Switzerland’s largest public event has been cancelled for the second year in succession, with the next Geneva International Motor Show pencilled in for 2022.
The Committee and Council of the Foundation which organises the annual Salon International de l’Automobile says it has formally rejected the offer of a loan from the canton of Geneva and now prefers to sell the rights of the motor show to Palexpo SA. That loan was conditional upon the GIMS taking place in 2021.
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This year’s event, held at the city’s Palais des Expositions adjacent to the airport, was cancelled at short notice by the Swiss Federal Council in the interests of public safety due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since then, few manufacturers have been willing to commit to the proposed return of the Salon in March 2021.
There continue to be concerns about how an event which traditionally attracts some 600,000 visitors and 10,000 media representatives could take place while coronavirus and the public health emergency continues to be an enormous issue.
Furthermore, the second consecutive cancellation of this big annual motor show raises questions about its viability beyond next year.
Even before the coronavirus crisis forced a late cancellation of this year’s Geneva show in March, many carmakers had already concluded that the costs of exhibiting at motor shows are no longer worth bearing and that there are better ways to spend budget and generate buzz around new product.
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By GlobalDataBrands that were not planning to be present at Geneva this year included Cadillac, Citroen, Ford, Jaguar, Lamborghini, Land Rover, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Subaru, Tata and Volvo – that is quite a long list. Those that did plan to attend this year’s show were left incurring considerable costs due to the late cancellation.
Meanwhile, the COVID-19 crisis is severely impacting the automotive industry and companies will be reviewing marketing budgets in the context of ongoing revenue and cost pressures. The show organisers themselves admitted that prospective exhibitors were unwilling to commit to participate in a 2021 show.
Thanks to the internet and burgeoning news and car websites, as well as social media, new car models have often been seen online well in advance of official show launches.
The cancellation of the Geneva show this year meant that many vehicles which would have been world debuts were instead revealed via online premieres. Indeed, livestreaming new product presentations may well be seen as a better way forward for manufacturers concerned over the costs and diminishing effectiveness of exhibiting at trade shows.
Going forward, carmakers will be anxious not to incur unnecessary costs at motor shows. Some combination of a scaled down real-world event, along with new elements – for example, demonstrating future urban mobility concepts – and livestreams for manufacturers’ presentations could conceivably strike a balance that works.
The organisers of motor shows have plenty to think about in terms of staying relevant when the coronavirus crisis is over.
However, it does look like the traditional motor show event format, with large indoor show halls filled by static displays and big crowds, is looking a little tired. COVID-19 may have hastened their evolution or demise.
– By Dave Leggett
