Stateside with Stephanie
Driving B2C from B2B
Stephanie Selesnick revs us up for a race around the 56th edition of the SEMA Show in Las Vegas
T he SEMA Show ( 31 October-3 November 2023 ) is the longestrun annual citywide B2B exhibition in Las Vegas . Going on its 46th edition in the city ( 56th overall ), this juggernaut fourday event for the performance automotive aftermarket industry takes place the first week of November , attracting 150,000 attendees from 140 countries and close to 2,200 exhibiting companies to the Las Vegas Convention Center . It is an exclusive gathering of qualified industry professionals and media from all over the world .
New this year ? A B2C component : SEMA Fest ( https :// www . semafest . com /), a two-day celebration taking place at the nearby Las Vegas Festival Grounds which is open to everyone , complete with big name bands , activations , highly modified vehicles , and the industry ’ s end users , consumer enthusiasts .
I spoke with Tom Gattuso , vice- president of events with SEMA ( the Specialty Equipment Market Association ), the owner of both events , about this new foray into the B2C space .
“ SEMA has been tracking the evolution of the marketplace for many years and has been working on new solutions to engage both the industry and enthusiasts ,” Gattuso says . “ 2021 was the first year SEMA offered individual membership , not just to companies , but also allowing end users to join the association . At that year ’ s SEMA Show , we opened the last day to a limited number of enthusiasts to enjoy the SEMA Show Friday Experience . While exhibitors were initially mixed about the idea , many discovered the feedback received from first-hand users was invaluable and extended the ROI of participating in the Show .”
SEMA Cruise One of my favourite parts of the expo is called the SEMA Cruise . It ’ s a parade of hundreds of vehicles from inside and outside of the exhibition halls at show close . There are multiple spectator bleachers installed along the route with commentators discussing
Stephanie Selesnick
the vehicles as they exit the Las Vegas Convention Center . The cars and trucks become the stars . As Gattuso describes it : “ It ’ s a great showcase of cool cars and a place for car enthusiasts and industry affiliates alike to share a unique facet of the show . The SEMA Cruise alone generates millions of social media impressions , and is a great example of the consumer interest in what the SEMA business community is doing .”
The event between the B2B SEMA Show and SEMA Fest was called SEMA Ignited and featured the SEMA Cruise along with a display area nearby the convention centre where consumers could see the modified vehicles up close . It was a big hit . As Gattuso says : “ It was proof of concept that more than just industry professionals were interested in being part of the show .”
“ The performance automotive industry is social , passionate , and connected ,” Gattuso underlines . “ During Covid , a lot of consumers had the time and resources to work on their vehicles . With the launch of SEMA Fest , enthusiasts have a new opportunity to meaningfully connect and celebrate with each other , see some amazing , modified vehicles , and interact with brands .” Two-day tickets are on sale now , with between 30,000-35,000 festival goers expected daily . Additionally , 10,000 of the tickets are a three-day pass and include entrance to the SEMA Show on 4 November , along with admission to the two-day SEMA Fest .
Left : Close to 2,200 exhibiting companies are expected for this year ’ s SEMA Show in Vegas
Appealing to a new audience Running another new large event on top of one of the world ’ s largest exhibitions isn ’ t an easy feat . SEMA has assigned a couple of people to SEMA Fest and outsourced some of the other moving parts ( concert
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