| 10.26.2018 – Car shows in the Philippines is like a fiesta on the first day mostly for the media to see and share that invites curiosity for those who just want to go to an event. It’s a festival of fireworks and reveals of what new cars are all about every time the Philippine International Motor Show rolls in.
Ever y other year since 2010 PIMS has been the much awaited spectacle in the motoring scene. It has committed itself to take inspiration from bigger cars shows like Detroit Auto Show, London Motorshow or the Geneva Motor Show to name a few, but a low-fi version that caters to Filipinos who can afford the ticket entrance just to see a piece or automotive spectacle. |
For the last 8 years since attending PIMS I haven’t missed a single first day opener save for the one in 2007 when they were still testing the waters on how to gauge the visitors. Usually, I’ve been invited to this event as part of the media. But for the first time since being away for almost two years I missed the first day and I was been anticipating this event since it was announced early this year.
Getting to attend the first day was a grand because you get to see each car distributor or manufacturer show of their presentation and unveil their latest cars to the Philippine market. But as a regular visitor who missed out the first day putting me in their shoes reveals a different perspective of PIMS that I haven’t seen in a long time as back in 2007 I happen to just visit with a companion by accident. I rarely go to car shows for the last five years and I would make an effort to go to PIMS every other year.
But for this year since missing out the first day and finding out late in that afternoon it just opened that still didn’t stop me from going. But this time as a regular not as an invited media to see how the usual walk-ins would experience a car show on the second day, which sums up a more personal experience that most people don’t see.
A Second Day’s Late
Usually, the second day feels like any ordinary day for a car show. Every car distributor or manufacturer has their scheduled gimmicks and presentation. But not as much excitement as you would expect but a very basic event that invites regular visitors to take part at their mini-programs to win some goodies that were originally handed out to the media during the first day as one of the ‘show bags.’
You can be elaborate about the giveaways, which is a similar event I attended in Adelaide early this year. They were literally just handing them there without the need to participate. They were actually just giving them away but one per customer of course. You can’t deny free but to curb up and avoid the abuse only one per customer is good to control the freebies. It’s not a bad thing if that’s the prize for you to participate in these car shows to show for good sportsmanship.
But personally, I’d rather get it if they handed it to me without the need to show effort, and I’ll be fine if it was given once. Although seeing how Filipinos abuse the word ‘free’ some would come for seconds and thirds to the point of abuse that makes them obviously too much of a good thing. The audience participation is good but the prize that was originally given away on the first day should be different. It’s all about the cars. Not the girls.
Yes, there is nothing wrong about having women to present the cars it is part of the car show experience. But do I need to see them standing beside the merchandise most of the time? Some guys are just too obvious to come to these events just to get their contact details or present themselves as photographers, and there is nothing wrong with that too. But you can’t deny the common scene that I’ve been a witness in the previous car events that I have attended.
There are better places to talk business of to have a ‘nice chat’ that can be discrete, but you know you can’t avoid seeing some guys just to present themselves showing interest in these women not the cars obviously. I just come here for the cars because it is a car show that is why I always ask the women politely to remove themselves as I want to see the latest models that these car dealers have for this show. Sometimes I don‘t get a nice photo of the cars when the women are there and having a ‘nice chat’ with some individuals who they entertain in the middle of the event.
It’s a Giant Showroom
This year’s PIMS has downgraded the use of the World Trade Center Manila. Usually, the organizers maximize the use of the venue as compared to 2016. This year they just used the main hall up to the then extension. It’s a sign of times where rental cost gone up and it’s understandable.
The second day up to its last seems fizzled out the anticipation and excitement, because everything was revealed on the very first day. It’s the common thing that I have experience as a media invite or as a regular show visitor. I’m sure it has happened in other countries too but not like in the Philippines when everything only happened in one day which for the rest of the remaining days it ends up as a giant showroom where there’s nothing else to see because everything has been revealed on the first day.
It’s understandable that it’s costly for the event to have big reveals in each day, but some car dealership sell A LOT OF CARS each month. But to keep people from visiting this event there should be special reveals for new cars or concept vehicles that should be reserved for the next few days’ right? To keep relevance to these types of events the organizers shouldn’t put all their eggs in one basket. Everyday should be interesting not just limited to the media but to those who appreciate the motoring scene too.
A Ticket Holder’s Perspective
You spend PhP 100.00 pesos for an entrance fee and its cheap that’s almost $2.60 AUD or a One-Day Only Media Pass to attend the second day is a breeze seeing nothing more than a giant showroom. I appreciate casual chats with the staff assigned for that day. But there’s nothing left to see when everything is unveiled already. There’s nothing to look forward to on the next few days other than the usual audience activity.
The mini programs are not as inviting like the first day, and most of the prizes that were given away is the ones that was handed out the day before. I won’t spend an effort to win a foldable fan or a t-shirt if it was a diecast car of the actual model in display why not? Or something worth taking home but merchandise handouts as prizes I’m good already thank you.
Overall Philippine International Motor Show has a slow decline for the average visitor they won’t mind or notice, but for someone who has been into events like this for the past eight years there’s a sign of slowing down. It’s the usual routine like how Jeepneys were mass produced by Sarao Motors they kept doing the same model no improvements to keep it going. NAIAS in the US has been around and all I hear from people who go there they still get blown away as the geek convention for petrol heads.
PIMS need to improve to become one of the best car shows in the country not just about themes for “future innovation” and such that people would talk about. Besides that they need to fix their customer service online and media registration needs to be addressed as I see that they don’t respond professionally when you inquire. They just “seen it” and not reply on their Facebook Page for the lack of courtesy. You can politely decline and not leave people in the air wondering if you’re ignorantly selective who you want to reply is obviously unprofessional.
Yes, it is a an event to help sell cars but you also want to cater to the general public, and to expand giving people a good experience when they leave the venue to be excited for the next one.
“Philippines International Motor Show” (PIMS) happening now from October 24 – 28, 2018 at the World Trade Center Metro Manila in Pasay City. Their Facebook Page’s URL changes every other year they should have a permanent link.
For now details about the event through CAMPI’s official site at: www.campiauto.org
No comments:
Post a Comment