WHAT A RIDE!
The 2023 New York Auto Show was a resounding success, with 41% more electric vehicle rides and drives than the previous year. Attendance reached close to pre-pandemic levels thanks to returning automakers and exciting new exhibits.
The Show’s important business-to-business conference and networking role were stronger than ever with enhanced programs from the Automotive Forum, World Car Awards, MediaPost Marketing Conference , and the World Traffic Safety Symposium bringing together top industry leaders from the automotive, media, financial, marketing, and automotive safety sectors during the Show's media and industry days.
Some of the highlights of the show during the public days included new vehicle launches, five ride and drives, the James Bond exhibit, which featured cars from the 007 films, and two aftermarket and custom culture events. These attractions helped make the New York Auto Show one of the most successful in recent years.
SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS
“We're thrilled with the turnout and response to this year's show. The return of automakers and the addition of new exhibits was a real boost for attendance and we're especially pleased to see such strong interest in electric vehicles.”
- Mark Schienberg, New York Auto Show president
EMBRACING ELECTRICS
Electric Vehicle Ridership Skyrockets
The Show expanded its multi-brand Electric Vehicle Test Track this year to provide an even more exciting course for attendees to ride around. In addition to the Show's Test Track, the Show brought together companies and organizations who play a critical role behind the scenes to make sure that the transition from gas to electric is seamless. Ridership on the New York Auto Show's EV Test Track rose 41% over 2022 with show attendees more engaged than ever in their desire to experience and learn about electric vehicles. The track included vehicles from BMW, Chevrolet, Kia, Nissan, and Volkswagen
EVs 101 & Consumer Education Seminar Series
Many consumers attending the Show were looking to purchase their first electric vehicle and the Show provided a one-stop shop for them. From electric vehicles and charging technologies to consumer awareness programs, this year's Show includes an EV exhibition featuring an 83,000-square-foot Electric Vehicle Test Track located on Level 1 of the auto show. Vehicles available for test drives include Chevrolet Bolt EUV, Chevrolet Bolt EV, Volkswagen ID.4, Nissan ARIYA, Kia EV6, BMW iX and BMW i4 models.
"Consumers looking to purchase an EV will need to educate themselves about the best way to charge their vehicle. We're here at this year's New York Auto Show to reach the largest number of people face-to-face to answer their charging questions."
-- Autel Energy Chief Operating Officer John Thomas
RETURNING BRANDS EXCITE CONSUMERS
Brand awareness is key to vehicle sales and the Show saw the return of some of the most important brands this year. Genesis created an incredible presence with a world debut and an impressive corporate display while dealer groups and local market associations helped ensure that 12-month intenders had vehicle representation from Honda, BMW, Porsche, Audi, and Polestar to add to their shopping lists. The response by show attendees was incredible as they compared models at the beginning of the important springtime buying season.
AUTO FORUM ATTRACTS TOP EXECS
The 2023 New York Automotive Forum welcomed more than 400 attendees for a day of discussions and presentations on leading industry issues, including economic conditions, forecasts, OEM updates and the growth of electric vehicles. Hosted by NADA, J.D. Power, and the New York International Auto Show, the Forum featured insights and analysis from a lineup of top executives including Steve Carlisle, president of GM North America, Jeremie Papin, chairperson of Nissan Americas, and Claudia Marquez, COO of Genesis Motor North America.
Oliver Brodlieb, GNYADA Chairman, set the stage for the Forum with a reminder of the role franchise dealerships play in the industry and in their local communities as employers, investors, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs. Dealerships are “more than a place to buy a car,” he said. “When consumers buy from local dealers, they support their local communities.”
Other speakers throughout the day included Paul Gruenwald, global chief economist at S&P Global, and Thomas King, president of data and analytics division and chief product officer at J.D. Power, who provided an industry forecast with an anticipated 15 million total sales in 2023.
King said four key variables will shape the coming year: pent-up demand, production volume, underlying new vehicle demand, and what he called competitive asymmetry, "minimal competition between manufacturers and retailers, because the inventory wasn't there to support the competition."
A key topic of discussion was how the consolidation of dealerships nationwide is affecting all aspects of automotive retail. The advantages that large automotive retail operations have over smaller retailers are not based on economies of scale, said Alan Haig, president and founder of Haig Partners, because the costs of utilities, real estate and insurance, for example, don't diminish with size.
Market experts John Murphy, managing director at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, and Kevin Tynan, senior automotive analyst at Bloomberg Intelligence, analyzed the current market and projections for the near future as the industry exits supply chain constraints, such as anticipated developments in operating systems through the lens of Wall Street. The panel discussion, moderated by Guggenheim Partners Senior Managing Director John Casesa, also reiterated the value of the franchise model.
Steve Carlisle, executive vice president and president at GM North America, who recently announced his retirement as of June 1st, spoke about the company’s transition to a fully electric auto manufacturer. GM’s strategy means no compromises for their customers, according to Carlisle. “We don’t want the consumer to make any [trade-offs], that’s the formula,” Carlisle said.
Carlisle also unscored that both dealers and consumers know that a smooth transition to electric requires infrastructure support. “I would acknowledge that we have a lot of work to do.”
