Page 24 - Summer 2025
P. 24
AUTO SHOWS
24 AREN’T DEAD
— They’ve Just Moved
Down the Funnel
Auto shows are shedding their glitzy,
media-centric past and reclaiming
their true purpose: driving mid- to
lower-funnel engagement.
Kevin Mazzucola
Chairman of the
Automotive Experience Alliance
n recent years, news stories have declared the “death” of the auto
Ishow. These proclamations often hinge on the idea that auto shows
have lost relevance, because they no longer dominate the media
landscape or serve as flashy global launchpads for new vehicles. But
that’s not the whole story, far from it. What these articles get wrong is
where auto shows truly belong in the automotive marketing funnel.
Rather than fading away, auto shows are returning to their roots and
their greatest strength, as a powerful, high-impact mid- to lower-funnel
marketing platform. For original equipment manufacturers (OEMs),
local marketing agencies (LMAs) and dealers, this shift should not
be viewed as a loss but as a strategic realignment to meet in-market
consumers where they are making their most critical decisions.
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