ttendees go to trade shows not only to see new products, but also to learn about how they work. Plus, people come to assess exhibitors' claims that their products are "the fastest," "the cleanest," and "the most efficient" on the market – ultimately to determine if companies are blowin' smoke in hopes of scoring a sale.

That's why myriad exhibitors go to great lengths to offer in-booth product demonstrations. Some set up giant working machinery in outdoor booths, and others produce multimedia presentations with whiz-bang theatrical effects. But what some demo-conscious exhibitors fail to realize is that a simple product demo really isn't enough to capture attendees' attention. Nine times out of 10, you need a little "it" factor – a unique activity, a banging clanging traffic builder, or maybe an element that simply catches people off guard – to set your demo apart from the masses. After all, if attendees don't actually stop to view your demonstration, the chances that they'll ante up for a purchase are Rachel Zoe slim.

So to spark your creativity, here are 10 powerful product demonstrations that not only caught our attention on the show floor, but also made such a strong impression that we published them in the magazine. Featuring everything from a bag-swinging robot to a real Taser enactment, these product demos have "it" in spades.

Leaf 'em Wanting More
Cleaning your house's rain gutters is an unenviable chore. That's why iRobot Corp. developed the Looj, a robot that does the dirty work for you. But wary consumers are often reluctant to pony up the dough for a new-to-the-market gadget until they see that the product lives up to the hype. So at the 2013 International Consumer Electronics Show, iRobot created a nifty display to demo the Looj in action – without making a leafy mess of its exhibit. The company built a replica of a rain gutter, filled it with fake leaves, and enclosed it in clear acrylic. Throughout the show, staffers brought the Looj to life by pressing a button, and in a whirl of leafy robotics, the product quickly and simply cleared the gutter. The slick and speedy movement of the Looj inside the acrylic case attracted attention from passersby, while the demo proved the company's claims at the push of a button.



Locky Strike
For apartment managers like those attending the annual National Apartment Association show, rekeying door locks is an ongoing battle. However, Kwikset Corp. offers SmartKey locks, which can be quickly rekeyed without being removed from the door. So to demo this technology, Kwikset super sized its technology. It created a transparent model of its lock product, measuring roughly 1.5 feet long by 6 inches in diameter, and paired it with two giant keys and an oversized version of the product's "smart key" tool. Throughout the show, a staffer inserted one of the giant keys into the lock and turned it to the right. He or she then stuck the smart key into a slot near the keyhole, releasing the pins inside the lock that had previously matched the key. The staffer then removed both keys and placed a new key into the lock. When the staffer turned the key half a turn, the lock "learned" the pin placement for the new key, thereby rekeying the lock with a few twists of the wrist. Visitors to the 10-by-10-foot booth could see the mechanism at work through the transparent device and witness the speed and ease of Kwikset's technology.



Sploosh!
Sometimes a real-life product demo is far more effective – and achieves a much higher cool factor – than a canned presentation. Such was the case for SEI Industries Ltd. at the 2012 Heli-Expo in Dallas. To demonstrate its Bambi Bucket, a firefighting, bucket-like attachment for helicopters that allows the whirligigs to pick up water from natural sources and deposit it over nearby fires, the company simply set up a live demo (water included) within its space. Throughout the show, a staffer maneuvered the Bambi Bucket over a roughly 12-by-12-foot soft-sided container made of a Neoprene-like material that was filled with water. Via a remote control, the staffer then placed the bucket's pump under the water and switched it on to fill the device. Once it was full, the staffer maneuvered the remote to lift the bucket out of the water and then empty it at various rates of speed, depositing the water back in the pool. Attendees were also free to try the maneuver for themselves, as the staffer stood by to offer a bit of guidance. The couldn't-miss show-floor display illustrated the product's speed and ease of use in a glance, and the continuous sound of the water splashing and gurgling drew curious attendees from aisles around, who happily soaked up SEI's deluge of a demo for themselves.



Tase Me, Bro!
Most people don't want to feel 50,000 volts running through their system, but Taser International Inc. found an ample stable of volunteer victims at the International Consumer Electronics Show. It invited willing attendees into its exhibit and Tasered them in front of throngs of onlookers. With no shortage of video phones on hand to capture the footage, bystanders and volunteers alike uploaded video of the demonstrations to YouTube within moments. Not surprisingly, the tactic attracted a nonstop crowd and generated a ton of brand-building buzz. And those videos extended far beyond the show floor. In fact, Taser's CES demos generated dozens of YouTube clips, some of which have been viewed more than 10,000 times. And all the company does to entice participants is offer them a branded baseball cap – well, that and a rather electrifying experience.



