A great magic trick, like a great creative briefing, begins long before everyone gathers in a room.

To the general public, Mike Jacobson may be best known for his magic show performance on America’s Got Talent in 2023, but for the past decade in the business and advertising world, Mike has brought his unique methods to strategic briefings and creative campaigns for a wide range of clients, including Oreo, Subway, Comedy Central, Paramount, and other MTV Networks.

Some of my favorite aha moments talking with Mike include:

• The surprising overlaps between magic, mentalism, and marketing
• How to take a simple card trick (and a creative briefing) to a level 10 engagement
• Mike’s terrible interview at 72andSunny and how he turned it around to get his first job in advertising
• The secret to priming your audience to be more receptive to your message
• How to get and hold people’s attention in an era of shrinking attention spans
• The importance of confidence and mystery in modern marketing

Show Notes:

Below are links to campaigns, books, and other inspiring ideas that came up during our conversation.

Mike’s performance on America’s Got Talent

The Last Barf Bag - Dramamine

Steve Martin Documentary Trailer on Apple+