With attendance waning, auto shows have faced their fair share of trials and tribulations in recent years, particularly in the wake of the pandemic. Even more prestigious events like the New York International Auto Show and the Detroit Auto Show have seen automakers shun them entirely, with multiple brands also pulling out of this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES) and SEMA, which Ford did not attend in an official capacity this year, either. Now, Ford Canada has announced that it will no longer participate in auto shows of any kind beginning next year, according to Automotive News Canada.
“As the auto industry experiences change at a pace never seen before, Ford Canada is transforming every part of its business,” said Ford spokesperson Lauren More. “The company is moving fast to lead the EV revolution and is learning how to connect with consumers in new ways. These challenges mean making some tough choices and one of those decisions is to discontinue corporate support of auto shows in 2023 for both the Ford and Lincoln brands.”
Over the past three years, auto shows have struggled to host events due to the pandemic, with many revamping formats in an effort to attract the sorts of crowds that they used to. Regardless, waning support from automakers is making that process more difficult, forcing organizers of events like the Calgary International Auto Show to cancel altogether as few companies showed an interest in setting up exhibits there.
For now at least, a number of Canadian automotive events are expected to return next year, including the Canadian International Auto Show, which is scheduled to take place on February 17th-26th, 2023, at the Metro Toronto Convention Center. However, the long-term future of auto shows in general remains a bit more uncertain at the moment.
We’ll have more on the state of all upcoming auto shows soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
WHO WOULLD BE INTERESTED IN AUTO SHOWS, WHEN THEY FEATURE ELECTRIC CARS.
Who would be interested in electric cars? Maybe all the people buying increasing numbers of electric cars?
Good god, one would think you had confused an auto show with a monster truck event.
Right on Rickie! Electric cars trucks are boring! Can’t tow can’t go! Good bye Ford!
Auto shows are a thing if the past..Portland has the 3rd largest auto show in country, and they canceled 2023..Only old people go to auto shows. Younger generation looks and buys on line now.
That’s basically it.
As one who lived for going to the Detroit show every year I could convince my dad, and later as a professional, I loved such shows, and collecting a huge stack of brochures to pour over, but they, like TV ads, are a sign of times now past.
In the early shows 100 years ago, the biggie was in New York mostly to impress banks and investors, you needed a salon event because these folks wouldn’t have bothered to go to every dealer and couldn’t judge a car by the black and white sketch or pic in the WSJ.
The big markets later introduced increasingly bigger and better shows because color mag ads and tv spots could only take you so far.
But with the Internet, all the info is there and with HD and 3D renderings, one can get a pretty precise idea of color and proportion.
Only remaining thing to do is a sit in and test drive at the dealer. And today’s customer arrives at the dealer with a pretty good idea about details.
Like whale oil lamps, bone corsets, the time for these advertising methods and their related sales channels is drawing to a close.
Gonna miss these shows, but, fact is, if customers still came, if they were still effective on a cost/benefit basis, they would still be around. .