SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
SEPTEMBER 2017
2
SEPTEMBER 2017 • SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
IN CASE YOU DON’T ALREADY KNOW, the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) Show in Las Vegas is like the World’s Fair for people with gas in their veins 24/7 – and interestingly enough, it has a lot in common with the famous World’s Fair. The first historically recognized World’s Fair – The Great Exhibition – was held in the 990,000-square- foot exhibition space of The Crystal Palace in Hyde Park, London in 1851. Twenty years later in 1871, the first ever national motor show was held there on the grounds at Sydenham. And in 1905, the by-then long-famous Victorian exhibition palace became the home of the Premier League’s Crystal Palace Football Club. Similarly, the first SEMA Show in 1967 was held in the basement of Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles, the home then and the home now of Major League Baseball’s Los Angeles Dodgers. But the pro sports team home field, or pitch in this case, comparison doesn’t quite do the SEMA Show justice – and neither does the image of late nineteenth-century steam locomotives and concept designs for horseless carriages. Where The Great Exhibition featured the first voting machine and the first modern pay toilet – no, I’m not making that up, they share a birthday, as it were – SEMA ’67 featured the Ford GT40 and a Dodge Dart ready to stare-down the Christmas tree. The SEMA Show quickly outgrew the confines of sports stadiums and by 1977, after a short three-year run at Anaheim Stadium, it permanently relocated to The Entertainment Capital of the World, ultimately becoming one of the biggest yearly conventions in Vegas. Every year over the course of four days during the first week of November, the best of the best in the motor vehicle aftermarket business make the 1,940,631-square- foot Las Vegas Convention Center your dream garage. In early September, SEMA’s Vice President of Communications and Events, Peter MacGillivray spoke with Spotlight on Business about the number one destination for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), specialty equipment distributors, members of the media, and buyers as diverse as the 6,383 companies around the world that make-up SEMA.
By David MacDonald P eter, I’ve got to say that I was pretty excited when the SEMA Show assignment came across my desk. I mean, the Show is a real institution in the auto- motive world, isn’t it? That’s absolutely right, David. You’re looking at more than 150,000 people in attendance every year in Las Vegas. That includes the OEMs, the buyers, everyone. As an entity separate from the Show, SEMA is a trade associa- tion representing the $42 billion automotive customization market. These are products in the industry that enhance the performance, styling and functionality of cars, trucks, and SUVs. The world’s premier automotive trade show, the SEMA Show, is, in addition to offering traditional associa- tion resources such as market research, an opportunity for training and education. I haven’t been lucky enough at this point in my career to go on-location at the SEMA Show, but I do know it’s a premier media event – a sought-after assignment.
Well, it’s the number one media destination in the after- market world. Media from all over the world come to the SEMA Show to see new products, vehicle unveilings, and to get the scoop on automotive trends. They come to meet face-to- face with more than 2,400 exhibitors and conduct interviews with company owners and executives. Nowhere else are they able to conduct so much business in such a short amount of time. The ‘Top Reasons Your Business Needs to Attend’ video found at SEMAShow.com and on YouTube really shows that the attendees, the buyers, are diverse represen- tatives of the automotive aftermarket world, but more importantly, Peter, it shows that they’re overwhelming- ly happy with their SEMA Show experience. Well, at the end of the day, the SEMA Show is the number one media destination because it’s the number one buyers’ destination. Buyers from retail shops all over the world come to the SEMA Show seeking the hot new products to
3
SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE • SEPTEMBER 2017
So, how’s the 2017 show shaping up? How many new products will be featured this year, Peter? We never really know what we’ll see until the week of the SEMA Show, but the upcoming event is shaping up to be exciting. Registration numbers are strong, the New Product Showcase is on track to feature an amazing variety of products, and we have some new events that reflect the changing landscape of the industry. We are especially excited about the new opportunities that advanced driver- assistance systems [ADAS] present to the aftermarket industry. With new technology and increased demand for products such as lane departure warnings, the aftermarket industry will evolve significantly in the next several years. The celebrity lineup is stacked and I’ve got to tell you, Peter, the fact that you have BIGFOOT # 1, the famous monster truck, making an appearance is really great to this late ‘80s, early ’90s kid. Can you say a few things about the famous faces