“Gimmicks” are features or advertising techniques that make a product more attractive but are not essential to its functionality. They can include attractive colors, packaging, or images of cartoon characters. Gimmicks in advertising, such as “Free gift with purchase” or BOGO, can be useful when buying something anyway, but some gimmicks, such as false sales or cheap toys in cereal boxes, are considered negative.
“Gimmicks” has several definitions, and the Oxford English Dictionary credits the word “gimmick” with first entering the English language in the early 20th century. Tricks can refer to features of a product that make it more attractive but are not essential to the functionality of the product. It can also refer to specific types of advertising intended to elevate product sales, called gimmick advertising. A gimmick can also be a term used in magic to describe an unseen element of a trick that helps create an illusion.
Typical gimmicks in products include the use of attractive colors, packaging, or other features that will grab a consumer’s attention. Take for example the medium plastic children’s plate. The functionality of the plate is unaffected by its artistic designs. But if you put bright colors, a picture of Barney or Winnie the Pooh on the plate, it will be more appealing to children and their parents than a plain white plastic plate. Children’s clothing uses similar gimmicks with images of cartoon characters.
A picture of Sponge Bob on a shirt doesn’t improve the function of the shirt, but such pictures will sell more shirts because they will appeal to a certain group that loves Sponge Bob. Food for toddlers can also come in shapes of cartoon characters. There are Nemo popsicles to attract the Disney crowd. For adults, some types of packaging can also be gimmicks. We get used to iconic characters such as Mr. Clean, Brawny Man or Tony the Tiger which could increase the likelihood of buying products.
In advertising, tricks are in constant use. For example, the selling point, “Free gift with purchase,” could cause us to end up buying something to get a free gift. Perhaps one of the most recognizable advertising tricks in use is the term BOGO, most associated with Payless ShoeSource stores. BOGO means one gets half off, or buy one get one free, usually the former. TV ads regularly advertise that Payless is experiencing BOGO days.
Coupons are another common use of gimmicks. The prospect of saving money, even if it requires spending money, helps move the goods. Discount cards offered in supermarkets are also an advertising gimmick where card holders can receive discounted prices on certain items in a store.
Sometimes gimmicks are considered negative or underhanded. Advertised sales that don’t actually save money are considered gimmicks of the negative type. Parents especially, if shopping with their kids may be annoyed by some gimmicks like free toys at the bottom of the cereal box, which can give kids a chance to get a relatively worthless toy. The toys offered by fast food restaurants with the purchase of meals are often considered influential in children craving fast food.
Other times, gimmicks in advertising, if carefully observed can be useful when you have to buy something anyway. If you shop at Payless ShoeSource, it makes sense to shop during a BOGO period, especially if you need more than one pair of shoes. While BOGO is clearly a gimmick, it can still save you money when you plan to make a purchase anyway.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
