From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishgimmickgim‧mick /ˈɡɪmɪk/ noun [countable] informal BBATRICK/DECEIVEa trick or something unusual that you do to make people notice someone or something – used to show disapproval → stunt advertising gimmicks —gimmicky adjective —gimmickry noun [uncountable]
Examples from the Corpus
gimmick• Threats to expropriate, always a gimmick to increase popularity, never materialised.• Nope, Patricia Marvel says, in this town, you really have to have a gimmick.• The business of selling shares at licensed dealers is often a gimmick which loses investors their hard-earned money.• As courses proliferate, they promote themselves with ever more exotic gimmicks.• The consequence is that the parties are driven to search for gimmicks.• A great gimmick and I wish I'd thought of it.• This movie has only one gimmick though, and after a while it begins to wear thin.• The current program began in 1989 as a promotional gimmick expected to last six months.From Longman Business Dictionarygimmickgim‧mick /ˈgɪmɪk/ noun [countable] disapproving a trick or object that makes you notice a product and want to buy itIt would be foolish to dismiss the videophone as nothing more than a gimmick. —gimmicky adjectivea gimmicky new product for gadget-hungry consumers 