PSFK headed to Detroit last week to have a look around the North American International Auto Show. We were curious to see what effects news stories like the sale of Chrysler, Ford’s continued fragmentation, environmental and energy concerns, and the slowing economy had on the products and messages manufacturers were displaying.
Last year, we were let down by the lack of promotion of alternative energy technologies and the environment. Twelve months really made a difference. This year the word ‘hybrid’ was nearly everywhere you looked. Nearly every manufacturer had a dedicated area addressing hybrid engine technology or alternative fuel technology. There was also a lot of green messaging. Toyota had a huge ticker over their stand scrolling through simple tips to be kinder to the environment. Their luxury brand Lexus featured an upstairs ‘hybrid living’ lounge outfitted with sustainable furniture.
Past Detroit shows were always about over-the-top presentation. The stands each of the major manufacturers created at Cobo Hall were large, expensive, and took months just to build. There was noticeably more restraint this year. We did see the use of a lot of angular lines. Land Rover, Honda, and Kia incorporated them graphically and architecturally. Our favorite stand though has to be Volkswagen’s. It was simple and dynamic. The area was framed by sweeping overhead slats that glowed. The cars were arranged adjacent to two aisle boulevards that made navigating the display easy. It never felt crowded. The perimeter walls were lined with video mesh and played off a central large format screen. Scrim fabric and lighting was used to vary the color of the walls from blue to green to orange.
There’s been a lot of reporting on individual cars at the show already, but we’ve compiled a gallery that’s more like a walking tour. We’ve included shots of the stands and some of the environmental graphics. Check it out here on Flickr.
PSFK will have more auto show coverage coming up in March from the 2008 New York Auto Show.
Dave - looks like we saw the same messages. Green was very strong, but part of the overall schizophrenia of an industry pushing big and small, green and power at the same time. Here’s my take.
http://www.changeist.com/changeism/2008/1/20/the-near-future-of-the-american-car-market.html
February 1st, 2008 at 11:19 am