Attendance up 20% at 2011 WAS

Attendance up 20% at 2011 WAS

Shedding the pall of the Great Recession, consumer showgoers turned out to The 2011 Washington Auto Show (WAS) in numbers not seen since 2008, delivering 20% better attendance than predecessor shows of 2009 and 2010. Fortunately, the threat of winter storm systems, which paralyzed the region last year and left many Washingtonians without power the week before last, failed to materialize once The WAS opened to the public on Jan. 28, 2011, to commence its ten-day run through Feb. 6.

The robust attendance that characterized the first weekend burgeoned over the weekdays, resulting in bell-ringer turnout for the second weekend. Indicators of strong weekend attendance were evident the

second Saturday, with exhibitor display managers running out of product literature and show organizers being compelled to snake crowds to ticket sales booths.

We had solid, steady attendance that came through as we hoped it would, said Bob Yoffe, WAS manager. The first weekend brought crowds that kept us fully engaged, but what turned out the second weekend had us as busy managing folks as weve ever been, he said, noting that the weekend picked up appreciably when the forecast of ice and snow didnt result as predicted by the media.

Promotions and media management is how attendance results, and this year emphasis was placed on significantly expanding social media, internet advertising and use of the WAS website. Utilizing focus groups and exit surveys on past shows, we came up with a bold, new ad campaign where Dr. Guy prescribed the cure for cabin fever afflicting Washingtonians, namely Get Out, See Cars, Have Fun, said Barbara Pomerance, WAS communications & media director. So creative and original was the campaign that our agency, White + Partners, is up for an ADDY award, which is presented by the American Advertising Federation (AAF), to recognize superlative work, she said.

There was a sense from exhibitors running the displays that the positive reaction from consumers that dealers have experienced in showrooms was ubiquitous among showgoers. The atmosphere at this years auto show was energetic, if not electrifying, with grander, more colorful OEM exhibits and consumers who were upbeat and enthusiastic about the new products, said WAS chairman Charles Stringfellow, Brown Automotive. This auto show is a clear indicator that the recession mentality that has held the car business and everything else down over the past couple of years is at last becoming a bad memory, he said.

If past is prologue, improved auto show attendance bodes well for improved new vehicle sales over the model year, which in 2011 is generally predicted to rise 10% over the 15% improvement new vehicle sales enjoyed in 2010 versus 2009.