by - It is reported that a record number of journalists and influencers are participating in the Shanghai exhibition.
- The report indicates that many of them are from Latin America, a region that is key to the development of electric vehicles.
- Foreign content creators, according to reports, have received better access to Chinese automakers than ever before.
Perhaps automotive exhibitions in the Western world are on the verge of extinction, and many events have already closed, but in a country with at least 150 active brands, events in China are thriving. Now, as more and more local automakers seek to leave their mark abroad, the number of journalists and influencers arriving seems to be the largest of all time.
China has traditionally been quite strict regarding the conditions for obtaining journalist visas. However, as local automakers realize the importance of media presence, it seems that a policy shift is taking place, as evidenced by the record attendance of journalists.
Targeted campaign
According to information, BYD invited about 150 journalists and influencers, many of whom come from Latin America. Therefore, countries such as El Salvador, Paraguay, Ecuador, Chile, and Peru are a particular focus, as the region is promising for expansion.
Read:
The guests, according to reports, were accommodated in luxury hotels in Shanghai’s prestigious district, with some rooms costing up to $375 per night. Meanwhile, influencers are receiving a level of access that, according to one Chinese creator, was not available before—this has angered some of his colleagues.
The reason for this push is obvious. The Latin American electric vehicle market is expected to exceed $19 billion by 2030. BYD plans to produce over 150,000 cars annually in Brazil, while SAIC plans to open a plant in Mexico.
Access to events for Western media
However, not only those from Latin America flew in, as some of the most influential content creators in the West were also able to attend this event. Despite the fact that most Chinese automakers do not sell their cars in the US, Forest Jones, an influencer with 3.2 million subscribers on YouTube, believes that if these brands can enter this market, American consumers will see the value offered.
Bloomberg reported that Jones was spotted at a meeting with, and later he posted a temporary driver’s license on his Instagram account along with a video testing various cars from Lynk & Co. Meanwhile, from Europe, Felix Hammer, who documents his electric vehicle trips, arrived from Amsterdam. His goal was to learn more about fast-charging technology, but he joked that a car manufacturer like Audi wouldn’t even send him to Portugal.
