Tobacco Documents Online

~ ` . //www.magicyonth.com. A new chwp&ez has beeo started in Datlas, s under the enthusiastic leadership Jppy Mentes and some existing t clubs are in the process of convert- to Magic Youth International )s. But we need the help and sup- of many people throughout the 1. if we are going to provide a wide organization for young magi- w can you help? If you are a Junior aan you should read your issue of YAT and respond to our question- We need to know what the young ians of today would like to see in a organization so we can provide ;ervices. If you are a leader in one Rings, contact me to find out how t a MYI chapter in your area. If Ring already has a youth club let us know what you think about . Youth International and how we hance your already existing club. ed your support if we're going to a difference in the lives of our artists. ic Youth International, its history being written and you can help a new beginning for the young ansoftoday. ~e contact Steve Burton, P.O. Box ypress TX 77410-0238 or by e- SteBurton@ aol.com. ks for your interest in our new ru are a new member of the nvention, and had yourphoto onal President Jack Browne, you read this, we may have ,oii will send us a reasonably mg with one of you and Jack ng to learn) started moving c to get you your photo! PRW The Linking Ring M~tV~~3ER ' --i ~ PROFILES The 1Vlarlboro Magician by Jerry MacGregor Want to know what it's like being a corporate magician? Follow around magical entrepre- neur and I.B.M. member Mark Benthimer some day. Mark works all day at the magic store he owns in a shopping matl in Beaverton, Oregon. At six o'clock, he races home, changes from a shirt and tie into a black leather jacket, grabs his close-up case, and quickly heads back to his car. Spreading a map out beside him on the front seat, he locates his first perfor- mance venue-an upscale bar on the far side of town. After fighting going-home traffic, Mark pulls into the lot, steps out of his car, takes a deep breath, and heads for the door. He's no longer the magic store entrepreneur; now he will become the Marlboro Magician. His first stop is at the office, introducing himself to the man- agement. They've already been called by Marlboro's corporate office, so they're expecting Mark Benthimer "The Marlboro Magician." him...though they don't really know what to expect. Mark makes it easy on them by simply heading toward the cus- tomers, approaching a table, and going into his first trick. "Hi! You probably know what I do, right? I'm Mark, the Marlboro Magician, and I'm a profes- sional hero. Can I show you some- thing?" Then, almost before they can reply. he magically produces a bullet, wraps it in a one-dollar bill, changes the bullet to a streamer, changes the dollar bill to a hundred-dollar bill, then makes December,I999 everything in his hands disappear. The bill eventually turns up inside a cigarette that he not only magically produced, but floated in the air. His opening line grabs the attention of other tables close by, and he's soon off and running, doing card, coin, and ciga- rette tricks for the patrons. Mark per- fonnsnon-stopfor40 minutes, keeping the audience laughing the entire time, reminding them of his super powers and claiming to be the "Arnold Schwarzen- egger of magicians"-a good line for the -- 73

It must be true, blondes have more fun! ater department at Arizona State "My first week here," Mark says with University, working with the likes of a smile, "I had cards printed that read, Tim Kole, Mark moved to California 'California's Best Magician.' It was like with the plan to create his own act, set- telling people from Northern Ireland that tling in the Bay Area. In 1990, he began I was a British soldier - big mistake. I performing for a division of I.B.M., had no idea people in the Pacific doing picnics and meetings. "I did a cut- Northwest hated the idea of interlopers and-restored rope, a 6-card repeat, the from California moving into the area. card in balloon...but the stars of the show Business dried up almost completely." were my birds. I had invested in some Taking a part-time job writing soft- doves, and trained them to follow me. ware programs in order to pay the bills, They'd even hop down the street after Mark decided to take some time away me. I was the center of attention in my from the birthday party circuit and pol- neighborhood." ish his stage act. His work paid off, for The I.B.M. job led to a gig working the next year he was selected to be the for Great America Corporation in Santa opening act for the reunion tour of Frank Clara. "I worked 2 days a week in front Zappa's Mothers of Invention. He of a theater, plugging the big magic thought it was going to be his big break- show inside. To this day I have no idea until he found they had his name wrong what the main show was like." He also on the radio ads. "They kept talking continued working corporate parties