Bankrupt beauty: Lessons from Revlon’s supply chain failures This 1952 Ad Was The First To Acknowledge That Women Wear Makeup For Themselves, Not Men Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In 1895, Schwinn was driven by the pursuit of an American dream when bicycling was still a relatively new sport. As one of the longest-standing bicycle companies, Schwinn signified influence and innovation amidst a biking craze that further catapulted their success. But over the years, it would lose its luster after a series of poor leadership decisions that led it to a dead end. Get the full story on Episode 58 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Jay Townley for his contributions to this segment. SCHWINN SOURCES No Hands: The Rise and Fall of the Schwinn Bicycle Company, an American Institution by Judith Crown and Glenn Coleman Schwinn Bicycle Company A Short History of Schwinn: 1990s Bankruptcy though 2021 No hands: The rise and fall of the Schwinn Bicycles Company: an American institution, Judith Crown & Glenn Coleman, Henry Holt&Co. A Rough Ride for Schwinn Bicycle Schwinn Cycle and Fitness L.P. - Company Profile, Information, Business Description, History, Background Information on Schwinn Cycle and Fitness L.P. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Mars Hill was a Seattle-based church led by Mark Driscoll- a beloved, endearing, powerful presence in the evangelical Christian community. He built Mars Hill into one of the fastest-growing churches in the nation, with close to 15,000 attendees and an additional 260,000 viewers tuning in online every week. But behind the perfect persona, was a twisted reality waiting to be uncovered. What was revealed in its final days was a trail of abuse, fraud, intimidation, sexism, and a fall from grace that would make it one of the most spectacular collapses in Christianity today. Listen to Episode 57 of The Great Fail to hear the full story. Special thanks to Adweek and Acast and Professor Jeremy Cohen for contributing to this episode. Mars Hill Sources 'The Rise and Fall of Mars Hill': The abuses of a superstar pastor and megachurch ruins left behind Lawsuit: Controversial Pastor Ran Mars Hill Megachurch Like a Crime Syndicate WHO KILLED MARS HILL CHURCH? THERE’S ONE SUSPECT EVANGELICALS SIMPLY AREN’T PREPARED TO INTERROGATE How a Megachurch Melts Down Wikipedia: Mars Hill Church Megachurch pastor Mark Driscoll was an evangelical rock star. Here's how he fell from grace. Wikipedia: Mark Driscoll Special Guest: Jeremy Cohen, Assistant Professor, Department of Religious Studies, McMaster University Jeremy Cohen is an anthropologist of religion and an Assistant Professor at McMaster University in the Department of Religious Studies, where he teaches courses on topics ranging from cults and conspiracy theories to death and dying, and the occult. His research examines new religious movements seeking radical longevity and immortality, and the intersections of science, technology, and religion. Jeremy has written for the Globe and Mail, The Conversation, and the Hamilton Spectator, and has been featured in the NY Post, Coast to Coast AM Radio, and Inverse Magazine. He is also the co-founder and co-editor of the death and dying resource, TalkDeath.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FTX was once touted as the cryptocurrency trading platform with its founder, visionary Sam Bankman-Fried, promising to revolutionize the industry. This once-promising company was on a path to decentralize and democratize a highly complex investment within the crypto world but by 2022, headlines that read, “Scam of the Century”, “Bank Fraud and Conspiracy”, and “Criminal Charges” pointed to a grim future. What happened and who was to blame? Listen to episode 56 of The Great Fail to hear the full story with special guest Jason Notte, staff writer at Adweek. FTX Sources Have celebs learned their lesson from the FTX debacle? The rise and fall of FTX The Collapse of FTX: What Went Wrong with the Crypto Exchange? Tom Brady And Other A-Listers Sued For Fumbling FTX Endorsements FTX Investors Sue Celebrity Endorsers Celebrity Crypto-Hawkers Should Get a Close Look Timeline: The rise and spectacular fall of FTX SBF: THE VIRTUE WAS THE CON Why Did FTX Collapse? Here’s What to Know. Should Sports Stars And Celebrities Endorse Or Accept Crypto Pay After Entanglement In FTX Scandal? Sports stars lending legitimacy to crypto firms raises ethical questions when many fans can’t afford to lose The Fall of FTX and Sam Bankman-Fried: A Timeline Special Guest: Jason Notte, Staff Writer at Adweek Jason is an Adweek staff writer covering the business of marketing. Jason has previously covered marketing, technology and personal finance and for TheStreet, MarketWatch and MSN Money. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Great Fail kicks off Season 3 with one of the biggest failures of 2023 thus far, as we watched one of the nation’s largest banks unravel. Once a rising star in the tech industry, Silicon Valley Bank was a paragon for startup founders and venture capitalists reaching dizzying heights of success in 2020. So how did it go from boom to bust just a few short years after? Was it greed, mismanagement, or something more sinister? You won't want to miss this riveting exploration of Silicon Valley Bank's rise and fall. Listen to Episode 55 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Professor Mark T. Williams for his contributions to this segment. Sources For 40 years, Silicon Valley Bank was a tech industry icon. It collapsed in just days WHAT REALLY HAPPENED TO SILICON VALLEY BANK What Happened to Silicon Valley Bank? The tech industry moved fast and broke its most prestigious bank Here’s how the second-biggest bank collapse in U.S. history happened in just 48 hours The Ugly Lessons of Silicon Valley Bank’s Collapse Why almost everyone failed to predict Silicon Valley Bank’s collapse Fed's Barr to Congress: SVB's failure is 'textbook case of mismanagement' This is why SVB imploded, says top Fed official FDIC says First Citizens Bank has reached deal to purchase Silicon Valley Bank Silicon Valley Bank Collapse: Lessons for Boards Is Moody’s Ratings Downgrade The Reason Why Silicon Valley Bank Fell? Silicon Valley Bank: A Timeline and Summary of Events Silicon Valley Bank's demise began with a downgrade threat Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

