Publicity Stunts - Do's and Don'ts?

[eostresh]

So has anyone ever done a publicity stunt? I know they have always been a big thing for escape artists, and sometimes mentalists, since Houdini's day and age but you don't hear a lot of working pros mention them to much.

Here is the deal:
I created a crime oriented magic show to help cross sell my novel. http://the-boxman.com/ It is a fun show, I spent several months developing it and have audience tested it twice so I am pretty confident with it. I am now ready to start selling the show for parties and corporate events. I had planned on the usual, get some restaurant gigs and work the phones, but a unique opportunity showed up.

My Dad runs a small museum in an old Railroad Depot in town. In the old Western Union office in the depot is an old safe(The combo has been lost to time). The safe is antique and it is doubtful anything more valuable than the safe itself resides within it. Thus they have avoided the locksmith because the local guy just does drilling, not manipulation, and the museum doesn't want the safe damaged. So here is my opportunity to manipulate it in a very public way. This in turn can be leveraged into free publicity for both the book and the magic show.

So I am just looking for general thoughts on a publicity stunt of this sort. Thanks....

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Seems like a cool opportunity to me. My only worry would be failure to open the safe. Are you certain it's entirely in working order? If so, then come up with a plan for if it doesn't open and I say go for it. Make sure you send some info to local newspapers so they can cover it, get someone to record it and put it up on YouTube, etc.

 

[eostresh]

Seems like a cool opportunity to me. My only worry would be failure to open the safe.

Mine too...I'll certainly check the lock out before the stunt so I have a pretty good idea of my success chances prior to calling the press.

 

[moooozzz]

Sorry, I didn't quite understand you. You don't know how to open the safe yet, do you? Then you would have to be a nice lock picker I think. But you can definitely check your chances before the show. Or you can even try to open it and leave it one-step from opening, and you know... that saying about an escape artist, one minute and 3 seconds.

 

[eostresh]

You don't know how to open the safe yet, do you?

I have the safe covered. It is not a key opening safe but an old spin dial so I wouldn't pick it but instead manipulate it. It is a bit old and I have been having some issues finding the Contact points but hopefully with some WD 40 I might smooth out the action on the spindle and wheel pack.

Anyways, I am actually looking more for advice on publicity stunts in general. Who has done one, how far in advance did you inform the press, how did you guarantee that you had a crowd. Just stuff like that. Also, how much "cheating" is appropriate? My magician sensibilities says cheat first and ask questions later...but I am not sure that applies with pub stunts?

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

You might try emailing Wayne Houchin.

Personally, I'd say anything you can get away with is alright.

 

[eostresh]

You might try emailing Wayne Houchin.

Personally, I'd say anything you can get away with is alright.

Not a bad idea but there is another magician I know of who is also a "lock man." I might hit him up and see if he has any ideas. Thanks!

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

I said Wayne because he's done publicity stunts.

I wish I could help more, I just don't have the experience and don't want to give bad advice.

 

[WyattSB]

You should open it ahead of time, plant a prediction, then 'open' it for the first time live.

 

[eostresh]

I said Wayne because he's done publicity stunts.

I wish I could help more, I just don't have the experience and don't want to give bad advice.

Didn't mean to sound like I didn't appreciate the idea...in fact I probably will contact him. You just kind of spurred me to think of another magician who might have some good thoughts.

@WyattSB- That is an excellent idea!

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Anything you put into the safe that doesn't seem like it should already be there will turn this into just a magic trick. Be aware of that.

 

[eostresh]

Anything you put into the safe that doesn't seem like it should already be there will turn this into just a magic trick. Be aware of that.

Good point...I will be thinking of what direction I want to go with this. If I want to follow Wyatt's advice what I might do is plant something historical in there, have people guess what might be in there, and use a billet box so the "randomly selected guess" matches the contents of the safe.

 

[WitchDocIsIn]

Again, keep in mind that people may want to verify what you do. If something is found in the safe which shouldn't be there, it will raise suspicion.

 

[eostresh]

Again, keep in mind that people may want to verify what you do. If something is found in the safe which shouldn't be there, it will raise suspicion.

I am actually more concerned about putting on a good performance. There is some logic in that statement but at the same time I think people, even if they did suspect a little mischief (Dear god mischief from a magician!), they would probably appreciate something a little more exciting than a 100 year old ball of lint.

Just remember...the key is Publicity Stunt. Better a really entertaining, and slightly suspicious, stunt than one that is totally above board and boring as hell!