and things that have made the SEMA Show an annual event for so many? Well, the SEMA Show is the leading gathering for the auto- motive industry for a lot of reasons, and that includes celeb- rities and stars of many of the biggest – and classic – televi- sion programs like Powertrax or Monster Truck Challenge, which is, I think, what you’re referring to, David. But yes, BIGFOOT # 1 will be in Las Vegas this November. This year, we’re especially looking forward to entertainment at our SEMA Industry Awards Banquet: Billy F Gibbons, Jimmie Vaughan, Michael Anthony and Jeff Beck will be performing. The entire celebrity listing can be found at SEMAShow.com and I encourage your readers to check the list out because there’s so many big names. The SEMA Show has been going on since the Johnson Administration, Peter. The Show clearly thrived without the aid of social media, but I’m wondering how it’s impacted how you sell the Show to new comers, whether they’re exhibitors or attendees. Well, social media is another tool, the newest tool, for exhib- itors to generate awareness for their products. Because the SEMA Show is a trade-only event, tools such as social media are instrumental in helping exhibitors connect with consumers. The consumer connection has increasingly become more and more important, which is the reason we introduced SEMA Ignited a few years ago. SEMA Ignited is the official SEMA Show after-party and it’s open to consum- ers. It’s a rare opportunity for the general public to see and participate in the SEMA Show. If I could extend an invitation to your readers, I’d love for them to visit www.SEMAIgnited. com. I visited the SEMA Ignited webpage before our inter- view, and I’ve got to tell you, Peter, it’s one of the more exciting webpage designs in the industry I’ve seen in
sell to their customers. Like I said, the SEMA Show has 2,400 exhibitors, which makes it, unequivocally the best place for buyers to discover the best new products that will help their businesses grow. “These are products in the industry that enhance the performance, styling and functionality of cars, trucks, and SUVs.” The return on investment for participating in the SEMA Show is high. Participants are able to conduct a great deal of business at the Show. A single badge allows entry to the Show all four days, and we’re seeing a trend in attendees staying longer and longer. More and more people are real- izing that rather than rushing and attending just a single day that they will get a greater return by staying multiple days.
recent memory. That being said, do you have any advice for first time SEMA attendees or exhibitors or people learning about SEMA Ignited for the first time? We always emphasize planning in advance. It’s unrealis- tic to expect to show up the day of the event and get the maximum value of the Show. We begin working with exhibitors months in advance, and hold an event with exhibitors in Las Vegas in June to prepare. Even those who do not attend are able to connect with dedicated account reps who help exhibitors with all their Show needs. From identifying goals to targeting buyers, account reps are available to help exhibitors with all their show needs. Likewise, attendees can plan in advance by reading SEMA eNews each week, and referring to the SEMA Show mobile app. There, the latest news and updates about the Show will be included. Following the official SEMA Show social media accounts is another great resource. When I started researching the SEMA Show for this article, it quickly became apparent that you guys give back. You spoke earlier, for instance, about the edu- cational opportunities the SEMA Show offers. Can you please say a few things about SEMA’s charitable endeavours? With pleasure, David: SEMA Cares brings the industry together to support children. The SEMA Memorial Scholar- ship Foundation is focused on helping the younger genera- tion pursue careers in the automotive industry. Throughout
the year, various projects will be taking place to continue the effort to support youths. Students, for example, are invited to the SEMA Show each year as part of the Intern Program, where they work side-by- side with established companies and build connections that they maintain in the future. I see that there are several SEMA Show special events – can you please say a few things about these events? In addition to new products and trends, the SEMA Show is an overall experience that includes networking, educa- tion and socializing. All Show-goers are invited to attend the more than 60 educational sessions, the traditional New Products Breakfast, the SEMA Industry Awards Banquet and SEMA Ignited. New this year is a SEMA Reveal where media will be able to get a sneak peek at some of the vehicles from the Show and hear from the builders. Again, I encourage all those people with gas in their veins 24/7 to check out the complete list of events at SEMAShow.com
SPECIALITY EQUIPMENT MARKET ASSOCIATION (SEMA)
Las Vegas Convention Center. 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas, NV 89109
www.semashow.com
as spotlighted in the SEPTEMBER 2017 issue of SPOTLIGHT ON BUSINESS MAGAZINE
www.spotlightonbusinessmagazine.com
Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online