and about 'Mark Bent-hammer.' I sounded events, and admits to once being named like a reject from a hardware store." But "the Official Garlic Festival Magician of with the money he made, Mark opened a Gilroy, California." In 1992, at age 26, small magic store with his buddy Jim he decided it was time to try a new mar- Pace, a well-known restaurant magician ket, so be packed his bags and moved to and co-author of The Restaurant Portland, Oregon. Magician'sHandbook. The store was a modest success. Mark decided to move into produci He created a special event called Ma_ Fest, a big show featuring FISM wir Juliana Chen and I.B.M. stage con winner Sean Farquahar. "We hi comedian Marty Cohen, host of T' Solid Gold, to be our emcee, sent p releases regularly, and got the l, media excited about it. We booked best theater in town, scheduled the sl for two weeks after Copperfield here, and invited every talent ager the area. It was a smash - we packe< house!" That success spring-boarded Ma new heights. He opened a new store busy mall, also called Magic-Fest. began showing up at shows all ovei Northwest. "We sell hundreds of G and we teach everything we sell says. "We also sponsor lectures, ho local magic club, and send magic si to the public schools." Mark is currently planning a sc store location, teaching a new gene of magical youngsters, and workin: a casino to create a touring show called Magical Millennium, and tures 10 major illusions, 4 dancers. vent act. The show is alrea, demand." That's on top of his dutit resenting Marlboro in bars aroucountry. Mark also remains buscorporate clients, working with Blue Cross, and Hewlit Packai helps arrange Coca Cola cie events, and was hired by B: America to introduce new bankii grams. Mark and his wife have aI on "Geraldo," the "Maury I Show," and NBC, and starred in exposing gambling scams for Copy." When Marlboro contacted hit the Marlboro Magician progr: idea was still in the planning st kept asking what they were loot but I couldn't get really clear ar ,

y first week here," Mark says with e, "I had cards printed that read, tntia's Best Magician.' It was like : people from Northern Ireland that a British soldier - big mistake. I 10 o idea people in the Pacific west hated the idea of interlopers 2alifornia moving into the area. ess dried up almost completely." ing a part-time job writing soft- ,rograms in order to pay the bills, lecided to take some time away he birthday party circuit and pol- stage act. His work paid off, for et year he was selected to be the g act for the reunion tour of Frank s Mothers of Invention. He t it was going to 6e his big break- found found they had his name wrong radio ads. "They kept talking Mark Bent-hammer.' I sounded aject from a hardware store." But : money he made, Mark opened a nagic store with his buddy Jim well-known restaurant magician )-author of The Restaurant in's Handbook. The Linking Ring The store was a modest success, so Mark decided to move into producing. He created a special event called Magic- Fest, a big show featuring FISM winner Juliana Chen and I.B.M. stage contest winner Sean Farquahar. "We hired comedian Marty Cohen, host of TV's Solid Gold, to be our emcee, sent press releases regularly, and got the local media excited about it. We booked the best theater in town, scheduled the show for two weeks after Copperfield was here, and invited every talent agent in the area. It was a smash - we packed the house!" That success spring-boarded Mark to new heights. He opened a new store in a busy mall, also called Magic-Fest, and began showing up at shows all over the Northwest. "We sell hundreds of tricks, and we teach everything we sell," he says. "We also sponsor lectures, host the local magic club, and send magic shows to the public schools." Mark is currently planning a second store location, teaching a new generation of magical youngsters, and working with a casino to create a touring show. "It's called Magical Millennium, and it fea- tures 10 major illusions, 4 dancers, and a vent act. The show is already in demand."That's on top of his duties rep- resenting Marlboro in bars around the country. Mark also remains busy with corporate clients, working with Intel, Blue Cross, and Hewlit Packard. He helps arrange Coca Cola company events, and was hired by Bank of America to introduce new banking pro- grams. Mark and his wife have appeared on "Geraldo," the "Maury Povitch Mark says. "Eventually it occurred to me that the company liked the idea of using magicians to reward their customers, but didn't really know how the idea would work in practice. I was being presented with a blank slate-so I decided to fill it." Figuring most performances would occur in a bar, Mark created an audition act using tricks that would work well in that setting: a Signed Card to Wallet, a Bill Switch, a Cigarette Vanish, and a Bill-to-Cigarette routine. "It wasn't any- thing fancy," he admits, "but