Listen to This
To prove that its insulated duct solutions reduce noise and energy loss, Owens Corning asked attendees to lend them an ear at the International Builders' Show in Las Vegas. Inside the company's exhibit, a graphic of the Pink Panther (the company's mascot, whose pink fur matches the color of the company's well-known insulation products) adorned a large cube, along with the message, "Come try this experiment!" Two holes cut into one side of the cube allowed for two types of metal duct systems – one round and one square – to poke through. Between them, text encouraged attendees to put their ears up to the ducts and compare the noise that was transmitted through the traditional duct system to the Owens Corning insulated system – which was comparatively silent. Additional text explained that where there's noise, there's energy loss, too, positioning the Owens Corning insulated option as quieter on the ears and easier on the environment to boot.



Robo Demo
Think you can't offer a traffic-stopping product demo in a 10-by-10-foot booth space? Think again. Command Packaging rigged up an automated robot to simulate a shopper toting its reusable shopping bags at GlobalShop in Las Vegas. The roughly 5-foot-tall robot – with an aluminum-box chest and head, air-duct-tubing arms, and custom-fabricated metal hands and feet – "held" a shopping bag at the end of each of its continually swinging arms. It also featured two monitors: One on the front of its head offered an animated face, and a second monitor positioned in the top half of its chest tracked the time the bags had been swinging as well as the distance the bags would have traveled had a human being carried them. By the last day of the three-day show, the bags had been in use for 14 hours and 27 minutes and had "traveled" a distance of 20,344 feet.



What's Old is New Again
Rather than simply tell attendees that it refurbishes dented, corroded buffet ware, Eastern Tabletop Manufacturing Co. Inc. provided an unforgettable aisle-side demonstration at the International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show. While most of the company's 20-by-20-foot booth featured Eastern's new buffet-ware products, one corner section featured piles of old, tarnished, and dented copper pieces bound for the scrap heap. Here, atop a small stage, a restoration technician hammered out dents in a silver serving bowl. Meanwhile, a sign overhead featured before and after images of a coffee urn Eastern had refurbished, along with the words "Transform your old to new." The demo spoke volumes about the company's services, while the pounding noise from the hammer drew attendees from aisles around.



Going Up?
Otis Elevator Co. took its key messages to new heights at the International Builders' Show. To demonstrate the superiority of its elevators, the company created a two-story demonstration. Staff invited attendees inside an actual Otis elevator, outfitted with transparent walls and doors, where a company representative awaited them. Once the doors closed, the elevator rose roughly 18 feet off the ground, giving attendees a bird's-eye view of the show floor. The staffer capitalized on his or her captive audience by discussing the company's key messages along with its products' primary differentiators. By the time attendees touched down, they had spent ample time digesting the gravity-defying demo.




A Close Shave
At the 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show, Schick, a division of Energizer Personal Care LLC, hoped to lather up some attention for its new Hydro Power Select razor. So to create a spectacle inside its 10-by-20-foot booth at the Las Vegas Convention Center – while also proving the Hydro's close-shave claims – Schick hired two professional barbers and turned its exhibit into a makeshift barbershop. Passersby were invited to take a seat in one of two barber chairs, while the new razors were put to the test. While most participants opted for a traditional shave, the more adventurous attendees volunteered to have their entire heads shaved. Photographers captured images of the action and Schick posted the pics on Facebook and tweeted them via @HydroExperience. Videographers were also on hand to record testimonials from participants, which Schick plans to use in conjunction with future marketing efforts. In exchange for volunteering to be shaved, participants received a free Schick Hydro 5 Power Select razor and a bottle of Schick Hydro Skin Protect shave gel. Both barbers were fully booked throughout the entire four-day show, and had a waiting list of interested attendees each day. The razors might not have been the most "cutting-edge" technology on display at CES, but Schick definitely shaved off its share of show-related publicity via its in-booth demos.



The Wheel Deal
Sometimes a static display just won't do. That was the case for Maclan Corp., which makes urethane wheels for roller coasters. Simply stacked atop a display table, the wheels can't convey the smooth ride they deliver. But building an actual roller coaster in a 10-by-20-foot booth isn't exactly realistic either. So for the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions Expo, Maclan designed a dynamic display that also served as an automated demonstration. Atop a roughly 2-foot-tall table, Maclan positioned a loop of undulating roller-coaster track, with five different Maclan wheels attached to a rotating central axis, propelling those wheels up, down, and around the bumpy track. Meanwhile, a digital photo frame mounted to the axis displayed photos of the various wheel types Maclan manufactures. The kinetic display proved the product's quality, attracted attendees to the booth, and moved them further along in the sales cycle.



