The Magic 8 Ball’s continued success gives us some clues as to what kind of marketing stands the test of time.
The Magic 8 Ball is ranked #18 in Time’s list of 100 greatest toys of all time. It’s achieved this success against newer high-tech toys such as drones and video games.
So how has a piece of liquid-filled plastic with one function managed to hang tough with seemingly way more entertaining and sophisticated toys, consistently selling 1 million units a year?
The key lies in its appeal to human nature. We all want to know the future, and we’ll try pretty much anything to find out what lies ahead.
This has been the case across the ages. The ancients looked to the sky to see if they could pick up clues as to what the weather would be like the following day. You probably know the old saying — “Red sky at night, shepherd’s delight; red sky in the morning, shepherd’s warning”.
This universal desire is what the Magic 8 Ball taps into, and we can’t resist asking it a question even when we know it’s “just a bit of fun”. There’s a part of us which can’t help but put a little stock in what the 8 Ball says. You feel better – even if only for a second – when the 8 Ball gives you the answer you want to hear about the future.
And it’s quite instructive that, at least according to anecdotal evidence, this toy is more popular with adults than with kids. Just last month, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Cliff Lee used one to answer questions at a press conference, which livened things up for everybody!
Here are a few marketing lessons we can learn from the success of the Magic 8 Ball:
1. Appeal to human nature
The enduring success of the Magic 8 Ball points to the importance of appealing to human nature. By “human nature” I mean characteristics that haven’t changed over the years. In this case, it’s wanting to know the future.
But there are dozens of others: the desire to feel loved, to feel secure, to be listened to… the list goes on.
If you want your product, service or idea to have the kind of longevity that the Magic 8 Ball has, you need to figure out how it appeals to human nature. What timeless human characteristic does it connect with?
The beauty of crystalising the appeal to human nature is that once you have it, you have the foundation for all your future marketing efforts.
Not only will it bring consistency to your messaging; it’ll give you a rich source for marketing ideas across different platforms and, because it’s timeless, across the years.
2. Package your product or idea well
By “package” I mean how the whole thing is presented, which includes design as well as the words you use.
The Magic 8 Ball was first called the “Syco-Seer” when it was created in the 1940s. It was marketed as a fortune-dispensing “crystal ball” device and was inspired by the creator’s clairvoyant mother.
 Before: The “Syco-Seer” |
 After: Magic 8 Ball |
This fairly explicit link to the occult apparently turned people off. The product didn’t enjoy any real success until it was rebranded and repackaged, turning the toy from a crystal ball into a billiard ball.
Both in the name and the design of the product, the seriousness of the toy was dialled down and the fun element turned up, making it more appealing to buyers.
3. Be willing to stumble upon success
Sometimes success is orchestrated, sometimes it’s stumbled upon.
In the case of the 8 Ball, it was more a case of stumbling. It wasn’t until Brunswick Billiards contacted Alabe (the company who sold the “Syco-Seer”) in search of a promotional toy that the idea of a fortune-telling toy took off.
In 1950, Brunswick asked Alabe to put its fortune-teller inside a big eight ball. Alabe agreed and 68 years on it’s still selling well.
By all means keep trying to orchestrate success. But be open to trying out new approaches and unexpected collaborations.
Experimentation could lead you to stumble your way into success.