SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By Steve Campbell

Information for New Exhibitors at the 2013 SEMA Show

Take Advantage of the Programs, Promotions and Tools

	More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including 500 first-time exhibitors. The Show is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect to and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

The SEMA Show is the world’s most valuable automotive specialty-equipment trade show. More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including more than 415 first-time exhibitors. And while the information provided here is particularly urgent for those who are new to the SEMA Show, it is also must-know content for all exhibiting manufacturers.

More than 130,000 industry professionals are expected at the Show, which is open only to those individuals who are employed in the automotive industry. It is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

Read the Exhibitor Manual

The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show. The online ESM has been redesigned this year and includes general information as well as a list of cost-saving deadlines and all of the online forms an exhibitor might need to secure booth items. Each section is broken down to the basics for ease of navigation. Simply click the buttons on the left side of the table of contents webpage to see the products and services available.

The headings include

• About the Show
• Badges, Registration & Special Events
• Hotels, Parking & Travel
• Marketing, Advertising & Sponsorships

• 	The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show.

  Meeting Rooms
• Guidelines & Policies
• Vehicles/Car Display—Opportunities
• Target Times—When Your Freight Must Be at Your Booth
• Freeman Ordering Procedures
• Carpet, Furnishings & Booth Rentals—Freeman
• Hanging Signs—Freeman
• Hanging Truss & Chain Hoist—Freeman
• Labor—Freeman
• Booth Services
• Freight Shipping
• Freight/Drayage/Material Handling

“The redesigned ESM comes at an ideal time, as exhibitors are now gearing up to register staff, book hotel rooms and planning the physical layout of their booths,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “Of particular interest is the information under the ‘About the Show’ section, where exhibitors will find a list of frequently asked questions, a glossary of terms, details about what is included with a booth and deadlines that started appearing as early as July but are still ongoing. In many cases, exhibitors will see significant cost savings and generate maximum exposure by beating those deadlines.”

We’ve included a few highlights from the manual here, but every exhibitor should get to know the ESM thoroughly to better understand the available tools and ensure ease of participation, provide better visibility with buyers and save time and money. Exhibitors may wish to also have key staff and agencies familiarize themselves with the ESM; more sets of eyes can find more usable information and greater savings.

The companies mentioned in the ESM are the official vendors of the SEMA Show. They were chosen for their understanding of the Show and their high levels of customer service. The Show organizers worked with them to create value pricing and flexible terms, and the organizers recommend that exhibitors consider all of these companies as they create their Show plans.

Included With Each Booth

Even basic SEMA Show booths consist of far more than just floor space. For instance, exhibitors who contract for 400 sq. ft. or less of exhibit space receive free handling for up to 500 lbs. of materials. Those with 450 sq. ft. or more receive a special discount on carpeting of only $1.85 per sq. ft. And every exhibitor receives one SEMA Industry Awards Banquet ticket for each 100 sq. ft. of exhibit space (while tickets last), though they must reserve up to a maximum of 10 tickets per exhibitor.

Every exhibitor is additionally provided with access to Education Days seminars and one free entry in the New Products Showcase or Featured Product Showcase (see below), which is a major attraction for buyers and media from throughout the country and the world. Other included media benefits are company listings in the official SEMA Show Pocket Guide and SEMA Show Directory for booths who confirmed by the August 30 deadline (after August 30, companies will be listed in the Show Directory Addendum). In addition, each exhibitor’s company and product listings are maintained throughout the year in the official SEMA Show online floorplan and directory.

Certain physical booth accessories are included. Each linear booth comes equipped with an 8-ft.-high drape backdrop and 3-ft.-high drape side dividers. Linear booths that are adjacent to a peninsula booth will have an 8-ft. drape between the two booths, and each peninsula exhibit is fitted with an 8-ft.-high full back wall drape. Peninsula exhibits may also construct a full back wall to a maximum of 16 ft. No drape is provided for island exhibits. All aisles are carpeted, and every booth receives a 7x44-in. company identification sign with 24-hour exhibitor hall access.