For over 4 decades, Tower Records was a pioneer in the music industry and the bedrock of record store culture. It was run by rebels and outsiders, where founder Russ Solomon was revered and idolized. Tower would become the mecca for music fans creating a generation that lived by their diehard slogan, “No Music, No Life”. For decades, it seemed like the sun would never set on the iconic yellow and red letters that illuminated so many urban cityscapes. But that light would eventually burn out... Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In January 2021, the world watched as Reddit traders faced off with Wall Street elites in a trading mania over GameStop shares. Matei Psatta, one of the traders of the subreddit WallStreetBets, joins us this week to comment on what this means and why the financial markets may never be the same. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

People tend to think that Netflix killed Blockbuster – but that's not true. Blockbuster's demise was actually caused by something far more self-destructive, and almost a decade after the fall of this movie rental giant, there are still misconceptions about what really occurred. Get the scoop on how Blockbuster was taken down, here on The Great Fail. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Great Fail is taking a break this week. Instead of normal programming, The Great Fail is hosting Metaverse Marketing, another podcast series in the Adweek Podcast Network. In this Season 2 premiere, host Cathy Hackl, metaverse and web3 strategist, dives into how the metaverse is changing our world both on and offline. Hackl explores what it truly means to build a community and why it is such a hot topic in Web3 and the metaverse. Follow Cathy on Twitter: @CathyHackl Subscribe to Adweek's Metaverse Marketing on your favorite podcast platform! You can listen and subscribe to all of Adweek’s podcasts by visiting adweek.com/podcasts. Stay updated on all things Adweek Podcast Network by following us on Twitter: @adweekpodcasts. And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at podcast@adweek.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Several legal cases were pending, culminating in January 2019, when a class-action lawsuit led by the Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson was filed against the multi-level marketing Company, LulaRoe. This one alleged that the founders of LulaRoe made false and deceptive representations regarding their business, inspiring thousands of optimistic entrepreneurs to invest their money into the lucrative venture-- only to find themselves drowning in debt, mortgaging their homes, and depleting their life savings. Though many had not yet heard of LulaRoe, this lawsuit would soon topple the billion-dollar enterprise into one of the most well-known scandals in America. Listen to Episode 54 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Professor Kelly Richmond Pope for her contributions to this segment. LulaRoe Sources LuLaRoe Was a Billion Dollar Leggings Empire Until the Lawsuits. LuLaRich Tells the Story The Rise And Fall Of LuLaRoe’ Investigates Scandal Behind Marketing Company The MLM LuLaRoe Has Seen Tons of Controversy — Here's Why Is LulaRoe Still in Business? Amazon's 'LulaRich' Has Everyone Asking the Same Question LulaRich! 9 Lessons You Can Learn From LulaRoe’s Downfall Lessons from LuLaRich that Resellers Can Learn From 4 Shockingly Manipulative Work Moments In The 'LuLaRich' Documentary ‘It’s very culty’: the bizarre billion-dollar downfall of fashion company LuLaRoe These Leggings May Ruin Your Life LuLaRoe to pay $4.75 million to resolve AG Ferguson’s lawsuit over pyramid scheme Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

It was a somewhat ordinary day for David Pyott, the CEO of Allergan, back in April 2014. That is until his eyes glanced over at the TV screen in his office, where he learned that billionaire hedge fund manager and activist investor Bill Ackman was about to back the takeover of his company by way of a hostile takeover. The acquirer was none other than the infamous and controversial pharmaceutical company, Valeant Pharmaceuticals. Valeant was a Wall Street darling and one of Canada’s largest companies. So why and how did this transaction lead to Valeant's downfall only a year later? Listen to Episode 53 of The Great Fail to hear the story. Special thanks to Joe Nocera for his contributions to this segment. Valeant Pharma Sources The rise and fall of Valeant Pharmaceuticals The Roll-Up Racket What Valeant’s fall from grace can teach the drug industry THE VALEANT MELTDOWN AND WALL STREET’S MAJOR DRUG PROBLEM Valeant CEO didn’t tell investors real story about sales growth Explaining Valeant: The Main Theories A Buried Scandal, Shedding Of Assets, And Forthcoming Spinoff Means Substantial Upside For Bausch Health The Demise of Valeant Pharmaceuticals: A Case Study in Rotten Culture and Business Ethics Valeant Makes Hostile Bid For Allergan Inside A Hostile Takeover: The Allergan-Valeant War Wikipedia: Milan Panić Special Guest: Joe Nocera, Business Columnist at Bloomberg Joe Nocera is a former Bloomberg Opinion columnist. He has written business columns for Esquire, GQ and the New York Times, and is the former editorial director of Fortune. He is the host and writer of the Bloomberg-Wondery podcast "The Shrink Next Door." Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Great Fail is proud to present Home / Work, a new marketing podcast that is not about marketing. Hosted by AMA Marketing Hall of fame inductee Antonio Lucio, Home / Work is about the real talk on the good, bad, ugly, and extraordinary of balancing life and work. We will bring true role models of our industry together with their partners to discuss how they do it. On the premiere episode of Home / Work, Antonio sits down with Carla Hassan, Chief Marketing Officer of JPMorgan Chase, and Tariq Hassan, Chief Marketing and Digital Customer Experience Officer of Mcdonald's to discuss balancing two incredible careers while raising a family, what they learned while raising a family during the pandemic, and why they don't consider themselves a "power couple." Subscribe to Home / Work on your favorite podcast platform or by visiting adweek.com/podcasts. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.