The 400-year-old Marketing Flop You've Never Heard Of

Marketing is considered to be an American invention. There have also been a few spectacular marketing flops by American companies, such as GM's Nova in Puerto Rico (the car that "doesn't go"). Then there's the fizzy drink that was introduced in China as "Bite the wax tadpole," commonly known as Coca-Cola. But there is one astonishing marketing ploy that flopped in Germany, hundreds of years ago, that few people are aware of.