The Corporate Magician: Why Companies Are Adding Magic to Their Agenda

As companies continue to seek innovative ways to engage their employees and clients, corporate magicians offer a unique and effective solution. 

With their ability to captivate and entertain audiences, enhance communication and teamwork, and create memorable experiences, corporate magicians are an increasingly popular choice for entertainment in the business world.

Today, corporate magicians are in high demand, with companies of all sizes and industries hiring them to add a touch of magic to their events and conferences.

To dive into the world of corporate magic and explore its resurgence, we will take a look at 2023’s top corporate magicians, the organizations that hire them, and what benefits they demonstrate. 

Then, we’ll review whether a corporate magician is the right choice for your next event. 

What is a Corporate Magician?

Corporate magicians are performers of business magic—they use magic tricks and illusions to engage and entertain employees, clients, and other stakeholders in a corporate setting. 

While magic has been around for centuries, its application in the business world is a relatively new phenomenon.

Why is Corporate Magic Becoming Popular?

So why is corporate magic becoming more popular? There are several reasons for this trend. Corporate magic provides:

• Increased Engagement from Employees and Clients
• Improved Communication and Team Work
• Unique and Memorable Experiences

Furthermore, corporate magic is audience-centric and invites plenty of participation. When employees and partners forge lasting memories together, it improves communication and teamwork within their organization. That is why corporate magic is an attractive option for companies looking to enhance their internal dynamics.

The Psychology of Magic: How It Captivates and Engages Audiences

The psychology behind magic is what gives it the unique ability to captivate and engage audiences. Corporate magicians use a variety of psychological techniques to create illusions and manipulate the perception of their audience. These techniques include misdirection, the power of suggestion, and cognitive biases.

Corporate magician and mentalist David Kwong says that magic is “the science of fooling your brain—it is an art that centers on control, and understanding the fundamental principles of illusion will lead to more command and control in both life and work.”

David Kwong is the author of Spellbound: Seven Principles of Illusion to Captivate Audiences and Unlock the Secrets of Success (Harper Business).

Kwong attests, “I don’t pretend to have superpowers in any way. It’s all the science of command and control.” Kwong puts this science to good use: he’s astounded CEO’s, TED Talk audiences, and thousands of other hyper-rational people and making them see, believe, and even remember what he wants them to.

David Kwong elaborates on these principles further in his keynote presentation to Google, describing the psychological research behind them, and illustrating them through his own work as a magician. Then, he explains how to apply these principles to improve your business, creativity, and performance. 

Are Corporate Magicians the Right Choice for My Business?

When hiring a corporate magician for your business event or conference, it’s important to find the right balance between entertainment and business objectives. While entertainment is a crucial aspect of corporate magic, it should not overshadow or detract from the main purpose of the event.

Defining Objectives

One way to strike the right balance is to clearly define your business objectives for the event or conference. What are you hoping to achieve? What messages do you want to convey? Once you have a clear understanding of your objectives, you can work with the magician to incorporate magic in a way that supports and enhances these objectives.

Analyzing the Audience

Another tip for finding the right balance is to consider the preferences and expectations of your audience. What kind of entertainment do they enjoy? What are their expectations for the event? By understanding your audience, you can tailor the magic performance to their preferences and ensure that it resonates with them.

Setting Expectations

It’s also important to communicate your expectations and requirements to the magician. Be clear about what you want to achieve and what you expect from the performance. A professional corporate magician will be able to work with you to create a customized performance that meets your needs and aligns with your business objectives.

The 5 Types of Performances by Corporate Magicians

1. Event Host
2. Stage Magic
3. Table Magic
4. Virtual Magic
5. Keynote Presentations

Corporate Magicians as Event Hosts

Corporate magicians are one of the best choices for hosts of corporate events. As with celebrity speakers, professional guest speakers, and television personalities, corporate magicians have spent thousands of hours performing in front of large audiences.

Stage Magic

Stage magic is the classic, iconic performance that magicians are known for. 

It is a fantastic opportunity to engage your employees and encourage them to participate and get on stage. 

These performances can range from 30 to 90 minutes, either acting as supplementary entertainment or the main highlight of the event.

Table Magic

For corporate events that are aiming to create a more festive atmosphere, table magic is the perfect choice. During a client engagement dinner, annual awards dinner, or corporate retreat, you can add a little bit of magic. It can even be used in conjunction with stage magic later in the night. However, using table magic alone is a great way to make sure that the magic doesn’t steal the show from any larger awards or company announcements that are being made. It is also great for expos. 

When performing Table Magic, magicians walk around to each individual table or party and perform concise illusions. These can be slight of hand illusions, or feats of mentalism (appearing to read another’s mind”.

Virtual Magic

Virtual magic shows have become increasingly popular in recent times, offering a unique and captivating experience for audiences from the comfort of their own homes. These shows combine the art of magic with the power of technology, allowing magicians to perform mind-boggling tricks and illusions through video conferencing platforms. With the use of cameras, props, and interactive elements, virtual magic shows create an immersive and interactive environment where spectators can participate in the magic tricks from their screens. From card tricks to mentalism, these shows showcase the incredible skills and creativity of magicians, leaving audiences amazed and entertained. 

Keynote Presentations

Corporate Magicians bring a unique and captivating element to any event with their keynote speeches. With their ability to mesmerize and engage audiences, they have the power to deliver impactful messages in an entertaining and memorable way. Magicians possess exceptional communication skills, using illusions and tricks to illustrate key concepts and captivate the audience’s attention. They are masters of storytelling, weaving narratives that resonate with the audience and leave a lasting impression. By incorporating magic into their presentations, magicians can effectively convey complex ideas, inspire creativity, and encourage out-of-the-box thinking. 

