AIMExpo - "We Did It"
Las Vegas, January 19 - 21, 2022
While hard facts such as numbers are thin on the ground, it would appear that this year's AIMExpo at Las Vegas might well have marked the point at which the "reimagined" format of a traditional two/three-day trade only dealer expo has made a comeback.
A point at which the AIMExpo brand has found its place in the industry calendar and a point at which the market decided to get back to basics with a post-pandemic desire to do things the 'old way' and meet vendors in person.
In a country as large as the United States, some 800 or so dealerships (with an average of two people per store apparently) is not a huge result for two days of endeavor - not in historic terms (our source was citing organizer numbers for the Wednesday and Thursday), but in the context of recent years, it is encouraging.
At the time of writing (five days after the show closed), AIMExpo appears to have declined to issue any kind of formal news release or 'show wrap', however, third party reports received from vendors have been mostly complimentary; even including calls for the other major distributors to follow the lead set by Tucker Powersports on the basis that adding its heft to the momentum established in Las Vegas this month may set a positive trend in motion.
AIMExpo has announced February 15-17, 2023, at Las Vegas, as its next date - a return to the traditional mid-February Dealer Expo slot - and while there is no firm news yet, it would be a surprise if the success that Tucker appears to have had this year doesn't encourage it to continue with the joint venture for a while yet at least, before returning to staging its own dealer event or events - if indeed it ever does.
While shows can't protect specialty markets from the effects of recessions and wider issues, if successful, their critical mass can help specialty markets to transition in times of dramatic strategic change.
AIMExpo is to be congratulated on learning the lessons from its early years, and from the final years of the former trade shows that shaped our market, by investing in fewer but higher quality "dealer education" initiatives that had wider relevance - especially with regard to digital marketing and electrification in the powersports market.
AIMExpo was seeking to establish its brand as an author of "disruptive thinking" and through the direct relevance of its seminar program and garnering a better dealer attendance than has been seen at an independent industry show for some years, they may well have done just that.
While there is no data available yet as to how many of the attending dealerships were there expressly because they were Tucker account holders, it is quite likely that at least half were and, for its part, Tucker appears to have made the most of the opportunity with a slew of dealer service and brand development initiatives and a stack of new product introductions across the wide range of markets it now serves.
There will be more AIMExpo reportage and commentary, including some wide ranging brand and product news from Tucker in the upcoming March edition of AMD Magazine.
