# Examples of companies or people who have succeeded by making their product worse? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 1, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511 "2010-12-01T05:00:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/1 "2010-12-01T05:00:20Z")
You may have noticed that there are a lot more IMAX theaters these days. A few years ago IMAX Corporation introduced a digital projector and has been installing them in multiplex theaters like crazy. However, these new digital projectors are in no way better than the classic 70mm projectors the company made its name with. The main thing is that the screens are much smaller. When you think IMAX you think big screen, right? The average screen size of IMAX film theaters is 60x80 feet. But the average of the digital IMAX screens in multiplexes is about 35x59, well under half the area of the film screens. (Comedian Aziz Ansari made a [big stink](http://azizisbored.tumblr.com/post/106587114/reblog-the-fuck-out-of-this-warning-amc-theaters-are) about this about a year and a half ago.) Also, the digital projectors have only a tiny fraction of the resolution of the huge 70mm film frame. However, despite worsening their product, IMAX has succeeded. They just reported a $6.7 million 3Q profit and their stock has risen from a low of $2.55 a year ago to a 10-year high of $27.21 today. People are flocking to these little IMAX theaters, apparently unaware that they are only a pale shadow of the “real” IMAX film theaters. I’m trying to think of any other examples like this: a branded product or service that was made demonstrably worse, but succeeded despite, or even because, of that fact. The only example I’ve come up with so far is the Star Wars franchise. Any others? BTW, I’m not talking about the general “[good enough](http://www.wired.com/gadgets/miscellaneous/magazine/17-09/ff_goodenough)” phenomenon written about by Robert Capps in Wired magazine. E.g., MP3s are worse audio quality than CDs, but more popular. But they are not a branded product, which is what I’m looking for. ---
**Author:** ![jz78817](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jz78817/32/1028_2.png) [@jz78817](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jz78817)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/2 "2010-12-01T05:09:27Z")
Disney. for pretty much, well, anything. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/3 "2010-12-01T05:12:24Z")
Microsoft. They make new operating systems so people will like the old ones more. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/4 "2010-12-01T05:22:09Z")
New Coke is one that comes to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Justin\_Bailey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/justin_bailey/32/8792_2.png) [@Justin\_Bailey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Justin_Bailey)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/5 "2010-12-01T07:57:23Z")
I’m not sure IMAX qualifies for something a company made worse. As you say, the digital IMAX projectors are different than “real” IMAX, so it’s hard to argue they’re the same product. But even if they were, “real” IMAX projectors are so rare that it’s hard to find them outside of science centers that only show nature documentaries. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 8:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/6 "2010-12-01T08:16:13Z")
> [@sisu](#): > > New Coke is one that comes to mind. The OP is looking for successes. ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/7 "2010-12-01T08:20:21Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Microsoft. They make new operating systems so people will like the old ones more. > [@twickster](#): > > The OP is looking for successes. And I would say Win. 7 is far better than XP. ---
**Author:** ![Count\_Blucher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Count\_Blucher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Count_Blucher)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 2:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/8 "2010-12-01T14:09:35Z")
Contac cold & flu. They used to be great but then they changed their formula. I stopped using them altogether because they made me so wired it was hard to sleep and when I did finally get to sleep (from sheer exhaustion) I’d have dreams that were a cross between Peter Max & the Fear network. FTR, I did assume that I had a ‘bad batch’ and tossed the packeage. I bought more 2 years later & had the same bad result. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/9 "2010-12-01T15:23:51Z")
Thanks for all the replies. > [@Justin\_Bailey](#): > > I’m not sure IMAX qualifies for something a company made worse. As you say, the digital IMAX projectors are different than “real” IMAX, so it’s hard to argue they’re the same product. But even if they were, “real” IMAX projectors are so rare that it’s hard to find them outside of science centers that only show nature documentaries. _ **I** _ agree with you that IMAX digital systems are a different product, but IMAX doesn’t. They refused requests by all of their customers, science centers and museums alike, to brand the digital product differently. And they have purposely made it hard to find the “real” IMAX theaters, burying the information deep in their website. Because they know that if the people who go to the little IMAX theaters ever went to a big one, they’d realized they were being ripped off at the small ones. But back to my main point. > [@jz78817](#): > > Disney. > > for pretty much, well, anything. I’m afraid this isn’t specific or obvious enough. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Microsoft. They make new operating systems so people will like the old ones more. I’ll agree that MS has taken a step back on occasion (Yes, I’m looking at you, Windows ME and Vista), but I agree with **runner pat** that Win7 is better than XP, and Win 95 and DOS, all of which I have had occasion to work with in the past month or two. > [@sisu](#): > > New Coke is one that comes to mind. As **twickster** says, not a success. > [@Count\_Blucher](#): > > Contac cold & flu. I’ll take your word for it, but not the kind of high profile example I was hoping for. Anyone else? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/10 "2010-12-01T15:42:39Z")
