# Product not used for intended purpose - biggest marketing hit? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 21, 2010, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223 "2010-03-21T09:13:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 9:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/1 "2010-03-21T09:13:01Z")
I’ve heard stories about some people purchasing blank CDs to use as drinking coasters, and some people purchasing a certain kind of cereal because the toy whistle it contained could be [used to hack phones](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap%27n_Crunch#Relation_to_hacking_culture). I’m wondering what the biggest commercial success is for a product (or perhaps a service) that became a hit for something other than its intended purpose? I’m not sure exactly how different the actual use has to be from the intended use\* for some example to satisfy my curious mind, but it would be great for some examples to be thrown out here. \*Although one of the original purposes of Pepsi was to assist with digestion, it was always intended to be a delicious drink. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 9:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/2 "2010-03-21T09:29:47Z")
Arm and Hammer Baking Soda boxes stuck in refrigerators. Microplane wood rasps found a place in the kitchen as great graters. Now they make some explicitly for the kitchen. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/3 "2010-03-21T10:13:11Z")
I’m not sure how big it actually is, but I gather that the use of the [Wartenberg wheel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wartenberg_wheel) as a sex toy has equaled or exceeded its original use as a medical diagnostic tool. Certainly, googling with “safe search” off, especially for pictures gives a very NSFW result. ---
**Author:** ![dtilque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d6d6ee/32.png) [@dtilque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dtilque)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 10:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/4 "2010-03-21T10:34:27Z")
Vaseline and K-Y Jelly ---
**Author:** ![GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f1d935/32.png) [@GSV\_Consolation\_of\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GSV_Consolation_of_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/5 "2010-03-21T11:17:05Z")
[WD-40](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wd40) ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/6 "2010-03-21T11:17:50Z")
Q-Tip style cotton swabs? Doesn’t the product packaging expressly warn against using the swabs to clean the ear canal? The exact purpose for which most people buy them? ---
**Author:** ![Busy\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/d78d45/32.png) [@Busy\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Busy_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/7 "2010-03-21T11:45:51Z")
Not exactly what the OP is looking for, but the viagra story is an interesting piece of serendipity. It was designed, synthesised and trialed as an angina medicine. It wasn’t very effective - it’s ultimate use was the result of entirely unexpected side effects in the clinical trials. More on topic, the cosmetic company Avon have a moisturiser called ‘skin so soft’. It is heavily used by hikers and cyclists in the Scottish highlands as an insect repellent. It doesn’t work that well IME, but nothing can stand up to the plague of midges that descends on the Highlands each summer. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/8 "2010-03-21T11:46:16Z")
Avon got a huge boost to it’s Skin So Soft line when people claimed that it repelled mosquitos and other insects. It probably isn’t true but the company ran with the idea and added actual repellent to the mixture. That one has got to be up there in percentage terms. > **[Mosquito Repellent Lore](https://www.snopes.com/fact-check/repel-tell/)** > > Are home remedies to repel mosquitoes effective ways to defend yourself from West Nile Virus? ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/9 "2010-03-21T11:50:16Z")
The winner is going to be duct tape however as always. It can be used to to take care of anything whether it is a bank robbery, someone that just talks to much, or even to make a plane flyable after a horrible bear attack. > **[Bear Attacks Plane, Pilot Fixes Plane With Duct Tape, Pilot Flies Duct-Taped...](https://gizmodo.com/bear-attacks-plane-pilot-fixes-plane-with-duct-tape-p-5447738)** > > I'm not sure this story is true, but if it is, I'm going to go buy a hat just so I can take it off in this guy's honor. Is there anything duct tape can't do (besides repair ducts)? ---
**Author:** ![KellyCriterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b3f665/32.png) [@KellyCriterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KellyCriterion)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/10 "2010-03-21T11:57:26Z")
Thanks for all the responses so far, which I will be investigating shortly. One thing, I am looking for examples where the product actually made it on to the shelf but some other use was then discovered for it. Having not yet looked in to the back story of viagra, was it ever marketed and sold as something _other_ than a… what do you call it… “sexual stimulant”? ---
**Author:** ![Harmonious\_Discord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/74df32/32.png) [@Harmonious\_Discord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Harmonious_Discord)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/11 "2010-03-21T12:01:30Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > The winner is going to be duct tape however as always. It can be used to to take care of anything whether it is a bank robbery, someone that just talks to much, or even to make a plane flyable after a horrible bear attack. > > [http://gizmodo.com/5447738/bear-attacks-plane-pilot-fixes-plane-with-duct-tape-pilot-flies-duct+taped-plane-home](http://gizmodo.com/5447738/bear-attacks-plane-pilot-fixes-plane-with-duct-tape-pilot-flies-duct+taped-plane-home) That would be if we say it was only intended for sealing duct work and not just as a tape. It’s still used mostly for it’s intended purpose as tape. Most of the examples given so far are not far from their intended use just their intended market niche. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 12:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/12 "2010-03-21T12:21:31Z")
I believe that the former topical anesthetic for optic and nasal surgery, cocaine, was marketed for other, less medical, uses. My understanding is that slightly more of the product was sold for these alternate purposes. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/13 "2010-03-21T12:44:49Z")
Mentos ---
**Author:** ![JoelUpchurch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f05b48/32.png) [@JoelUpchurch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JoelUpchurch)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/14 "2010-03-21T12:54:57Z")
I surprised that no one has mentioned Minoxidil, which was marketed as a treatment for high blood pressure, until someone found out it would grow hair and they started selling it as Rogaine. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness\_treatments#Minoxidil\_.28Rogaine.2FRegaine.29](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldness_treatments#Minoxidil_.28Rogaine.2FRegaine.29) ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/15 "2010-03-21T13:06:45Z")
The motion picture camera was invented for scientific research purposes, and the Slinky was originally intended to stabilize instruments on Navy ships. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/16 "2010-03-21T13:13:27Z")
Selsun blue shampoo can be used for some skin rashes, it worked for me. I think a Dr. told me to try it. ---
**Author:** ![beo.thuck](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7ab992/32.png) [@beo.thuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/beo.thuck)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/17 "2010-03-21T13:30:04Z")
Pie plates spawned Frisbees. The Wikipedia article yields greater detail. ---
**Author:** ![ianzin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ed655f/32.png) [@ianzin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ianzin)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/18 "2010-03-21T13:35:18Z")
Not _quite_ what you’re looking for, but the Post-It story is close and kind of interesting. A 3M researcher was trying to devise new _strong_ adhesives. One formulation was a spectacular failure, because the adhesive was so _weak_. For a while it was discarded, and then someone eventually realised that a very weak adhesive, that could be lifted off and stuck down again, was a whole new market. And so Post-It notes were born. (Insert trademark symbols as appropriate). ---
**Author:** ![enigmatic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/898d66/32.png) [@enigmatic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enigmatic)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/19 "2010-03-21T13:37:31Z")
Don’t forget the infamous Harry Potter [vibrating broomstick](http://www.charchaa.com/mattels_vibrating_harry_potter_broomstick_big_hit_among_girls_mattel_pulls_toy_off_the_shelves) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![PatriotGrrrl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9dc877/32.png) [@PatriotGrrrl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatriotGrrrl)\ **Post date:** [March 21, 2010, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/product-not-used-for-intended-purpose-biggest-marketing-hit/533223/20 "2010-03-21T14:06:18Z")
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