What is a gimmick? / Learn English with Mr Duncan in England

Today's English word relates to something that can be seen in many different places,

on TV, in magazines, as in advertising, and even in magic acts.

Today we will look at a word that describes something designed to draw our attention in a very particular way.

The word is ‘gimmick’.

The word gimmick is a noun that means a purposefully placed thing or something done as a means of distraction to create a distraction.

Using a gimmick is often done when we want to lead a person's eye away from what is actually happening.

The distraction is there to lead a person's attention in a very different direction to what is really occurring thing.

If you want to distract something, then you have got to have a gimmick.

It can be anything at all, as long as it distracts the audience from what is really going on.

Gimmicks are often used in advertising as a way of drawing someone's attention,

without them realising that something is being sold to them.

A funny cartoon animal or a catchy piece of music might be used as a gimmick.

It is a means of distraction.

It is there to lead you in the wrong direction.

A magician will often use a gimmick to hide the way in which a trick is really done.

The audience will be distracted by something whilst the magician performs their trick.

As an adjective...

something that appears to be using a gimmick for attention can be described as gimmicky.

A gimmick is obvious and unconvincing.

A gimmick is a distraction, a thing used so as to mislead or misdirect.

A gimmick is not necessarily a bad thing.

In fact, they can be quite enjoyable, but it is always best not to overdo them.

Or they might become a little boring and predictable and in the end have the opposite effect.