Maybe Facebook? They used to only accept users with .edu email addresses. College students. Actually before that it was exclusive to a few colleges, and before that exclusive to Harvard. Anyway, if non-exclusive = worse, then Facebook didn’t blow up until it became worse. (For the record, I don’t think that non-exclusive = worse. But some might.) ---
**Author:** ![Quercus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/7ab992/32.png) [@Quercus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quercus)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/11 "2010-12-01T15:45:42Z")
I refuse to remember the brand, but isn’t there a classic marketing story of a vodka that increased sales tremendously merely by raising the price (so sucker- I mean, customers, would think it must be better)? ---
**Author:** ![Bootis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e8c25b/32.png) [@Bootis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bootis)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/12 "2010-12-01T15:53:18Z")
Most fans of every successful rock band will tell you they were better before they became mainstream and successful ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/13 "2010-12-01T16:10:11Z")
> [@Bootis](#): > > Most fans of every successful rock band will tell you they were better before they became mainstream and successful REO Speedwagon certainly fits the mold. They were much better before they sold out with commercial sappery. ---
**Author:** ![John\_DiFool](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_difool/32/19543_2.png) [@John\_DiFool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_DiFool)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/14 "2010-12-01T16:32:38Z")
Coke did switch their syrup to something less pleasing to the palate, and I don’t think that had anything to do with the “New” Coke fiasco… ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/15 "2010-12-01T16:35:18Z")
The NFL (USA football). Thanks to Fantasy Leagues, rampant gambling, company pools, and enormous girth of American couch potatoes, the damn league gets more successful. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/16 "2010-12-01T16:37:50Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > I refuse to remember the brand, but isn’t there a classic marketing story of a vodka that increased sales tremendously merely by raising the price (so sucker- I mean, customers, would think it must be better)? There is a brand of brandy (Christian Brothers?) that increased its sales by changing the shape of the bottle. It wasn’t any kind of tipping point increase though. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/17 "2010-12-01T16:45:19Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > I refuse to remember the brand, but isn’t there a classic marketing story of a vodka that increased sales tremendously merely by raising the price (so sucker- I mean, customers, would think it must be better)? Possibly Grey Goose vodka? That’s basically how the situation is portrayed in [this New York Magazine story](http://nymag.com/nymetro/news/bizfinance/biz/features/10816/index1.html). ---
**Author:** ![Furious\_Marmot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dfb087/32.png) [@Furious\_Marmot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Furious_Marmot)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/18 "2010-12-01T16:57:50Z")
> [@Quercus](#): > > I refuse to remember the brand, but isn’t there a classic marketing story of a vodka that increased sales tremendously merely by raising the price (so sucker- I mean, customers, would think it must be better)? Sounds like Grey Goose vodka. I read an article about the guy who owned the brand a few years ago. An interesting fellow, he popularized Jagermeister in the US, and was promoting a tequila called Corazon at the time of his death. If memory serves, it wasn’t that he raised the price of an existing brand, but rather, started from scratch, converting a cheap cognac distillery over to vodka and audaciously pricing the new product far above the then current high-end stuff. Hey, it’s French, everybody knows they make good stuff. It came out on top in a Wall Street Journal comparison article and off he went to the bank. Wish I could find that article, it was a hoot. ETA: Beaten to the punch..but there’s that article. Yay! ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/19 "2010-12-01T16:58:14Z")
Also, this may not be exactly what the OP is looking for, but it’s related and _is_ interesting. [This New York Times article](http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/28/business/28borker.html) is about a guy who operates an online eyeglass retailer but deliberately antagonizes his customers so that they complain on websites that let you describe bad customer service experiences. These complaints cause his site to get a high position in Google search results, getting him lots more business. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [December 1, 2010, 5:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511/20 "2010-12-01T17:03:26Z")
I thought it was Smirnoff that raised prices just to be more expensive than a new brand that came out. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/examples-of-companies-or-people-who-have-succeeded-by-making-their-product-worse/562511.md?page=2)