Otis Elevator Safety Demo

A story about how Otis and PT Barnum created one of the most memorable marketing demonstrations in history to prove elevator safety.

"In 1854, Otis gets into the elevator business. He didn't invent the elevator, but he came up with a braking system. Back then people were afraid to use elevators because every once in a while you'd hear about elevator accidents where people get on and the elevator falls down.

First year out, Otis only sells 3 elevators. Next year, 7 elevators - no one cares. Then he meets PT Barnum, one of the greatest marketing showmen of all time. Barnum says, 'This is what we're gonna do - we're gonna go to the Crystal Palace in New York City and do a grand demonstration.'

Otis gets up there on this elevator shaft with his assistant who has an ax. He goes up the shaft like it normally would in a building and says 'Cut the cord Jimmy!' The assistant cuts the first cord, the elevator drops just a little bit. There's one more chord hanging and everyone's looking. He goes 'This is the chord' and then boom - cuts the second chord. The elevator drops only 2 feet and stops. Otis says 'All safe here gentlemen, all safe.' Those became famous words published in the newspaper.

Over the next decade, he sold 2,000 elevators. He got all the greatest commissions - the Eiffel Tower, the Empire State Building. Even today, about half the elevators I get into have this little Otis logo. Otis is still crushing elevators."