New Products Showcase

	Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area.

The SEMA Show is all about new products. Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area, and it’s a great way to attract new buyers who may not be familiar with an exhibitor’s products. New buyers are less likely to have specific exhibitors on their schedules—and there were more than 16,000 buyers last year who had never been to the Show before.

The New Products Showcase is now located in the Upper South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition to descriptive signs positioned adjacent to each product, electronic scanners are provided to attendees for use in downloading information for every product entered. The showcase allows exhibitors to introduce new products, packaging and merchandising to industry buyers and media—but the exposure doesn’t end when the Show closes.

Products are photographed before being placed in the display cases, and the photos and descriptions are housed throughout the following year on a SEMA website at www.SEMAphotos.com for use by media and consumers. Products that meet the new-product criteria may also qualify to receive inclusion in the judging for New Product Awards, and displayed products are also featured in SEMA News magazine.

The first product entered in the New Products Showcase is free when submitted online. All additional entries are $75 per product category if entered by Friday, October 11. After October 11, the fee is $150 per product category. Entries submitted on-site will be accepted based on space availability.

For more complete information, visit here.

Pre-Show Promotions

Exhibitors may start drawing buyers to their booths long before the SEMA Show begins through the use of buyer mailing labels. The user-friendly online attendee list rental and marketing system helps exhibitors reach qualified buyers for specific products and services through professional-looking marketing messages. The buyers can be targeted by industry segment, demographic profile or geographic area, and the list counts can be modified to meet individual budget requirements. Complete information is available here.

Generate, Establish and Follow Up With Leads

The use of lead-retrieval products and services from CompuSystems offers another way to connect exhibitors with Show attendees before, during and after the event. The TrafficMax attendee promotional service can be used to send customized marketing messages to the exhibitor’s target audience, and once buyers are on-site, their information and qualifications can be quickly captured using CompuLEAD lead-retrieval products. When the Show ends, exhibitors that used a CompuLEAD device have access to BuyerConnect, a post-Show follow-up service. This suite of products is designed to help exhibitors maximize their return on investment. Complete information is available here.

Displaying a Vehicle

There’s nothing like displaying a product actually installed on an eye-catching vehicle to attract the attention of buyers and media, and the SEMA Show provides two opportunities to do so: either in the exhibitor’s booth or in another location on the Show floor or grounds.

Booth vehicles may occupy no more than 80% of the contracted exhibit space and must be set back 10 in. from the aisle. There are strict rules pertaining to the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers (visit here), but exhibitors do not need to check in their booth vehicles; they simply report to the freight door nearest their booth at any time during exhibitor move-in hours.

Vehicles displayed in other areas of the Show floor or grounds may be entered in the SEMA Show Feature Vehicle Program, which provides extensive exposure. Vehicle spaces are $399 each, and while any exhibitor may submit multiple applications, each company is guaranteed only one vehicle placement, with additional placements dependent upon space availability. Multiple vehicles from the same company may not be placed together.

Each vehicle must be sponsored by a company exhibiting at the 2013 SEMA Show, with the same rules noted above concerning the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers. Confirmation of placement for companies submitting multiple vehicles will be sent no later than October 11.

For more information about booth vehicles, visit here. For more about the Feature Vehicle Program, visit here.

SEMA Publications and Sponsorship Opportunities

Members of the press from every type of outlet and from all over the world converge every year in Las Vegas to cover the SEMA Show, and that equates to terrific opportunities for exhibitors to promote their products. In addition, SEMA produces multiple publications that provide information and promotional opportunities well in advance of the Show. These publications are distributed to the full breadth of industry professionals and include the monthly SEMA News magazine, weekly electronic newsletter SEMA eNews and SEMA Show Daily, which is produced on-site in Las Vegas throughout the Show.

