In the hustle and bustle of daily life, few objects manage to occupy a place in the collective memory as the magiclick. This little one piezoelectric spark lighter Not only revolutionized the way we light our stoves, but it also became an iPussy of everyday life in Latin America. But how did the fascinating story of the magiclick?
The history of magiclick dates back to the 60s, when the Argentine company dawnknown for its manufacturing of household appliances and electrical productsHe decided innovate in the world of gas lighters. At that time, lighting a gas stove could be a challenge: the matches were the tool more commonbut they were not free of dangers and complications.
The solution came from the hand of the piezoelectric technologya mechanism that, through pressuregenerates a spark without the need for fuel. This innovation promised greater security and comfort for homes.
The inventor
The Argentine industrial designer Hugo Kogandirector of the design department of dawn was who developed this idea At the request of Ernesto Vainerowner of the company, who had seen a similar device in Japan.
It was in 1963 when dawn launched the first magiclick. Its simple and functional design, combined with the sturdiness and reliability, quickly made it a success. The small appliance, with its distinctive “click” sound, integrated so naturally into people’s lives that it was soon impossible to imagine a kitchen without it.
He magiclick It was not only practical, but also a symbol of modernity and progress. Its popularity grew rapidly in Argentina and expanded to other countries Latin Americawhere it became an essential part of homes.
When the company decided to launch the product, it planned to sell 5,000 units per month, but the success was such that they ended up placing orders for 80,000 units per month.
Part of his success was also related to his strategy of marketing who sold it as a product with 104 year warranty. This figure was calculated because the Japanese manufacturer guaranteed that the mechanism would produce more than 950,000 sparks, so at a rate of 25 sparks per day, the device would last about 104 years.
Over the years, magiclick he did not remain stagnant in his initial success. The company dawn He continued to innovate and adapt the product to new times. Different ones appeared Models and colors, always maintaining the essence that made it famous. He magiclick evolved in design and technology, but its basic operating principle and his reliability they remained the same.
Bankruptcy and sale
For the 90s, history changed completely when the opening of imports ended up complicating the national industry. The products coming from Chinaamong other countries, were sold at much more affordable prices.
Finally, in 1996 the company dawn went bankrupt and its different brands were sold separately, magiclick was one of them. Currently, the brand continues to be in the local market not only with its traditional lighters but also with fan heaters, fansproducts of bazaar and gardening hand in hand with the signatures Famiel SA, in charge of manufacturing; and Electroclickfocused on distribution.
The truth is that the end of this story has a bittersweet taste, because the inventor of the magiclick, Hugo Koganwho passed away in 2023, He ended his days denying his invention and even declared that in his house I always preferred to use matches. The reason was very simple: when he invented the magiclick did not realize to register the patent and so He never collected a peso in royalties despite the great success of the product.