DEBUTS MAKE GLOBAL NEWS
The New York International Auto Show is one of the most important events on the car industry calendar and every spring, the automobile industry descends on Manhattan to showcase its latest and greatest models in a bid to win over buyers during the all-important springtime buying season. This year's show was no different, with a host of new debuts from both domestic and international brands.
Among the vehicles unveiled and displayed this year: The 2025 Ram REV electric pickup, Genesis GV80 Coupe Concept, Jeep Wrangler Willys, Jeep Wrangler High Altitude 4xe, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon X 4xe, Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392, Kia EV9, Hyundai Kona Electric, Hyundai Kona LIMITED, Subaru Crosstrek Wilderness, Volkswagen Atlas Peak Edition, Nissan GT-R NISMO, Nissan GT-R T-Spec, Dodge Challenger SRT DEMON 170, and the Hyundai IONIQ 5 Disney 100 Platinum Concept.
“I’m delighted to be here in New York to celebrate our American brands, our American roots, and we celebrate that every time we can and especially in New York,”
-- Carlos Tavares, Stellantis CEO
WORLD CAR AWARDS REVEALED IN NEW YORK
The 2023 World Car Finals concluded with a triple win for Hyundai. The HYUNDAI IONIQ 6 won the overall 2023 World Car of the Year title, the 2023 World Electric Vehicle as well as the 2023 World Car Design of the Year awards. Visitors to the New York Auto Show were able to see, explore and ride in the new IONIQ 6 at Hyundai's Test Track within their booth. In addition, SangYup Lee, Executive Vice President, Head of Hyundai and Genesis Global Design Center, Hyundai Motor Company, was at the New York Auto Show at the awards ceremony to participate in a Q&A with media and receive his 2023 World Car PERSON of the Year trophy. 2023 marks the 18th year of the World Car Awards ’partnership with the New York International Auto Show.
“This honor reinforces our commitment to be a global leader in vehicle electrification and will serve to embolden our efforts as a smart mobility solutions provider,” said Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company.”
THE 2023 WINNERS: HYUNDAI IONIQ 6 – World Car of the Year; HYUNDAI IONIQ 6 – World Electric Vehicle of the Year; LUCID AIR – World Luxury Car; KIA EV6 GT – World Performance Car; CITROEN C3 – World Urban Car; HYUNDAI IONIQ 6 – World Car Design of the Year
“We are thrilled to receive this prestigious honor two years in a row at the New York Auto Show, which recognizes the tremendous talents and unrelenting efforts of everyone at Hyundai Motor Company to bring EVs like IONIQ 6 to market.”
- Jaehoon Chang, President and CEO of Hyundai Motor Company
ELEVATING EVs
The New York Auto Show officially opened the largest indoor EV Test Track ever constructed at the Show with a press conference that included leaders from the automobile industry, dealer associations, government agencies and utility companies laying out plans for mass EV adoption and electrification. The assembled media heard from the experts on product innovation, infrastructure developments, consumer marketing initiatives and incentives, and plans from franchise dealers to 'electrify' America.
SPEAKERS
- Autel Energy - John Thomas, Chief Operating Officer
- Alliance for Automotive Innovation - Steve Douglas, Vice President Energy & Environment
- J.D. Power - Elizabeth Krear, Vice President, Electric Vehicle Practice
- New York International Auto Show - Mark Schienberg, President
- New York Power Authority – Justin E. Driscoll, President & CEO
- Sprocket Power - Maria Fields, CEO & Co-Founder
With its enormous indoor track, New York Auto Show attendees had the opportunity to ride in a wide range of electric vehicles including new models from BMW, Chevrolet, Kia, Nissan, and Volkswagen. In addition, Ford and Hyundai incorporated wildly popular EV test tracks into their displays on the main show floor so consumers could experience even more electrics. Outside, Jeep and Toyota included their latest electric-only models as part of their popular outdoor ride-along experiences.
According to J.D. Power's survey the New York Auto Show EV Test Track was instrumental in providing consumers an opportunity to experience electric vehicles first hand.
PUTTING SAFETY FIRST FOR THREE DECADES
For more than 30 years GNYADA has sponsored the annual World Traffic Safety Symposium bringing in leaders and addressing important traffic safety topics from the floor of the New York Auto Show. The 2023 Symposium examined Disparities in Traffic Fatalities by Race, Ethnicity, Income, and Gender. The program featured remarks from the nation’s top safety officials and includes discussions on overrepresented populations in crashes and best practices from here in the U.S. and across the globe. Ann Carlson, then Acting Administrator, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Carlson who oversees the nation's vehicle safety agency that sets vehicle safety standards, identifies safety defects and manages recalls led the conversation. She was joined by Thomas Chapman, Member National Transportation Safety Board, and Mark F. Schroeder, Commissioner, New York State Dept of Motor Vehicles.
Student Safety Competition: Part of the Symposium was the Student Design Competition on traffic safety. The hugely popular competition involves students of product design programs, who are asked to submit design solutions for circumstances that cause accidents or make the roads unsafe. The Grand Prize winner was Angela Ebron from Montclair State University, with the “Vision Shield” design concept. The competition provides scholarships and cash prizes are awarded through the generosity of industry supporters: AAA Foundation for Safety, Nissan, National Road Safety Foundation, Volvo, and Greater New York Automobile Dealers Association.
