The SEMA Show—short for Specialty Equipment Market Association—bills itself as the top automotive specialty products trade event in the world, and drew an imposing 131,000 paid registrants to the Las Vegas Convention Center from November 2 through 5. As part of Automotive Aftermarket Industry Week (which also includes the Automotive Aftermarket Products Expo), the show attracts attendees from more than 100 countries. "Based on the response from our exhibitors, the 2010 SEMA show was a big bounce year for the industry," said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA's vice president of events and communication, who is based in Boston and Altadena, California. "While we’re still auditing our numbers—[the show is] likely in the top three shows for us of all time—our primary gauge is feedback from exhibitors."
The show brought about 1,950 exhibitors—that’s about 15 percent over last year. And it drew nearly 100 sponsors, including Monster Energy Drink, United Parcel Service, Ford Motor Company, and Top Gear, which were the largest. Of those, all but Ford were new. Education sessions, product demonstrations, special events, and networking opportunities rounded out the program.
"While I wouldn’t say that selling sponsorships is easy, the show enjoys a tremendous reputation," said MacGillivray. Advertising sales agency Motor Media headed the sponsorship sales. MacGillivray explained that most of the show's sponsorship leads come to the show, instead of SEMA actively courting them. "We take a consultative approach to our show. We have a huge amount of print, online, and on-site inventory to offer. We work hard to create packages that help our customers get the value and return they are looking for, while contributing to the look and feel of the show." He cited, for instance, the Ford Out Front program this year, in which the show organizers worked with the automaker to produce driving demos with world-class rally drivers. "It was amazing—much more than a banner on the outside of the building," he said.
Also in the mix was a scrolling list of celebrities, who came to the convention center for various appearances. Among them were Snoop Dogg and Funkmaster Flex, who represented for Ford on the first day of the show. "Trade shows are becoming increasingly experiential," said MacGillivray. "Special events and celebrities help us create a buzz, before, during, and after the event. We want people to go home with more than a T-shirt."
Overall, he characterized the mood on the show floor as optimistic and buzzing. "The SEMA show represents an investment in the future," he said. "We’ve heard stories about start-up companies spending their last dollars to participate in the show. When it pays off, it makes grown men cry. I saw more than one grown man cry as a result of this year’s success."