it was good solid magic I'd used for years with the paying public: " At the audition, the company repre- sentatives kept asking for more tricks. Could he do a coin trick? Could he per- form a matchbox routine? Could he float a cigarette? "It was effects they were after, but I knew that sooner or later they'd make their decision based on the personality of the performer, not any one trick. After one question, I just looked at them and said, 'Look, I can do any damn trick you want. Hire me and I'll help you put together a great show for your target audience." That did it. They offered him a one-year contract, which just recently was renewed for two more years. When doing a show, Mark carries few props. He enters a bar dressed in black leather, introduces himself to the manag- er, who has been advised of the perfor- mance in advance by Marlboro's mar- keting department, then goes to work. He spends 30 to 40 minutes doing magic for bar patrons, without stopping to reset tricks or go to his case. His opener is called "Arnold" (a routine that will Show," and NBC, and statred in a series appear in the soon-to-be-published Real exposing gambling scams for "Hard World Magic), and he follows that with a Copy." series of effects: Coins Across, the When Marlboro contacted him about Hopping Half, an Ambitious Card rou- the Marlboro Magician program, the tine, Foreign Exchange, and a neat idea was still in the planning stages. "I matchbox trick. He also uses Slydini's kept asking what they were looking for, Paper Balls Over the Head, Dingle's but I couldn't get really clear answers," "Wild Card," MacDonald's Aces, December, 1999 77

all over the country. The focus ,motion is squarely on enter- not sales, and performers are ive a 15-to-60 minute show, in intimate, upscale venues. esperson for Marlboro prod- that "there are a limited num- ays a large corporation can o customers. Besides provid- lity product at a reasonable decided to seek out a new way ks, to let our customers know iate them enjoying Marlboro Jffering free, top-tlight enter- :emed like an excellent idea." ig the impact a magician had ,y management during a cor- The Linking Ring porate party in New York, they decided creating even more paid performing jobs to begin using magicians to entertain ° for magicians. And Marlboro recently customers on a local level. "The bottom committed to continuing the program for line is that smokers attend bars and __another two years, assuring that magi- clubs," the spokesperson explains. "By cians willl be appearing in bars near you offering entertainment to them, we're sometime soon. reaching our customers with a message In the Marlboro Magician system, of appreciation." each performer creates his own unique After a few months of planning, the show, though most are generally close- company began creating magic shows up performances featuring cards, match- just about every night of the year. It's es, and cigarettes, plus the occasional now become a nationwide promotion, branded prop like Marlboro playing reaching adult smokers in age-restricted cards. They work 3 or 4 nights per week, venues. visiting several different bars and The company originally auditioned putting in about 4 hours of performing more than 150 magicians around the per night. country, asking each to bring his own The star of the program, at least on personality to the performances. "We west coast, is Mark Benthimer, 32, who weren't looking for a particular type," lives in Portland and performs in several Samson explains, "nor did we rent a cos- western states, particularly throughout mme and ask someone to fill it. Instead, the Pacific Northwest. We sat down out- we were looking for quality magicians side his magic store recently to chat who we felt could relate well with our about his career as a corporate magician. customers: " From that group they hired Mark cut his teeth in Phoenix magic cir- 15 regional magicians to work in major cles, learning from the likes of Attdr6 metropolitan areas, and the company is Kole, Marvin Roy, Danny Dew, and Lee very enthusiastic about those chosen: Earle (Mark has been known to brag, "I "There's no question about it," Samson knew Lee when he had big hair and did confides, "we got the cream of the crop the Hippy Hop rabbits!"). Bert Easley, of magical performers." Recently they known to a generation as "the tipsy decided to pare the number of magicians magician," had a store in town that a bit, in order to build stronger relation- attracted kids bitten by the magic bug, ships and offer each magician more per- and Mark spent most of his money and formances. Samson says the number of all his time in the shop. performances remains the same, and that "I once paid a g5ty I met in the shop the decision was made to create a better $25 to teach me the secret of Card working relationship between Marlboro Warp," Mark told me. "I'd seen Doug and the magicians. "This is our