From Cheetos-flavored lip balm to Campbell Soup-scented candles, companies are constantly pushing boundaries, hoping to create the next big thing—or, at least, something memorable. While some of these oddball products find a niche following, others end up as quirky, short-lived experiments. This list dives into 15 bizarre products from well-known brands that prove they’ll try just about anything to keep consumers intrigued (or at least amused). Buckle up—it’s a wild ride through some of the most head-scratching brand extensions in recent memory.
15. Cheetos Lip Balm
Launched in 2005, Cheetos Lip Balm took the bold step of bringing the cheesy snack’s flavor to a lip moisturizer. The idea was as strange as it sounds: let Cheetos fans wear that iconic flavor right on their lips. But as you might expect, it didn’t quite catch on. Most people just weren’t sold on the idea of smelling (or tasting) like a processed snack. The product quickly tanked, proving that not all brand extensions hit the mark.
14. Campbell Soup Candles
Campbell’s teamed up with Ligne Blanche to make high-end soup-scented candles—think tomato, basil, and mint. While the Warhol-inspired packaging was a hit, the fragrance, which leaned more generic floral than “tomato soup,” left buyers disappointed. At 60 euros a pop, these candles became more of a collector’s item than a household staple.
13. Gengar Pillow Tongue Plushie Sleeping Bag
The Gengar Pillow Sleeping Bag let fans sleep on the tongue of their favorite ghost Pokémon. The quirky design made it look like Gengar was “eating” the user, which was amusing but not exactly practical. The original was pricey, and poor-quality knock-offs soon flooded the market. While it sold out quickly, this oddity was more of a collectible than a practical sleeping bag.
12. Heinz Baked Beans Pizza
A tribute to the British love of baked beans, Heinz decided to put them on a frozen pizza and sold it through Iceland grocery stores. Topped with beans, cheese, and pizza crust, the combination didn’t win over many fans. Reviews pointed out issues with texture and sogginess, making this quirky product more of a temporary food experiment than a lasting hit.
11. Colgate Lasagna
Yes, you read that right—Colgate apparently dipped a toe into frozen dinners in the 1980s, allegedly launching a lasagna branded with the same logo as their toothpaste. Though its existence is still up for debate, the infamous “Colgate Lasagna” has become a symbol of misguided brand crossovers. Whether real or a myth, it’s a lesson in sticking to what you know.
10. Crayola Calculator
In the 1990s, Crayola tried making a calculator that looked like a box of crayons, complete with crayon-shaped buttons. Aimed at making math fun for kids, it unfortunately missed the mark. The quirky buttons weren’t practical, and the calculator didn’t hold up for regular use. While memorable, it’s mostly a novelty in Crayola’s history.
9. Wasabi Kit-Kat
Japan’s love for unique Kit-Kat flavors led to the Wasabi Kit-Kat, a bizarre blend of chocolate wafer with a spicy kick. Surprisingly, this flavor has its fans, especially among adventurous eaters. But outside of Japan, the flavor remains a niche curiosity, loved by tourists and brave snackers rather than the general crowd.
8. Oolong Tea Oreo
Oreos with Oolong tea-flavored filling made their debut in China, aiming to blend the rich taste of aged tea leaves with the classic chocolate cookie. While some enjoyed the unique combination, others found the minty, grassy taste a bit much. It appealed to niche markets but didn’t have broad appeal beyond adventurous eaters.
7. Dr. Pepper Baked Beans
These beans fused the sweet, spiced flavor of Dr. Pepper with traditional baked beans. While some fans were intrigued, many found the combination a little too bizarre for their tastes. The idea of sugary soda-infused beans didn’t stick, and while it grabbed some attention, it remained more of a novelty than a pantry staple.
6. Sonic the Hedgehog Curry
Released as a limited-edition promotion in Japan, Sonic the Hedgehog Curry came in an eye-popping blue color. Fans were both amused and puzzled by the idea of blue curry, and rumors even suggested it could turn your bowel movements blue. The flavor didn’t win many fans, making it more of a collectible than a real meal choice.
5. Emoji Cologne
This perfume line by Air-Val put the popular emojis on cologne bottles, supposedly embodying strength and individuality. However, the scent—a mix of teenage perfume and mature floral—didn’t exactly capture the spirit of emojis. The novelty quickly wore off, and Emoji Cologne became more of a curiosity than a serious fragrance option.
4. Whopper Cologne
Burger King’s Whopper Cologne, launched in Japan as an April Fool’s joke, actually hit shelves in 2015. With notes of pepper and charbroiled meat, it was an amusing gimmick but hardly practical. The scent wasn’t built to last in the fragrance market and is remembered as a unique but short-lived brand crossover.
3. McFlurry Shower Gel
Released by McDonald’s Austria in 2022, this dessert-scented shower gel aimed to bring the McFlurry experience into the bathroom. Though it stirred social media buzz, its limited release and high resale prices made it more of a collector’s item. Practical? Not really. But it’s a novelty that captured some attention.
2. NASCAR Romance Novels
In the 2000s, NASCAR expanded into romance novels, mixing the thrills of racing with love stories. While the books found a niche audience, they didn’t exactly become a staple of NASCAR’s brand. Though they published nearly 70 titles, NASCAR romance novels are now more of a fun footnote in the brand’s history.
1. Milleni-Yum Cereal (Yu-Gi-Oh!)
Celebrating Yu-Gi-Oh!’s 25th anniversary, Milleni-Yum Cereal aimed to capture nostalgic fans of the anime. But the cereal itself—a basic sugary puff—didn’t impress. With little unique flavor and a high price tag, it quickly became more of a collector’s item than a breakfast staple.
