The Geneva Motor Show: Why It Still Matters

March, the month of automotive announcements

March has long been the period when the car industry unveils its biggest news. It is when the sector “dresses up” to reveal fresh models as well as the plans that will shape the coming years. Before the pandemic, that momentum largely centred on the Geneva Motor Show - widely regarded as the world’s most important motor show.

A Geneva Motor Show that didn’t happen

The Geneva Motor Show has not taken place this year or last year, and some people question whether it will ever return. Others argue that, in the “digital era”, traditional motor shows no longer serve a purpose.

Even without Geneva, the reality is that manufacturers still rolled out their announcements. This month alone, we were introduced to the new Nissan Qashqai, the Porsche 911 GT3, the Hyundai Bayon, BMW’s new M3 and M4, the new Mercedes-Benz C-Class, the new Volvo C40, and the list could easily go on… - and later this month, the next generation of the Peugeot 308 will also be revealed.

Why the Geneva Motor Show still matters in a digital era

At first glance, all of this seems to support the view that motor shows are living on borrowed time. I see it differently: the Geneva Motor Show is not finished. Over the past two years, Geneva has been missed by everyone - even if not everyone realised it.

It was missed by brands, it was missed by the media, and it was missed by the public.

To lose the Geneva Motor Show is to lose the industry’s main stage; it is to lose the moment when the sector can set the agenda; it is to lose the build-up, the show itself, and the aftermath. It is to lose global attention, not only from specialist outlets but from the wider press as well. Above all, it means losing people’s attention.

It may sound contradictory, but physical events make even more sense in a digital age. Only in that setting can you fully exploit the potential of live broadcasts, video, photography, and the immediacy of being there. This is not merely an opinion - it is a reality we have seen over the last two years.

In the weeks leading up to the Geneva Motor Show, our Automotive Reason platforms usually experience a surge in views well above normal levels. Over the past two years a similar effect has been present, but nowhere near as strongly. That is the power of the Geneva Motor Show. And to remove any doubt, we checked figures from several international specialist outlets and reached the same conclusion.

Because even with the effort manufacturers put into digital events, without the Geneva Motor Show it simply is not the same. It does not create the same impact, and it does not carry the same glamour. The car industry cannot afford to separate itself from its own magic.

Looking back at an event that never happened, we have no hesitation in saying it: the Geneva Motor Show is missed by everyone.

Does the same logic apply to every motor show? Perhaps not. The Geneva Motor Show has always stood apart from the rest. That said, it is undeniable these events need reinventing; however, ending motor shows altogether could be a serious mistake. The car industry needs to take pride in itself again. And we cannot wait for the next show.