NEW YORK CITY — The New York International Auto Show, held March 29 through April 7 at the Javits Center in New York City, drew hundreds of thousands of visitors to view more than 700 vehicles on display in one million square feet of exhibit space.
The 2024 show, produced by the Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association (GNYADA), saw the return of several major automakers and new exhibitors, helping to boost show attendance.
Quality over quantity
“The number of people coming to the show is not the same as it was before the COVID pandemic,” said Mark Schienberg, president of the New York Auto Show. “But we are seeing an increase in the quality of attendees. This year, 72% of the people who came to the show are what we call 12-month ‘candidates.’ They are in the funnel and are coming to the event to take a look and talk to people about what the industry has to offer.”
In order to attract more quality participants, the team is working to continue to adopt new marketing channels and opportunities.
“Every year we’re working on a new platform,” Schienberg said. “There’s still traditional marketing, like billboards, and so we do a little bit of that because people are still traveling and driving on the highways, but we’ve moved to a more interactive outreach strategy with social media and digital. Also, we’re not just communicating in the weeks leading up to the show; we’re interacting with people 12 months a year, and that’s changed dramatically over the years.”
Mix of B2B and B2C
The New York Auto Show caters to both B2B and B2C audiences and offers different types of programming for both broad categories.
“It’s a car show, and the word show is something people sometimes forget, there’s an entertainment value to coming to these kinds of events,” Schienberg said. “People spend hours at the show and they’re looking to have a good time. Our exhibitors do an incredible job of putting on interactive displays and people appreciate that.”
Activities such as test drives and driving tours are extremely popular with show visitors, with around 180,000 people taking part in the driving and ride experiences offered at the event this year. Schienberg said the test drives and experiences are effective and impactful because they give people the opportunity to really test the vehicles.
“You can’t put the New York Auto Show in a box; it’s unique, with an extremely important consumer component, and also an incredibly important B2B and media event,” Schienberg said.
While the B2B audience is interested in the vehicles and offers presented at the event, they are also attracted to the show for product discovery.
There is also a significant media presence at the events, from various media outlets reporting on the event itself, as well as announcements, updates and trends observed at the show that are important for informing the industry.
The New York Automotive Forum 2024, hosted by NADA, JD Power and the New York International Auto Show, featured presentations and discussions on key industry issues. The one-day event welcomed more than 400 attendees.
“Our team works year-round to produce an event and generate headline-making content,” Schienberg said. “There are three full days of B2B and media events with exceptional speakers, key automotive executives and others covering everything from electrification to the changing global economy. It’s an opportunity for some of the most influential and knowledgeable people in the industry to share what’s happening, and attendees get a lot of content they can use for their business.”
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Importance of information sharing
According to Schienberg, 44% of attendees added or subtracted a brand from their purchasing considerations once they arrived at the show, reflecting the importance of exhibiting.
The impact on manufacturers’ business is analyzed through various means, including data and leads collected by exhibiting staff themselves, as well as GNYADA’s collection of information on attendees’ purchasing intent.
The New York Auto Show team is also committed to informing its audience about what’s new and what’s available in the automotive market. This includes informing the public about new trends and upcoming transitions, with a big shift right now towards electrification in the industry.
“By 2035, there will be moves at the federal level and in New York state to make the only cars sold electric, which is a major paradigm shift,” Schienberg said. “There are a lot of issues that the public is trying to figure out, and that’s where the auto show comes in. We’ve spent a lot of time getting these products into the hands of consumers.”
“New York was the first automobile show in North America in November 1900, when we moved from horse-drawn carriages to this new form of transportation. We haven’t seen such a major shift in how transportation works in almost 125 years, and we’re seeing it today. Shows played a key role in 1900, and they still play a key role today in delivering these experiences to consumers.”
The 2025 New York Auto Show, which will mark its 125th anniversary, will be held from April 18 to 27.
Contact Mark Schienberg at mark@gnyada.com