Detroit Three Shun Tokyo
In the olden days, the Detroit, Frankfurt, and Tokyo motor shows were the must go shows for any self-respecting carmaker. We’ll definitely be at the Tokyo show this December. The Detroit 3 won’t.
Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun reports that the Big 3 have not registered yet and probably will not. GM’s Japanese subsidiary told the paper that after carefully weighing the costs and the benefits of the show, we decided not to attend.”
The last Tokyo show was at the heights of carmageddon, in October 2009. It was a very appropriate show, it was a disaster. Exhibiting companies dropped from 241 in 2007 (the show is biannual) to 109 in 2009. The show counted only 610,000 visitors, half the 2007 number. It also didn’t help that the show had moved to the outskirts of Tokyo in Chiba. To downtown, that’s about an hour by train, which of course none of the auto execs took, choosing instead to get stuck in the infamous Tokyo rush our. This year, the show will be held in the midst of the city, at Tokyo Big Sight, down by the waterfront.
Nevertheless, the great days of the Tokyo Motor Show may be over. The big event in Asia is in China now, alternating between Beijing and Shanghai. This year, it will be in Shanghai, April 21- April 28. You bet that the Detroit 3 will be in Shanghai in full force.
Bertel Schmitt comes back to journalism after taking a 35 year break in advertising and marketing. He ran and owned advertising agencies in Duesseldorf, Germany, and New York City. Volkswagen A.G. was Bertel's most important corporate account. Schmitt's advertising and marketing career touched many corners of the industry with a special focus on automotive products and services. Since 2004, he lives in Japan and China with his wife <a href="http://www.tomokoandbertel.com"> Tomoko </a>. Bertel Schmitt is a founding board member of the <a href="http://www.offshoresuperseries.com"> Offshore Super Series </a>, an American offshore powerboat racing organization. He is co-owner of the racing team Typhoon.
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Smart move. Japan is a shrinking market which has never purchased significant numbers of Detroit branded products. Why waste time exhibiting there?
If demographics is destiny like the sociologists often say, Japan is hosed.
I've never been to the Detroit or LA auto show before. I've only been to the glorified dealer showroom shows in SF and SJ. I went to that 2009 Tokyo show. It was awesome to me.
The "ends of eras" here there and everywhere. Inevitable. I am glad, though, I was around for much of what went on during what I label the USA's "Golden Age" though it was NOT perfect...... of course. Headaches then and now but the headaches of yore were different. I truly feel sorry for the youth of today but every generation has its problems but I wonder if some of today's problems will be able to be overcome due to the MAJOR differences between now and "back then?" Time will tell but my time left me is limited.
Hot Asian Babes. Why yes this is a Bertel Schmitt article. Why do you ask?