Adieu Geneva motor show. AFP reported on Friday (31 May 2024) that the 119 year old is no more, although a version of the show will be held in Qatar in 2025.
The event survived WWI but not quite #Covid19.
Organiser said the tough climate for the auto business was a big reason - the challenges around the uncertain energy transition is hard to ignore.
I see a few other factors.
1) EXPENSE = extraobitant. From rental to set up and accommodation. It’s a repeat of 2021 when Baselworld, a big watch show held 2.5h away from Geneva, called it quits.
2) RETURNS = low. The show has prestige. But that does not pay the bills. While IAA, the motor show in Germany will have the support of German car companies - it’s a good place to flex to rivals and impress the board members after all, Geneva… don’t. The show converts into a selling show after press day. Not sure if the exhibitors ever recoup in sales figures.
3) MEDIA = low interest.
Car companies don’t invite journalists to shows because unless their announcement is THE star of the show, the invited media will end up talking about others. To fight this, car companies host their own events, online debuts or have accidental slip ups of show cars ahead of the event. The charade, around Geneva at least, can now stop.
Chinese motor shows have content creators setting up live events, not just to talk about the unveils but actually selling the cars - “live”.
So what’s next for international motor shows, which is next to face the axe?
(About the pic. I took that in 2018 at the Palexpo. A Bugatti with lots of marbling)
