FAST-TALKING salesmen and glossy brochures are not the only way to get a customer's attention.

And according to magicians David and Angelique Diamond, their £10,000 illusion is more effective than any number of signs and adverts.

The device was one of the star attractions at the ICT works at St James' Park, in Newcastle, yesterday.

The couple, who run Corporate Illusion, specialising in marketing through magic, are promoting DataLifeline - a data backup service operated by Tyneside company Direct IP.

The Cosmic Cube, built in Las Vegas, US, to the Diamonds' specifications, features a woman's head suspended in a glass dome, which will answer questions about DataLifeline.

Mr Diamond said: "This is an excellent way for company's to promote a product because it is so visual.

"We can dress the girl's head up in any way the client wants and because it really is a living, human head, we defy anyone to walk past the exhibition stand and not be absolutely fascinated by it."

The cube features the world's smallest smoke machine and a sound system that can deliver a client's message in one of 100 voices.

Visitors to the show are able to see the cube promoting DataLifeline, a way for companies to back up critical data via the Internet.