Here, we have magician David Kwong giving a TED Talk in which mentalism plays a major role in making his presentation interactive and engaging. By asking for audience participation, he allowed them to learn his key takeaways through experience, baffling while educating. 

How Much Does Working With a Corporate Magician Cost?

Corporate magicians charge different rates depending upon several factors, such as: live or virtual, length of performance, distance to travel, and A/V requirements. 

When hiring a corporate magician for an event, take all of these factors into consideration. In addition to your needs for branding and messaging, you must take your budget into account. 

Live or Virtual

Corporate magicians typically charge less for virtual performances than for their live shows. This is because virtual magic shows tend to be shorter in length than live magic shows. Additionally, virtual magic shows do not require travel costs such as flights and hotel reservations to accommodate the magician. 

Length of Performance

Corporate magicians offer different performances that can be tailored to your event. These performances vary in length, and therefore price. Be mindful of the fact that the length of the magic show that your organization books should be palatable to your audience. If your audience is not particularly fond of magic, or if bringing entertainment to your corporate events is a new development, then booking a shorter magic show is the correct option, regardless of price. 

Distance to Travel (Travel Costs)

If you’re booking a magician for a corporate event with a tight budget, the locality of the magician should be a primary concern. The further the magician has to travel, the more expensive flights will be, and the more likely they’ll need longer hotel reservations. Additionally, the magician may have to work with a different event production firm than they typically do, which could inflate the costs further. 

When in doubt, opting for a virtual magic show is a great decision to still create a memorable experience. 

A/V & Production Requirements

Different corporate magicians will have different amounts of complexity to their stage shows. Some may require large sound systems, practical effects, camera operators, or professional coordinators. For instance,a magician may like to give the audience a close-up view of their props, say in a card trick involving mentalism. This would require a display screen for the audience, a second camera for the close up view, and an operator to switch the camera display on the screen.

The Benefits of Hiring a Corporate Magician for Your Business

One of the primary benefits of hiring a corporate magician for your business is increased engagement and attention from employees and clients. In today’s digital age, where distractions are abundant, it can be challenging to hold the attention of an audience. However, a skilled magician can captivate an audience with their tricks and illusions, ensuring that your message gets across effectively. Whether it’s a team meeting, a product launch, or a client presentation, a corporate magician can help create a memorable and engaging experience for everyone involved.

Another benefit of hiring a corporate magician is improved communication and teamwork. Magic tricks often require collaboration and coordination between the magician and their audience. By participating in magic tricks together, employees can develop better communication skills and learn to work together as a team. This can have a positive impact on the overall dynamics of the organization, leading to increased productivity and efficiency.

Furthermore, hiring a corporate magician can provide unique and memorable experiences for events and conferences. Instead of the usual keynote speeches or PowerPoint presentations, a magic performance can add an element of surprise and excitement to your event. This can help create a positive and lasting impression on your attendees, making your event stand out from the rest.

Case Study: Google Hires a Corporate Magician

There are several companies that have successfully used corporate magic to their advantage, leveraging its unique and engaging qualities to enhance their brand image and achieve their business objectives.

Google has hired corporate magicians to lead workshops and training sessions for its employees, helping them develop communication, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. This has contributed to Google’s reputation as an innovative and creative company that values employee engagement and development.

Recently, Google hired corporate magician David Kwong to lead his virtual team-building event called a Puzzle Hunt. 

Hiring David Kwong to conduct a virtual event proved beneficial to Google because many of their teams work remotely. It’s a workplace structure, common to many of us now: members of the same department, working on the same projects, scattered across the country. Kwong’s Puzzle Hunt was engaging and smart, fostering communication and camaraderie even though teammates were hundreds of miles away from each other. 

How to Integrate Corporate Magic into Your Event

Magic can play a significant role in corporate events and conferences. It adds an element of surprise and excitement to the proceedings. There are several ways in which magic can be integrated into these events, depending on the objectives and theme of the gathering.

For example, a corporate magician can perform during breaks or networking sessions, providing entertainment and engaging attendees in a fun and interactive way. This can help break the ice and create a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere. In turn, this will make it easier for attendees to connect and build relationships.

Magic can also be used as a tool for engagement and communication during presentations or workshops. A skilled magician can use their tricks and illusions to illustrate key concepts or messages, making them more memorable and impactful. This can help ensure that your audience retains the information presented and leaves with a clear understanding of your key messages.

Furthermore, magic can be incorporated into team-building activities during corporate events and conferences. For example, a magician can lead a workshop where participants learn magic tricks and work together to perform them. This can help foster teamwork, communication, and problem-solving skills, while also providing a fun and memorable experience for everyone involved.

The Future of Corporate Magic in the Business World

In conclusion, hiring a corporate magician can provide numerous benefits for your business. From increased engagement and attention to improved communication and teamwork, corporate magic can help create a positive and memorable experience for your employees and clients. By incorporating magic into your events and conferences, you can enhance your company’s image, differentiate yourself from competitors, and create a lasting impression on your audience. With its ability to captivate and engage audiences, corporate magic is a powerful tool that can help businesses achieve their objectives and stand out in today’s competitive business landscape.

Where to Hire Top Corporate Magicians

In this article, we have discussed the advantages of hiring corporate magicians, as well as the challenges. You must take your organization’s budget, culture, and goals into consideration when hiring a corporate magician. 

Work with a trusted entertainment broker that will assess whether a corporate magician is correct for your event. Then, they will negotiate the contract and coordinate the magician’s logistics so that the event will run perfectly. 

Contact the Mollie Plotkin Group, the leading speakers bureau and entertainment broker providing top-tier talent for corporate events. We will respond to your inquiry within 24 hours, and begin planning your next greatest event.