If I were LG, this is about the time when I would be telling you not to try this at home. However, seeing as I have no association with LG, I’m actually thinking how amazing it would be to try climbing the side of a building using only the suction power of a vacuum cleaner. This is pretty much the dream of every child who ever wanted to be Spiderman. And now, thanks to a new cordless vacuum cleaner, it is time to start fulfilling those dreams.
Meet the LG CordZero K94SGN. The company decided to get people talking about the new design in one of the best advertising campaigns I’ve ever seen. First, they had to find a daredevil to strap two of the machines to his or her back. Once 22-year-old 2015 U.S. Extreme Rock Climbing bronze medalist Sierra Blair-Coyle was partnered with LG, the logistics began. Using only regular, off-the-shelf CordZero models, engineers replaced the regular tile attachment with industrial grade suction pads. The suction pads do not stick on their own, but require a constant supply of air to create a firm seal. Next, LG located a 460-foot tall, 33-storey skyscraper in the Songdo International Business District, which is about 40 miles southwest of Seoul, South Korea.
The last part of the planning involved the safety ropes. While LG trusted its technology, a safety line was required. With that in place, along with about 30 GoPro cameras, Blair-Coyle began the climb. She made great time, considering that she had to power each suction pad on and off every time she moved. At around the halfway point in the climb, the vacuums were swapped out for ones with fresh batteries. The CordZero has a battery life of 40 minutes, but no one was taking any chances during the climb. Even with the pause to swap out batteries, and the extra weight of two vacuums, Sierra completed the climb in 30 minutes. The video below is definitely worth a watch to see the climb in all its glory. This spectacle was basically LG throwing down the gauntlet at Dyson. It will be interesting to see how the world’s most popular vacuum company responds.
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