As President of the 2023 Canadian International AutoShow (CIAS), Michael Eatson is pumped to see its return after COVID-19 forced the cancellation of the last two editions.
Canada’s largest consumer show runs February 17-26 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Eatson, Dealer Principal and General Manager of Peterborough Volkswagen, became the CIAS President following his one-year term as President of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (TADA). TADA owns the show.
Each CIAS President puts an individual stamp on the event, but Eatson is looking at this in a big-picture way instead of through a singular focus because the automotive industry has gone through such a dramatic turn since the 2020 show because of COVID. It has impacted the manufacturing of cars, specifically the ability to produce them in the same way because of the global chip shortage. Electrification has also become a key part of the change in production. The CIAS’s 2023 theme is Mobility Reimagined.
“My focus along with our amazing team is to get people excited about cars again,” said Eatson in an interview with Canadian auto dealer. “Times are a-changing and we need to adapt and continue the story that buying and driving a new automobile is exciting.”
He said this will be a special year for the show because it is celebrating its 50th anniversary.
“Each has been unique in its own way and this year will be no exception,” said Eatson. “Celebrating 50 years is a huge milestone and we have lots to celebrate. We’re back together celebrating cars and doing so in a very interactive way this year with the introduction of a number of new consumer experience activations—the largest being a 70,000-square foot electric vehicle indoor and test drive zone.”
Some manufacturers have chosen not to participate in shows, continuing a trend that began before COVID because of cost and a desire to do their own online reveals. However, the decision by several major OEMs has led to the cancellation of some of the 2023 Canadian shows. Eatson said he “absolutely” believes auto shows are important.
“I am a firm believer that our industry is still about building relationships, face-to-face communication and touch and feel,” said Eatson. “There is no doubt a place for a full digital experience between OEMs and consumers and all brands are engaging in this way, but my experience is consumers are still visiting our showrooms, building relationships and experiencing our products in person.
“Will it change in the future? Perhaps. But at this point in time we are seeing an appetite to continue building on the tremendous experiences our show has delivered for the past 50 years with initial ticket sales kicking off at a record-setting pace.”
Last week, CIAS General Manager Jason Campbell sent out an industry email to announce the show launched its pre-show ticket sales campaign, which sold 3,010 in the first 24-hour period.
“To put that into perspective, it took the entire month of November to reach that level of sales for the 2020 AutoShow,” said Campbell. “We are up 53% at this time on our 2020 ticket sales. Of course the vast majority of sales will ramp up in late January and early February as normal, but it’s very encouraging to see such a high level of consumer enthusiasm for the return of the show at this early stage, answering the question of whether consumers want to return to such events with a resounding YES!”
