Chicago Auto Show Ramps Up to Connect With Social Influencers
Once again the Chicago Auto Show will amplify trends and news occurring at the nation’s largest auto show through social media activations with the objective of extending the reach to what show organizers call “non-traditional automotive audiences.” The show has formed partnerships with Digital Megaphone, an organization that creates educational and interactive events for marketers and bloggers, and Word of Mouth Marketing Association (WOMMA), the official trade association in the industry dedicated to word-of-mouth and social media marketing. Together, the Chicago Auto Show and these organizations have formed activations and initiatives that help drive engagement with key influencers and spread excitement for the nine-day public show.
Digital Megaphone will invite key social media influencers to attend the media-only event on Friday, Feb. 12. They will be among the first to see the latest vehicle introductions and cutting-edge technologies. Influencers will be charged with creating a #CASViralVideo using select social media channels. The videos will be judged for a chance to win exclusive prizes up for grabs. The goal of the challenge is to engage digital influencers to put their creative spin on the news and trends coming out of the nation’s largest auto show and the automotive industry overall.
“The 2016 Chicago Auto Show viral video challenge will once again give social media influencers and traditional media the opportunity to explore the show floor during the Media Preview to capture and share their perspective of the latest industry trends while boosting the automaker’s announcements via social media,” said Digital Megaphone Founder and President Hope Bertram.
Additionally, the Chicago Auto Show and WOMMA will host the fourth annual “Driving Engagement Award” ceremony to bring national recognition to one automaker’s particularly engaging social media campaign. Historically, this event has been the culmination of WOMMA’s review and selection process. However, for the first time, WOMMA will enlist consumers to weigh in and cast their vote via an app on the Chicago Auto Show’s Facebook page.
“Whether offline or online, word of mouth has always directly impacted the auto industry – and research proves that’s more true today than ever,” said WOMMA President Suzanne Fanning. “According to our Return on WOM research study, with higher consideration categories like automobiles, a word-of-mouth impression can be up to 200 times more effective than a paid media impression.”
The Digital Megaphone and WOMMA partnerships combined with the Chicago Auto Show’s strong Media Preview provide a powerful platform to strategically reach a new demographic of consumers.
“The Chicago Auto Show is such a visual place and a prime venue to create compelling content, so we will continue to work with organizations like Digital Megaphone and Word of Mouth Marketing Association to invite top influencers from across the country as well as local bloggers to partake in these engaging activations,” said 2016 Chicago Auto Show Chairman Colin Wickstrom.
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