On their website Daniel Madison is the poster child for those. Not only is the Ellusionist logo part of the design, not the advertisement strongly points out that the wristband comes in a "Super-cool distressed container".
So we are getting something else to wear than those fucking rubber bands. We get fucking glowing wristbands.
Having the logo be part of the design is rather bad from a magic point of view. You don't want to make your audience realize that you can buy all of your magic. That kind of takes away credit. But from a marketing point of view I applaud Ellusionist for creating yet another thing that creates brand awareness. And your target audience will buy those like a cat going for valerian. The target audience is the 15-year-old. How do I know? Because the advertisement says the wristband comes in three sizes. The small one fitting the average 15-year-old.
Why the container needs any advertisement I don't know. I can only assume because they couldn't think of anything else to say.
Here is my question: Why isn't there any video of people going crazy over those wristbands? Why no street bum saying stuff like: "He's the devil man, all the tricks are nothing compared to that crazy wristband."? Then a fade to black, then the word Halo glowing in the back.
How about putting out a book for a change? Harder to sell I know, but people feel less ripped off in most cases.
Hat tip to Bob for letting me know about those things.
Unless they start selling effects that use it I fail to see the rant worthiness of this. Most magic providers sell this sort of swag. Shirts, bracelets, dog tags etc with their stuff on them and unless they put the URL on the band it's not like some spectator will look at the band and automatically know where to buy magic.
ReplyDeleteHugo Boss, Gucci, Louis Vuitton etc move over!! Ellusionists fashion house is here! :D
ReplyDeleteI actually don't have a problem with these, I am not going to by then and I don't think I know anyone who would but they are not hurting anyone.
ReplyDeleteUltimately nobody is going to know the logo other than a magician would know of anyway.
I always consider myself to be the pay important part of my performance and the magic is just a vessel which allows me to express myself. And for that reason I would not perform most of the stuff from e anyway. (I like to believe I have more interesting things to say than look, wait and watch.)
I recently joined the IBM and today I received a nuce letter confirming my membership, including a fancy certificate and a button. I see no difference between the IBM button and the wristband. Ellusionist is very smart selling this as it will enhance brand loyalty by adding a sense of community. If anything wearers might be asked what the wristband stands for and then they can break out in spontsneous magic.
ReplyDeleteThe comment about the box is needed to focus attention away from the band itself - a cheap piece of plastic. Research shows that people are willing to pay more for the same thing if it is in a nice box.
What Ellusionust is doing here is textbook contemporary marketing.
This is fairly new to the magic community. Secrets are a now a commodity and there is nothing that can be done to stop this development.
The value proposition of contemporary magic shops is the same as weight loss programs or self-help products: buy this and you can become a better person.
I've always think of ellusionist as magic for young XCM hobbysts. Not workers. And I believe I'm not the only one who thinks that.
ReplyDeleteSame thing as wristbands are the black layered, ultraviolet glows in the dark deck with stemapunk jokers. And don't get me started with those artifact coins.
Bob Kohler, Axtell, Wolf Magic, Outlaw and others are brands for pros. Still, if they had wristbands, I don't see the point.
Do you want to look cool, or do you want to entertain?