TOP AUTO MARKETING & MADISON AVENUE EXECUTIVES CONVERGE IN NEW YORK
Automotive marketing helps car companies automakers create brand awareness, generate leads, and ultimately boost sales so it is no wonder that the MediaPost Automotive Marketing Conference is one of the most important marketing conferences of its kind. It brings together automotive advertising and marketing executives and the creative agencies that support them to the New York Auto Show each year for a day-long program of discussion and debate. This year’s conference included Q&As with high-ranking executives, including:
Auto executive speakers at MediaPost’s New York conference this year included:
Lisa Materazzo, Group Vice President, Toyota Division Marketing, Toyota; Kate Fabian, Director, Marketing Communications, Hyundai; Yetunde Faparusi, Director, Brand, Marketing & Performance Strategy, Nissan; Bridget Hanrahan, Associate Director, Marketing Operations, Subaru.
Auto executive attendees of the conference included:
Angela Zepeda, Chief Marketing Officer, Hyundai; Alan Bethke, Senior Vice President, Marketing, Subaru; Russell Wager, Vice President, Marketing Kia; Wendy Orthman, Executive Director, Marketing Communications, Genesis.
Advertising industry executive attendees included:
Congratulations to all the 2023 Honorees:
- Automotive Marketer of the Year, Lisa Materazzo, group vice president of Toyota division marketing at Toyota Motor North America
• Automotive Agency of the Year: Saatchi & Saatchi (Toyota)
• Best Integrated Campaign (Three channels or more, including online): Toyota for the “Never Settle” brand campaign (Saatchi & Saatchi, Burrell Communications, Conill Advertising and Intertrend Communications)
• Best Electric Vehicle Campaign or Activation: Kia "Robo Dog" for EV6 (David&Goliath)
• Best Social Campaign: Lexus "Black Panther: Wakonda Forever" for Lexus RZ 450e (Walton Isaacson)
• Best Multicultural or Interest Group Campaign: Hyundai for "Okay Hyundai" campaign (Culture Brands and Qyou Media)
• Best Interactive Execution or Campaign: Genesis for "Make Your Mark" campaign (Innocean)
• Best Campaign/Activation for a Dealer Group: Manhattan Motorcars for Rooftop Movie Night
MEDIA-BLITZ BOOSTS BRAND AWARENESS
25 BILLION+ ONLINE, PRINT, TV & RADIO IMPRESSIONS
The New York Auto Show continues to be a powerhouse in media attendance and coverage and one of the biggest drivers of television, print, and online news stories with coverage of the Show reaching thousands of traditional and social media outlets in every corner of the globe.
Total Audience Reaches 25B+
GLOBAL REACH
TELEVISION, PRINT, ONLINE, RADIO, SOCIAL MEDIA COVERAGE EXCEEDS ALL EXPECTATIONS
Television highlights include New York’s #1 local station, WABC, which produced a one-hour live television special “NY Auto Show: In the Fast Lane”.
#NYLOVESCARS
The 2023 New York Auto Show’s digital marketing strategy consisted of multiple campaigns across Google, Facebook, and Instagram. Campaigns were strategically constructed to generate awareness, target past show attendees, increase website traffic, and boost ticket sales. With a mix of objectives across different audiences and platforms, the campaign was a great success.
- The Show reached over 8.2 million accounts, an increase of 123.23% from the previous year.
- Organic social media engagements increased by an impressive 174.15% with 630,953 interactions.
- The daily average organic impressions in April were 150,000, showcasing the Auto Show's extensive digital reach.
- Video views increased by 877.35%, displaying the shift towards video content over still imagery across social media
Drex Lee’s Epic One Shot Videos!
Drex Lee is a film director specializing in smartphone videography with over 3 billion views across social media platforms Tiktok, Instagram, and Facebook. Based out in California his work is featured in over a dozen film festivals. Here’s a few epic Shots he did at the New York Auto Show.
- 11,163,207 Global Video Views
- 564,417 Likes
- 4,843 Shares
- 3,525 Comments
- TikTok Play Time: 931 Days 14 Hours 20 Mins 16s
CONSUMER OUTREACH
OVERDRIVE is the New York Auto Show's e-newsletter that reaches over 125,000 subscribers. It gives readers an inside look at all the exciting, vehicles and events taking place at the Show.
WEBSITE
- The Auto Show website WWW.AUTOSHOWNY.COM received over 1 million visits.
STAR-STUDDED OPENING DAY
Actor-comedian Tracy Morgan headlined the Show's Official Opening Day ceremonies along with the star of the upcoming Broadway Back to the Future Musical Amber Ardolino, and social media videographer and director Drex Lee. Brooklyn's own 14-year old Oscar-ceremony LANE-1 sneaker designer Amira-Dior added her star power, while ABC meteorologist Brittany Bell emceed the event.
2024 SHOW DATES
March 27&28 (Media) and March 29- April 7 (Public)