Detroit 3: Bitching About Closed Markets Beats Really Trying
Akio Toyoda at the 2011 Tokyo Motor Show
If you want to sell cars, you need to market them. Except in Japan, say the Detroit 3. In Japan, it’s easier and cheaper to complain about closed markets and manipulated currencies than to waste money trying to sell cars. After the jump, you will find a list of automakers that will display their cars at this year’s Tokyo Motor Show. You probably can imagine who is not on this list.
For the third time in a row, Detroit automakers are not participating in the Tokyo Motor Show, held at Tokyo Big Sight on Tokyo’s Odaiba Island between Nov. 22 and Dec. 1. Understandably, they did not come during the dark days of 2009. But even when things improved, they were not back at the biannual show. German companies, such as Volkswagen, BMW, and Mercedes on the other hand will again deliver full court appearances.
As you can see, Tokyo will be a cozy show again, and full attention would be guaranteed, unlike in China, where you are one of a few hundred participants, and the place is so mobbed that people won’t get to your cars. But God forbid, what would happen if Japanese showgoers suddenly detect their love for Detroit iron and buy it? Can’t have that.
The list of the participants reflects genuine interests in making sales in Japan. Detroit is not interested, while maintaining loudly that they would be, if only those nasty Japanese would let them.
The Los Angeles Auto Show is exactly on the same days of the Tokyo bash, from Nov. 22 to Dec. 1. It’s one of those coincidences.
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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Similarly, Porsche did not participate in the North American International Auto Show in Detroit because the costs could not be justified by their infinitesimal sales in the region. Which came first, the chicken or the egg? GM and Ford recognize the low return (multi-decade losses?) that other makers such as VW are willing to incur to win a whole 1% of market share.
I'm not very much interested to the debate of full size vs mid size thing. From japanese urban resident perspective, we have very small occasion to carry big things, one phone call and sophisticated delivery service will come to door and carry my stuff with affordable fare up to 9 PM. In chance I have to carry by my self, I can rent 2 ton truck for 100 bucks a so for 24 hours. My point is anything longer than 4.7m length and 1.9 m width is a size to feel some kind of punishment in back streets. Anyway let me introduce some samples . 1. road facing FujiFilm world HQ, 1km from famous Roppongi district. https://maps.google.com/maps?q=Nishiazabu,+Minato,+Tokyo,+Japan&hl=en&ll=35.659608,139.71881&spn=0.001831,0.003195&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=41.224889,104.677734&oq=nishiazab&t=h&hnear=Nishiazabu,+Minato,+Tokyo,+Japan&z=19&layer=c&cbll=35.659798,139.718659&panoid=V3yPEu5LGLzfsyyZ8YmH4A&cbp=12,32.68,,0,0 go straight to that ordinary 6m width road and find out how you can go through without backing. 2. Typical residential area in Suginami-ku where i drove just an hour ago to send my friend https://maps.google.com/?ll=35.681084,139.66942&spn=0.001664,0.006389&t=h&z=18&layer=c&cbll=35.681086,139.669422&panoid=9yrIjE6TuHsRoNbrK0zvsQ&cbp=11,249.38,,0,1.72 3. feel unfair to be put in back streets? this is so so main road going to Kichoji. Street name is Inokashira-dori. I've picked random point https://maps.google.com/?ll=35.690344,139.612099&spn=0.000294,0.001597&t=h&z=20&layer=c&cbll=35.690343,139.611842&panoid=MkKJ1MTJOBbJYNBK0rBCfw&cbp=11,298.3,,0,0 Driving on road is already tough, but getting near to destination and finding a parking that fits to the large car and put into there is a more problem.. Hope you can share part of my daily struggle. Thanks for all the comments to give me kind warning!