signature Henning do it on television, and thought idea," she explains, "allowing us an if I could duplicate it, I'd easily earn my opportunity to interact with the people money back." A few years later, he final- most important to our business: our cus- ly got his first paid job - a birthday tomen;. By using fewer magicians, we're party, for which he was paid $25. ("I able to get to know each of them better." didn't actually do Card Warp," he The idea has proven so popular it's admits today, "but I still think it was a already gained considerable notoriety worthwhile investment.") within the tobacco industry. In fact, it Mark's first act was a Hawaiian- has even spawned imitators-last month themed act, complete with grass skirt, RJR Tobacco announced plans to start that he learned from Diana Zimmerman. their own traveling magician program, After spending time in the technical the- December,1999 75-----t

Danny Archer's "Eye Exam," and some duce myself to the lady and tell her I'm rope magic. Several of his best effects going to do a trick. Then I'll turn to the are themed around cigarettes -produc- man and ask, 'You don't mind, do you?' tions, vanishes, Tom-and-Restored He never does-if he did, he'd look bad. Cigarette Paper, the Cigarette-thnt-quar- From then I'm off and running." ter, and a floating cigarette that relies on Mark works hard to integrate , a "Thread Manager" reel hidden in a Marlboro themes and products into his ~ pack of Marlboros. show, without actually pushing the prod- The tricks he chooses depends on the uct, or even endorsing smoking. "I don't ~ audience and their reactions. "I don't do a Marlboro commercial, I do magic. i walk into a bar with a standard act, By taking an interactive, playful though I generally know how I'll open. approach to my performance, my audi- I'm in a variety of places-trendy joints, ence sees that we're doing them a favor, singles bars, pool halls, yuppie estab- not trying to push a product on them. lishntents, even country-western bars. I And I never bash the competition. My don't know what the place is like until I job is to show them a good time, not cre- walk in, so what I perform depends on ate controversy." my audience and venue." He has also learned the importance of Mark says that being flexible and hav- involving as many people as possible in ing a broad repertoire has proven invalu- his shows. "I always ask the lady who able. "One thing I've learned is to be all picks a card to show it around-even to things to all people. When I'm talking to show it to other tables. That immediately I doctors, I talk like a doctor. When I'm gets the focus of attention on me and my 'I with truckers, I talk like a trucker. I went act." Since starting to work for them, into a biker bar last month, performing Mark has been invited to perform in for these mean-looking dudes with scars more cities around the country, flying to and tatoos all over, and within ten min- Seattle, New York, and Dallas at the utes they were hugging me!" request of Marlboro. "Working for When asked to reveal the secrets of Marlboro has opened up all sorts of cor- his success, Mark willingly volunteers porate opportunities for me," he admits, advice. "A performer has to have a per- and that includes doing more touring and sonality, and the audience has to like talking with the company about becom- him. My stuff has a bit of an attitude- ing more deeply involved in their mar- after all, this is a bar, not a brunch. But it keting. "This is a great program...and fits my character, and most people enjoy one I think other companies will begin to spending time with me when I perform copy." for them. Tonight is another night of perform- If you're going to represent a compa- ing for Mark Benthimer, so the interview ny, create a likable character. Also, I comes to a quick end. He's got five realize that I'm hired to do a half-hour of places to visit tonight, none of which magic, so I work. There aren't any he's ever seen before. Before he slips out breaks, and no complaining about the the door, however, he is asked to share setting or the patrons. A corporation one last pieee of advice to the multitude expects you to earn your hire, so work of guys out there with an interest in hard. I'm looking for smokers, so as magic. "There's one thing I've learned soon as I've met the manager, I'm off to that I can pass on to working performers: perform. a Camel cigarette won't fit thru a I usually just walk up and start talk- Johnson Cigarette-Through-Quarter!" ing. If it's a couple, I'll normally intro- Another reason he prefers Marlboros! -78- TheLinkin,eRing------ ~ L , byP miked(~ Here is an interesting site that show net. You never know what you are goi' Lee Valley Tools as a great place fol extensive selection of small magnets, magnets, care and feeding of them, he were some other "nuggets" there as w for example, some playing cards that called a "Star Dial". I have no idea N looks like something that should be boxes. Check them out at http://www Another site I found that I am r Magician's Site at http://www.youngi to the public" section with some phot his magic. Very nice. But there is als by answering a simple magic questioa area there are product reviews, a co magicians there is page of links to t emails of young magicians willing I magi. I particularly like what was , words" the site's author has °linkec the term can see what the term is. T Hope you enjoy these sites, and : and let me know. ERRATA: COSMOSIS break us that a small percentage of CO from their storage envelope. 