• by Dana Blankenhorn , April 2, 2003

It's coming to a street festival near you. A Moped platform (electric motor, bicycle pedals) with a fiberglass top that can be customized to look like any product, and filled with either warm or cooled samples.

Enunciate Inc. in Atlanta is behind the concept. A prototype was shown last week, with first deliveries planned in June, said CEO Chris Campbell. A mailing is now going out to event planners and ad agencies in the Southeast, and test marketing could start this month.

The whole unit is about 3 ½ feet wide by 6 feet long (1.2 meters by 2 meters). It emits no pollution and can be pedaled into street festivals or other events.

"The covering is fiberglass. We're in negotiation with two clients who want to customize the shape of the box to meet that of their product," said Campbell.

A $25,000 mold is used to create the shaped body. (Once the mold is done it's as easy to build 100 as to build 10.) Soda companies can have a soda-shaped unit, while cell phone companies such as Nextel could order a phone-shaped unit. Inside there is plenty of room for samples.

The electric power can run heating, cooling, the bike itself or technology equipment, like a laptop and Webcam for wireless Internet access, he said. On a trade show floor no driver is needed - the unit acts as an "instant booth."

Campbell is open to sale, lease, and rental deals for the units, with a one-week term minimum. "We can provide the driver and do product sampling. We can go to target areas and educate the public, plus measure the result" through surveys.

Campbell promised word on signed contracts (and named buyers) in 60 days.