This Sucks
For emergency medical-services (EMS) responders, fast and efficient equipment can literally mean the difference between life and death for their patients. And these same responders logically assume that when it comes to suction systems (gadgets used to remove bodily fluids) a machine does twice the work of a human-powered device. But according to Repro-Med Systems Inc., its hand-operated Res-Q-Vac suction device is faster than electric-powered options. So at the 2010 EMS Expo in Dallas, the Chester, NY-based company set up an in-booth competition to illustrate the Res-Q-Vac's speed – and lure skeptical attendees to try it for themselves. Atop a small, aisle-side table, the company positioned two beakers full of Bisquick to act as bodily fluids. Staffers then challenged passersby to select one of two Res-Q-Vacs to suction up a beaker full of Bisquick as fast as possible – indicating that the best time over the course of the show would win a Sony Blu-ray Disc Player. While some attendees merely competed against a stopwatch, many engaged in friendly competition with their accompanying friends and co-workers. Staffers continually updated an in-booth whiteboard with the fastest time recorded, and urged high scorers to stop by later in the show to see if their time had held up. A combination product demo and traffic builder, the fun, Bisquick-based activity was anything but flat.



Pure Genius
You can tell attendees about your room-purification systems all day, but the only way for them to truly understand your products' benefits is to create an experience that allows them to feel the difference for themselves. That's exactly what Pure Solutions NA did at the 2010 International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show. Front and center in the company's 10-by-30-foot space, Pure positioned a roughly 8-foot-square, fully enclosed room, comprising a white-metal framework and clear Plexiglas walls. The room also supported a ventilation system on its roof and a portable system inside. Graphics on the back wall of the room read, "Step inside for a breath of fresh air." The simple but effective demo gave staffers a one-off tool to show attendees what the Pure Solutions room-purification system can do. What's more, it gave attendees and staff a quiet, on-floor conversation area where they could experience the system and talk shop at the same time.



The Nontipping Point
Nothing proves a product claim like a side-by-side comparison. So at the 2010 International Hotel, Motel + Restaurant Show, Flat Pty. Ltd. offered attendees an irresistible side-by-side demo, pitting its self-leveling table technology against a traditional table. Flat positioned a traditional table on the front aisle of its 20-by-20-foot island space and rigged it up with a tiny motor so it continually tipped forward and backward. To call attention to the tipping, Flat attached a Styrofoam coffee cup to the tabletop and even added some realistic coffee stains underneath. Alongside this traditional table, Flat positioned a roughly 4-by-2-foot square display structure, the sides of which featured photos of its hydraulic leveling technology and text touting its benefits. On top of this structure, Flat placed another table equipped with its nontipping technology. Light emitting from the interior of the display structure highlighted the bottom of the table, while a motor and shaft hidden in the central table leg moved the table up and down. As the table came to rest on four uneven points, the technology immediately leveled the table right before attendees' eyes.



Smooth Operator
Nobody likes a shopping cart the rattles, jerks, and seems to have a mind of its own. So to demonstrate the smooth, rattle-free action of its shopping carts at EuroShop 2011, French cart manufacturer Caddie S.A. rigged up a sort of treadmill-based contraption in the center of its exhibit. Positioned in front of a roughly 3-by-5-foot video screen showing images of Caddie's carts, the product demo featured a treadmill belt imbedded within a raised, white platform. A red and white shopping cart was positioned atop the moving treadmill, while four metal anchor wires secured the cart to stationary points just beyond the treadmill's moving belt. The effect meant that the cart stayed put atop the belt, demonstrating the smooth operation of Caddie's carts throughout the show.



Ready? Set? Laminate!
You can tell people that your thermoplastic sheets (think moldable laminate) quickly and effectively conform to almost any curve, but actually showing them the speed and ease of the laminating process is a much more memorable option. So at GlobalShop 2011, Kydex LLC used a timed, in-booth demo to show attending retail designers the benefits of its Kydex laminate sheets. The company positioned a demo station – comprising a laminating machine, workbench, lab-coat-clad staffer, and digital timer – on the front corner of its booth. Here, the staffer continually demoed the laminating process by placing a curvaceous MDF core inside the laminating machine and placing a sheet of Kydex over the top. The clock ticked off roughly three minutes from the time the staffer started the laminating process until he handed attendees a finished product to take home. The continual action at the front of the booth drew attendees' attention, the demo proved the company's "fast" and "effective" claims, and the takeaway gave attendees something to jog their memories after the show. Take about a triple-threat success.



Getting Cranky
Most attendees at the 2010 Car Care World Expo already knew there's a difference between mineral-based oils and synthetic oils. But Exxon Mobil Corp. wanted to make sure they experienced that difference for themselves. So inside the company's Mobil 1 exhibit, staffers invited visitors to step up and crank away at a product-demo station. The station featured two enclosed Plexiglas chambers, one filled with mineral oil, and the other synthetic. Both chambers also housed gears, which were attached to cranks that protruded from both ends of the station. Staffers first invited attendees to crank the gear inside the mineral-oil chamber. They noted how mineral oil tends to create more friction and therefore erode auto parts. Next, attendees cranked the gear inside the synthetic oil, which was comparably easier to churn. Staffers use the noticeable difference to illustrate that synthetic oil has a more even texture and less particulate matter, making it a smoother, less abrasive option for use in vehicles. Talk about cranking your product comparison up a notch.