I agree that cards are somewhat unnatural for the average random person and I remember seeing a youtube video where a magician did a (not so scientific) test so see what people preferred and I believe he tested cards, sponge balls and elastic bands and most people preferred the sponge balls. I do think that the "tricks with everyday objects", especially if spontaneously obtained (from the spectator if possible!), are the most memorable, but at least pretty much everyone knows what cards are. I've got some pretty great reactions with cards.

There's also the school of thought that its dishonest to pretend you have real magical abilities and therefore you don't have to simulate real magic, instead treating it as the performance art that it is. Most people know its a trick and don't mind that its not totally believable. That said, you're probably right in that your way leaves a more lasting impression.

Re: youtube, magic is a really bad art for video, IF you're the kind of person who only enjoys magic if it baffles you and once you see how its done (even just partially) then it gets boring and with a video, where you can watch it 100 times, in slow motion, of course people will always see something they shouldn't. Sadly these people often see it as a challenge (I find the "pretend to have powers" magicians are largely at fault for this, IMHO) rather than as a performance art. Oh well.

But those are just my thoughts, I'm not a professional and have never performed for money or in front of more than a handful of people, so you know a lot more about it than I do!