For several years the predominant narrative in mainstream media about auto shows has been that they are outdated and ineffective. This narrative, which ignored basic facts about auto shows’ unique ability to generate sales and was primarily driven from marketing executives outside of the automotive industry, appears to be coming to an end. To wit, The Sept. 6 issue of the Wall Street Journal featured a story on the recent IAA Mobility car show in Munich and the brands that have been most derided as “falling behind” are, perhaps not coincidentally, the same brands who exhibited the most strident anti-auto show marketing strategies in recent years. It comes as no surprise, then, that several industry groups are urging both OEMs and dealers to renew their support for auto shows. One recent video series proclaims, “The auto show… if it didn’t exist, some brilliant person would invent it.” After all, where else do prospective customers pay money to come and review product?
Be sure to check out the “Car Shopper’s Tale” and “The Genius of the Auto Show.”
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