< Back

PFPR research shows media sites now key to motor show PR activity

09 August 2016

Paris 2016 press kits_web header edit.jpg

* USBs no longer USPs, as automotive brands focus on communicating via media sites
* Manufacturers offering fewer edible treats for peckish journalists
* Only 9% of press kits at Geneva featured social media details or a hashtag

New analysis by PFPR suggests that dedicated media sites are now a cornerstone of car manufacturers’ media activity at major international motor shows, while the use of branded giveaways items and bespoke USB sticks is in decline.

The findings, which are revealed in PFPR’s latest analysis of how vehicle manufacturers develop and distribute content to media, focus on this year’s Geneva Motor Show and identify a number of significant changes in delivery formats, translation trends, and the creation of multimedia assets.

Nearly 60% of brands provided a media site URL on a printed media card at the 2016 Geneva show, compared with just 37% last year. Meanwhile, the number of brands handing out USB sticks is falling (39% this year versus 56% in 2015), and far fewer brands are giving away branded edible treats to peckish journalists.

QR codes were used by 30% of manufacturers in their press kit material, while only 9% of kits contained social media details or a hashtag, fewer than at the previous Geneva show.

You can review more statistics from our press kit research by requesting the full set of data. Please contact Peter Cox on +44 (0)1622 766527 or email peter.cox@pfpr.com to request the complete analysis.