‘80s Mishaps: Mondale, Coke and Miniskirts

Walter F. Mondale, new Coke, Michael S. Dukakis, home banking, miniskirts and the Knoxville World’s Fair were among the worst marketing mishaps of the 1980s, a business magazine reports.

“During a decade when knowing the customer became increasingly important, many companies--and even whole industries--failed to understand their markets,” American Demographics magazine says in its December edition.

The staff of the magazine, published by Dow Jones & Co., combined to select the “10 blunders of the 1980s,” ranging from “new” Coke to the decade’s Democratic presidential contenders.

Judith Waldrop, research editor for the magazine, said she started the project a couple of years ago after hearing a discussion about the influence of marketing research versus business instincts in product decisions.

“Coke was the first thing that came to mind,” she said of the 1985 decision by the Coca-Cola Co. to abandon its traditional soft drink flavor in favor of a new formula. “But Coke forgot about the giant generation that controls much of American business--the baby boom,” the magazine reported.

Another blunder was the 1987 effort by designers to sell miniskirts to women. “I thought this was ridiculous,” said Waldrop. “I just don’t want to look like this in the job situation.”

The decade’s Democratic presidential contenders, meanwhile, “based their campaigns on the traditional New Deal coalition of blacks, organized labor and middle-class liberals,” the magazine said.

While such Democrats as Jimmy Carter, Mondale and Dukakis continued to appeal to the coalitions of the past, Republicans styled themselves as the party of opportunity and won election after election, the report observed.

Other business bungles on the list included:

--Motown sticking with its traditional soul and blues artists and missing the rapid growth of rap music.

--The Knoxville World’s Fair. A century ago world’s fairs drew millions by showing off products and cultures that were unavailable elsewhere. Today technologically sophisticated Americans are awed by little.

--Sears, Roebuck and Co. lost a major segment of its market share to K mart and Wal-Mart during the decade by concentrating on middle-class America while the middle-class family was declining.

--Coleco Industries made millions on the popular Cabbage Patch dolls in the middle of the decade but got stuck on that product.

--Home banking was an idea that was ready technologically but not in consumers’ minds.

--Grandparents magazine, a quality product that failed.

--Burger King’s “Herb the Nerd” campaign.