The Houdini Legend
Houdini had the reputation of being able to escape from just about anything, but he could not escape death. He died on Halloween, 1926. But his death market not the end, but just the beginning of the build of his brand. He in life had been able to get hold of fascination by his audience and it was really “the people” who built the Houdini legend.
The Psyche of His Fans
Houdini has been the topic of many movie, documentaries and blog articles. It seems as if his name multiplies in terms of notoriety, daily. He is truly a viral success and all because he caught the public’s interest many years ago. His career was amazing from a marketing point of view in that he was always able to tape into the psyche’s of his audience.
Superhuman Ability
This brings up the question, why was Houdini so popular and what did he represent? To the various individuals who he performed for over time, saw him as a kind of superhero, able to escape from police handcuffs, walk through walls and even make an elephant vanish. The word is among some magicians was that he wasn’t a great conjurer but he was a terrific showman and he learned early on to give members of the public what they wanted: superhuman ability.