Often Imitated: CX Stories from History

When Joe Sutter was faced with a difficult problem, he got to do what all of us dream of doing...he got to assign his problem to someone else. He was approached by his bosses to create the world’s fi…

Telethons are an iconic part of the TV experience. Seeing the donation total rise while a whole variety show plays out for hours on end is a unique form of entertainment. But putting the gimmicks asi…

Returning a purchase can be incredibly frustrating. Whether it’s printing off a return slip or driving back to the store—it’s just annoying. But in a remote locale like Fairbanks, Alaska, returns are…

Is there any better feeling than trying on a new pair of jeans and finding the perfect fit? Of course not. We have a whole movie franchise based on how great of a sensation that is (Sisterhood of the…

Unfortunately, less-than-stellar CX is commonplace. It’s a problem as old as time. Even back in 1750 AD, merchants were scamming their peers out of quality goods and running off with their money. Art…

Picture a winter vacation in the mountains. You’re probably imagining a wood cabin, sitting by a fire in a cozy blanket, skiing, and a deep denial of hypothermia. You’re probably not picturing bunche…

There’s a lot of lore surrounding the invention of the lightbulb. But regardless of who’s side of history you’re on, Edison’s legacy is staggering. His contribution to bringing electricity to the mas…

When it comes to products being endorsed by celebrities, we don’t often think of tea sets. Pottery as a whole doesn’t tend to get a lot of time in the spotlight. But in the late 1770s, the world was …

When you think of the comedy greats, who comes to mind? Dave Chappelle? Tina Fey? The producers of Often Imitated? Well, there’s someone else you should be adding to that list, someone who paved the …

Baking soda has been a key background character in most of our lives. It’s the ingredient you forget that ruins a batch of cookies, or you accidentally knock it over in your fridge, and you might eve…

Fake news and disinformation: these are new terms for age-old ideas.  Even back around the turn of the 20th century, marketers were telling half-truths, bending and twisting narratives to influence p…

These days, it’s hard to avoid headlines on what the world’s billionaires are up to. How long was Jeff Bezos in space? Is Elon Musk going to Mars? Will Rihanna ever drop that album? But one issue alw…

In a list of most helpful inventions and discoveries, you probably wouldn’t think to put domesticated cows at the top. But it turns out cows have saved millions and millions of human lives over the l…

In the 1800s, America was generally seen as a land of abundance and endless resources until Gifford Pinchot saw the truth. That the trees, water and nutrients of the land were being used faster than …

By flying above the clouds, Jacqueline Cochran also broke through the glass ceiling. During WWII, she brought women’s aviation to the forefront of the war effort. She taught women to be as good if no…

When it comes to thrilling CX, few can compete with what was once the ultimate viewing experience: the battle between gladiators in the Roman Colosseum. Between the towering walls, packed stadiums, e…

In 1940, four boys wandering the hilly countryside of rural France discovered a cave filled with prehistoric paintings depicting charging bison, stags, and horses.  Despite being 17,000 years old, th…

Few things are more exhilarating than watching cars speed past you at over 200mph. It’s been said that car racing was invented as soon as the second car was built. So how can you compete in an indust…

Harry Houdini has terrified and excited people for over 100 years. From escaping a water torture cell to being buried alive, he did it all. Though his shows changed over the years, one thing stayed t…

With the invention of the phone came drama, controversy, and innovation. A phone call went from a trusted source of communication to spam calls that never end. Today, we’re going to learn about how i…