ROCHESTER HILLS, Mich., March 26, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The percentage of women attending the Chicago Auto Show went from 42% in 2013 to an unprecedented majority at 54%. "This is the first time in six years of measuring dozens of auto shows and surveying thousands of auto show attendees that we've seen attendance skew toward women," said Steve Bruyn, CEO of Foresight Research, and an expert in auto show marketing.
"We've noticed that the percentage of women attendees was growing for the past couple of years," Bruyn said, "in fact, it was compelling enough that we are already planning to publish a report on the impact of women at auto shows, but we never expected women to be a majority of show visitors!"
Women did go to the Chicago Auto Show for different reasons than men. Over two-thirds of men intend to buy a car in the next 12 months and only 45% of the attending women share that intention. Likely as a result of this shopping focus, men are much more likely to pre-plan visits to particular displays. Women definitely respond to the fun of the auto show, with just over 87% attending for fun, while about two-thirds of men go for shopping. And men credit the ability to "compare vehicles and shop before going to a dealer" as a reason they attended, while women lean toward "see new vehicles just coming out" and "learn about new electronic features in vehicles."
"The first reaction we get is that the shopping men are dragging their wives and girlfriends to the Chicago Auto Show," said Foresight's Bruyn, "but we look at what influences people to attend and men are actually more often influenced by a friend or relative, and women are more likely to respond to social media or a discounted ticket. For auto show marketers, women are here to stay!"
The Foresight Research Auto Show Best Practices – Women Rising report will be available in June of this year.
About Foresight Research – www.foresightresearch.com
Foresight Research specializes in syndicated and custom studies focusing on the key influencers of purchase decisions in automotive and marine industries. Since 2008, Foresight Research publishes several syndicated reports each year that provide information, strategies and best practices to help auto companies and their partners build, frame, and support marketing insights and actions.