A Virtual Auto Show?

On January 11, 2009, NewsMarket pledges to revolutionize auto shows forever. We’ll see…

Yes, showing your hottest new car concepts online rather than in person will cost car manufacturers a fraction of what they’d spend shlepping them to Detroit… but won’t it also make only a fraction of the impact?

And what about all those beautiful models? Will they join the hundreds of laid-off workers we can safely assume will be associated with such a move?

"In these tough economic times, companies are increasingly using online tools to more effectively communicate with their end audiences," said Shoba Purushothaman, CEO and Co-Founder of The NewsMarket. "The Virtual Auto Show is the natural next step for carmakers who not only get to dramatically reduce their marketing spend, but also make their car launches accessible to potential buyers around the world and not just those attending the show."

Well sure, but geez! You can’t smell the smells or squint from the glint of the shiny new vehicle sitting right in front of you when you view it online. You can’t properly judge the full scale of the vehicle, nor get a complete sense of its construction. You lose that man-to-machine connection that somehow sparks our imagination and incites a visceral reaction within even the most complacent and jaded driving enthusiasts when you stand shoulder to pillar with the sheet metal of a new concept. By viewing a machine through a machine we become part machine ourselves; detached from the emotional connection that compels us to hit the open road. We lose that sense of style that, like eyeglasses and handbags, becomes an extension of who we are and how we present ourselves to the world.

To be fair, the NewsMarket already works with most of the world's leading car manufacturers including General Motors, Hyundai, Fiat, Porsche, Maserati, Volvo Cars, Lancia, Renault, Land Rover and Alfa Romeo, amongst others. More than 17,000 media outlets, blogs and mobile news providers in 190+ countries currently use the service to access video content. It certainly has its place in the day-to-day business of the car trade, but this is one of the most influential auto shows in the world we’re talking about here! Get more information at the Newsmarket 2009 Virtual Autoshow Website.

Maybe we’re making a bit too much of this but can the auto industry really risk – after all the loss its seen across the board to its bottom line – the loss of its emotional impact to its “end audience” as well?