It was another great success as over 1.1 million visitors attended the 2016 Paris Motor Show which indicated the show is still the most visited automobile show in the World. The 14% decrease in the number of its visitors compared to the 2014 edition should be put in the context of the 15 to 30% decrease in the attendance rate of all national events since November 13 2015.
The organizers are pleased for all the visitors and the exhibitors that the biggest French Show took place in a positive atmosphere and without mishap.
Performance as order intakes and new contacts increased by 50% compared to 2014 for many exhibitors. One in three visitors of the Show intend on buying in the next 12 months, this is against 1 in 4 in 2014.
Demography
1 in 3 visitors was a first comer, 1 in 4 was a woman, and 2 in 3 were aged under 50 (including 1 in 3 younger than 35). Furthermore the number of visitors coming from all over France and not just Paris and its area increased strongly, 45% vs 40% in 2014 (source: Opinion Way survey of 1,000 visitors conducted from October 1 to 15 2016).
In line with the new visitors’ expectations, all the exhibitors offered unprecedented range of services, products and global auto-mobility solutions. Whether they are owned, leased with purchase option, shared, hybrid, thermal or electric… automobiles have proven for 16 days that they are the key of future mobility, loved and desired by French people. This was truly the Paris Motor Show of automobile transition.
The industry has also an impact on employment with 2,500 positions filled during the 16 days of the Paris Motor Show.
The Show of renewed passion
93% of visitors were satisfied or very satisfied with their visit, a 1 percentage point progress compared to 2014. In spite of the absence of some brands, over 140 new releases were presented (+35% compared to 2014). Many concept cars and SUV were presented, the public showed great enthusiasm for electric and hybrid models as well as for the first vintage car auction sale organized at the Show in partnership with Coys auction house.
We must now all acknowledge that passion for automobiles can be experienced in many ways. Generations change, automobile dreams evolve: virtual reality headsets on many manufacturers’ stands, great turnout at the exhibition “L’automobile fait son cinema”, presence of Samsung and Playstation… are all indicators of these new automobile “dreams”.
Innovation, a growing presence at the Paris Motor Show
The first international Innovation Forum launched by the Paris Motor Show met the same success: 250 international participants, 120 competing start-ups, the support of the French Tech. The October 5th Forum was welcomed with great enthusiasm: it was opened by the State Secretary for Industry Christophe Sirugue and closed by Jean-Louis Missika, deputy Mayor of Paris, in charge of city-planning, architecture, the Grand Paris project, economic development and attractiveness.
Outstanding media coverage
It is important to highlight the performance of the Show’s media which remains the marketing tool favoured by the automobile industry. According to the data of TGI France Kantar media, a visit to the Paris Motor Show provides the first source of information when it comes to deciding on the purchase of a car. Saturday October 1st, first day of the Show, each French person was exposed to the Show’s opening at least 3 times during that day.
Overall there were more than 3,000 media impacts (+25% vs 2014, source Argus de la Presse) during the entire duration of the Show.
The social network impacts were also very successful and have spread the reach of the Paris Motor Show far beyond the Porte de Versailles. There were + 562,000 views of the official videos of the Show, with 250 figures of the world of mobility invited on the set of the Show’s official TV, 1,500,000 unique visitors on the website, 5,135,000 pages viewed, 400,000 usage of application and + 60,000 visitors for the new 360° virtual visit of the Show which will stay online for several weeks.
Yes, the Paris Motor Show is no longer what it was 25 years ago. It was time for it to change. The Paris Motor Show is resolutly turned towards a new world, made of MANY auto-mobility shapes, passions, buyers, leasers and of ALL drivers, both male and female, and passengers. Yes, some questions concerning length, format, cost will be asked in order to reconquer some of the absent brands, in the public’s interest.
But yes, some of the transformations undergone by the Show will be maintained because they were necessary to adapt to a world of mobility which is evolving quickly. The Paris Motor Show will celebrate its 120 years of existence in 2018 and we can already be sure that this anniversary edition will be anything but turned towards the past.