'Ht -- stock has been recalled. COSb sleeve that can't possibly catch ( to see even a small problem qui, EIPRATA: Stephen Minch o the long awaited Milt Kort boc The correct price is $40.00 + $' December, 1999

slightly-built performer. Everyone at the tables join in the fun, someone gets a free deck of cards, and after a nice con- clusion he shakes the hand of the man- ager and heads out the door to repeat the entire performance at a bar downtown. That second stop is twenty minutes away, so he arrives exactly at 9:00, again introduces himself to the manage- ment, and proceeds to do a solid 45-min- utes of magic with no breaks. Then, pulling himself away from a crowd clearly wanting more, he jumps into his car and drives 20 blocks down the road to his third location, arriving just in time for his 10:00 o'clock show. This time the manager is gone and the assistant doesn't know about his anival, so Mark has to do a bit of explaining before entering what is obviously a young sin- gles crowd. At first they try to act cool, but Mark's humor and skilled perfor- mance soon has them cheering. He does about 30 minutes of magic this time, then once again climbs into his car to head toward his 11:00 o'clock show. This last bar is a bit of a rougher, crowd-bikers and other tough-looking characters stare at him as he walks through the door. But the manager is friendly, and within a few minutes he has won over the crowd. Mark performs for nearly an hour, moving from group to group, telling jokes and bantering with his audience, never taking a break. At midnight, he shakes hands all around, gets in his car, and heads home. Several times a week he repeats this same rou- tine, sometimes catching an afternoon flight to present his act at bars in other - cities. It's all part of the Marlboro Magician program, a national promotion aimed at enhancing brand awareness and providing a bit of extra fun to Marlboro customers and other smokers. The program, which is now in its second year, provides magic to adult audiences in bars and clubs, as well as offering free hats, tee-shirts, and decks of cards in The Marlboro Magician at work locations all over the country. The focus of the promotion is squarely on enter- tainment, not sales, and performers are hired to give a 15-to-60 minute show, generally in intimate, upscale venues. A spokesperson for Marlboro prod- ucts notes that "there are a limited num- ber of ways a large corporation can reach out to customers. Besides provid- ing a quality product at a reasonable price, we decided to seek out a new way to say thanks, to let our customers know we appreciate them enjoying Marlboro products. Offering free, top-flight enter- tainment seemed like an excellent idea." After seeing the impact a magician had on company management during a cor- porate party in New York, they dt to begin using magicians to ent customers on a local level. "The b line is that smokers attend bar clubs," the spokesperson explain offering entertainment to them, reaching our customers with a mL of appreciation." After a few months of plannii company began creating magic just about every night of the ye: now become a nationwide pron reaching adult smokers in age-res venues. The company originally aud more than 150 magicians aror country, asking each to bring h personality to the performance weren't looking for a particular Samson explains, "nor did we ren ~ tume and ask someone to fill it. 1 we were looking for quality ma who we felt could relate well v customers: ' From that group the 15 regional magicians to work i metropolitan areas, and the con very enthusiastic about those "There's no question about it," confides, "we got the cream of of magical performers." Recer decided to pare the number of m a bit, in order to build stronger ships and offer each magician n formances. Samson says the m performances remains the same the decision was made to creat, working relationship between 1 and the magicians. "Mis is our idea," she explains, "allowit opportunity to interact with tt most important to our business tomers. By using fewermagicil able to get to know each of thet The idea has proven so po already gained considerable within the tobacco industry. has even spawned imitators-l: RJR Tobacco announced plat their own traveling magician nvrember.199_9