At DRUPA 2000, Razor Scooters were all the rage.  Companies gave them away and people zipped past you as your aching feet groaned between Hall 3 and 7.  The Segway has made a few appearances at trade shows as well.  It seems like every few years new technology comes out that bridges the gap between walking great distances and getting into a vehical.

The Honda prototype here seems to do that in the most viable way yet.  The unit is small enough to carry on a plane (although security might be an issue) and seems manueverable enough to blend in with pedestrians actually using their feet.

But is it a viable form of tranportation?  Probably not, at least not in this form.  Is it a great toy?  Heck yeah.  And that may be all that matters.

Don’t discount the carnival effect of trade shows.  Although serious business is conducted on show floors, they are also places to discover new things and interact with people.  A high end toy like this may just be a great way to break the ice with a prospect, but icebreakers are important.

Here’s one idea for using this type of device as a trade show marketing tool:  Loan a few out to attendees with branded versions.  Four or five of these gliding through trade show floors could be enough to attract attention to your brand and drive traffic to even a small booth.  One universal topic at trade shows is aching feet.  And sympathy can go a long way toward earning trust and business.

Got any other ideas?  Let’s hear them!