The sister of a friend of mine used to insist her parents buy damaged cereal boxes and torn milk cartons, as she felt bad that no one else would buy them. Her family eventually put a stop to this, because they grew tired of having a bunch of torn and ripped products in their cabinets.

Readers, here are this blog’s damaged cereal boxes. This time of year, many publications typically list their most popular items of the year. We will do that next week. But what about the least popular ones? What can we learn from their sad failure to engage the JCK audience?

Looking at my least popular posts, they are not the worst that I wrote. Can I persuade you to give some love, and rescue them from their current ignominy?  

Regardless, here are some of my least popular blog posts of the year. Enjoy—or, most likely, continue to ignore:

 

Apple Treated Its High-End Watch Like a Gold-Headed Stepchild, March 11

Why It Tanked: While the headline was clever—at least I thought so—it probably doesn’t reflect what the story was about: Whether the Apple Watch will truly be accepted as a luxury item. 

Should You Read It?: If you’re interested in smartwatches, yes. So for most of you, no.

My Favorite Part: “Perhaps Apple wanted a tonier setting to spotlight its new $17,000 creation than a hype-filled announcement where a lot of presenters didn’t tuck their shirts in.”

 

Is the Apple Watch a Flop? July 17

Why It Tanked:  I’m sensing a pattern here.  

Should You Read It? Obviously, some of you care about the Apple Watch. But most JCK readers are so uninterested in it, they don’t even care if it’s flopping. That’s indifference.

My Favorite Part: “I don’t want Apple acting as my digital Mom.”

 

7 Noteworthy Points in Etsy’s IPO Filing, March 6

Why It Tanked: This may be a title issue. This post isn’t really about Etsy’s IPO filing; it mostly concerns whether Etsy can stay true to its origins. Which, granted, is not such a grabby topic either.

Should You Read It?: If you are interested in the above.

My Favorite Part: “Surely, joyfulness doesn’t come up much in SEC filings.”

 

5 Noteworthy Nuggets from Signet’s Latest Conference Call, May 29

Why It Tanked: This might have not done well because it came out during JCK Vegas, and you were all too busy to read it. Or perhaps when I include the word noteworthy in a headline, that’s a sign that it isn’t really noteworthy. (See above.)

Should You Read It?: There are some interesting—dare I say even noteworthy—tidbits in this one, yet they have resurfaced in other, more popular, stories. Skippable.

My Favorite Part: Signet’s CEO complains that it’s the only big jewelry advertiser out there. But if another sprung up, would Signet buy it?

 

Tiffany Still Has the Best Brand Name in the Business, Sept. 11

Why It Tanked: Not sure.

Should You Read It?: This covered a survey that was included in Tiffany’s litigation against Costco, which measured the strength of different jewelry brand names. Seemed, um, noteworthy to me.

My Favorite Part:  A jewelry brand that doesn’t exist scored nearly 30 percent awareness.

 

The New Voice of Kimberley Process Reform: Dubai?, July 1

Why It Tanked: The words “Kimberley Process reform” aren’t exactly click-bait.  

Should You Read It?: It’s a worthy topic but kind of dated. Given what has happened since, it seems even less likely Dubai will carry out what it said. 

My Favorite Part:  “We have also seen many once-skeptical [diamond] industry leaders admit lately that we really are in a new normal, and if the industry doesn’t clean up its act, it will face even worse problems with banks, governments, and consumers.”

 

Coming Thursday: My favorite jewelry promotions of the year. There were some good ones!

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