Driving consumers back to buying cars…

It can’t be a huge surprise to anybody that the 2010 British Motorshow has been cancelled.

It has always been the rather poor little brother to shows such as Geneva, Paris/Frankfurt, Detroit or Tokyo which are – and always have been – global industry fairs. By contrast, the British show, held initially in Birmingham before moving to London, was always more of a consumer experience. But the concept of one great big landmark automotive event was a more appealing consumer proposition until the world economy fell apart. People had money and cars were a key purchase -very often part of your remuneration package and, for many, an important part of who you were.

But times have certainly changed and so have attitudes. And whilst one would assume that top reasons not to buy a new car might include job security, lack of financing deals, the cost of new vehicles or general concern about the economy; a recent Consumer Reports study revealed that 39% of respondents simply cited ‘that their existing car was still in good shape’ as the key reason for not moving on.

So has the buying cycle changed forever in this age of financial uncertainty and environmental caution? And if it has, what does it mean for the way in which automotive manufacturers engage their consumers now and in the future. The old way was to persuade consumers to buy your car. Now, it would seem, they need to be persuaded to buy a car at all.

So suddenly a consumer motorshow feels rather complacent (build it and they will come – well, not any more!). Surely now manufacturers need to be reaching further into consumers’ lives and engaging them with broader messages that reflect the wider benefits of the ownership experience. They need to get up close and personal and create new touch points with their brands. Experiential marketing has a vital role to play in rekindling the desire for that shiny new car.

More to talk about in Ireland than just the rugby…..

The excitement is palpable in Ireland this week as we head towards the 6 Nations finale and we should know, we just got back from County Wicklow where we’ve been launching the latest range of products from Hotpoint, Indesit and Cannon. 

The event was the first of 2 large-scale launch events for Indesit Company and the first ever staged in Ireland.  200 independent retailers were invited to the Ritz-Carlton for the one-day event that comprised of various multi-media presentations, an interactive product exhibition, one-to-one sessions between retailers and their Indesit representatives and a gala dinner. 

The second event will take place at Battersea Evolution London in Battersea Park where Indesit will host up to 900 customers across three events between 29th and 1st April.  Watch this space for more news of that.

C&IT pop in for a chat……

This week we threw our doors open to welcome a journalist and camera crew from C&IT. Look out for us soon in their online feature, Agency Cribs, in which they tour a different agency each month, interviewing the MD whilst giving the viewer a whistle-stop tour of the agency and its team.

C&IT TV Agency Cribs Link.

The Blogger’s Guide: the cold climate in Paris…

Strolling through Victoria Tower Gardens by the Houses of Parliament on my way to a menu tasting for an upcoming event, I stumbled upon a cast of Rodin’s The Burghers of Calais. A coincidence, as I had admired the same work just a few days before, at the Rodin museum in Paris.

That French, and specifically Parisian, culture exhibits its influence in London is no surprise. The redesign of the capital by Haussman – under the instruction of Napoleon III – in the nineteenth century was to have profound effects on architecture around the globe. The motivation behind the work alone make it worthy of study, rooted as it was in the revolutionary movement, socialist ideals and less altruistically, discouraging further rebellion with streets wide enough to make barricades impractical.

And in Paris, at this time of year, the biting wind blows through these majestic spaces, rendering my favoured mode of city-viewing – on foot – a slightly arduous experience. Despite this, Paris warms you with its inevitably romantic embrace: snow falls on the gardens of Versailles and Tuileries, creating scenes that soothe and elate.

The weather also had the effect of driving our party into numerous cafes, in search of a warming coffee. It is in these outlets that, on occasion, the reputation of the city is smeared, as the stereotype of Parisian service rears its head and suddenly, the outside doesn’t seem so cold. It is unfortunate that experiences such as these stick in the mind – but stick they do – leaving me to ruminate on explanations.

Perhaps Paris itself has the answer. Does a proud local believe the traveller is dazzled enough by the facades outside to mitigate the need for generous courtesy? There may exist an attitude – with some, I emphasise – that “this is Paris, be grateful for that alone.” The pride sometimes overflows, so that outsiders are regarded as undeserving transients. Or maybe the broad boulevards mean the only option these days is to build some mental barricades.

As an event producer, I always need to consider the entire experience for a client or delegate from arrival to departure, as well as the memories that one takes home. My trip left me disappointed that the Parisian welcome and service-ethic is not as reliable as the beauty and magnificence of the surroundings.