In addition to the advertising options, the SEMA Show also offers numerous sponsorship opportunities, including everything from billboard kiosk ad panels and hanging banners to sponsorship of the SEMA Media Center and Wi-Fi sponsorships. There are also multiple-feature value packs and—specifically for newcomers—a First-Time Exhibitor Sponsorship package.

The first-timer package includes one aisle sign, a single-sided billboard kiosk panel, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the official SEMA Show Directory, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the SEMA Show Pocket Guide and inclusion in a sponsor-acknowledgement ad in the official SEMA Show Directory.

For information about advertising and sponsorship opportunities, contact Brian Paik at 909-978-6677 or Monica Terlouw at 909-978-6695.

Public Relations Opportunities

As noted, media coverage can play a significant role in the success of exhibiting at the SEMA Show, and there is a wealth of avenues for generating coverage of a company and its products. The programs include press-release distribution—both online and as hard copies placed in the SEMA Show Media Center—as well as press conferences, listings of celebrity appearances, product training sessions, social-media connections, after-hours parties and special events.

Media throughout the world will use information from these sources to fill their publications, the airwaves and Internet content sites. In most cases, these opportunities are limited and are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis, and media begin visiting the online media center at well before the actual Show. For complete information about PR programs, either prior to, during or after the SEMA Show, contact SEMA Director of PR Della Domingo via e-mail at dellad@sema.org or by phone at 909-978-6723.

Last-Minute Webinar for First-Timers

Exhibiting at the SEMA Show takes some planning and preparation, and there are a number of details that may not occur to a first-timer until just a few weeks before the doors open. The Show organizers have put together a webinar—an online seminar that requires only a computer and an Internet connection for participation—designed to answer some of the most frequently asked logistical questions. They include what to do when you arrive at your hotel, how and where to arrange transportation, parking while at the Show, moving in and moving out, taking care of yourself, eating well and much more.

The webinar is scheduled to take place September 19. For information about participating and to register, visit here.

See you at the SEMA Show!

SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By Steve Campbell

Information for New Exhibitors at the 2013 SEMA Show

Take Advantage of the Programs, Promotions and Tools

	More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including 500 first-time exhibitors. The Show is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect to and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

The SEMA Show is the world’s most valuable automotive specialty-equipment trade show. More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including more than 415 first-time exhibitors. And while the information provided here is particularly urgent for those who are new to the SEMA Show, it is also must-know content for all exhibiting manufacturers.

More than 130,000 industry professionals are expected at the Show, which is open only to those individuals who are employed in the automotive industry. It is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

Read the Exhibitor Manual

The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show. The online ESM has been redesigned this year and includes general information as well as a list of cost-saving deadlines and all of the online forms an exhibitor might need to secure booth items. Each section is broken down to the basics for ease of navigation. Simply click the buttons on the left side of the table of contents webpage to see the products and services available.

The headings include

• About the Show
• Badges, Registration & Special Events
• Hotels, Parking & Travel
• Marketing, Advertising & Sponsorships

• 	The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show.

  Meeting Rooms
• Guidelines & Policies
• Vehicles/Car Display—Opportunities
• Target Times—When Your Freight Must Be at Your Booth
• Freeman Ordering Procedures
• Carpet, Furnishings & Booth Rentals—Freeman
• Hanging Signs—Freeman
• Hanging Truss & Chain Hoist—Freeman
• Labor—Freeman
• Booth Services
• Freight Shipping
• Freight/Drayage/Material Handling

“The redesigned ESM comes at an ideal time, as exhibitors are now gearing up to register staff, book hotel rooms and planning the physical layout of their booths,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “Of particular interest is the information under the ‘About the Show’ section, where exhibitors will find a list of frequently asked questions, a glossary of terms, details about what is included with a booth and deadlines that started appearing as early as July but are still ongoing. In many cases, exhibitors will see significant cost savings and generate maximum exposure by beating those deadlines.”

We’ve included a few highlights from the manual here, but every exhibitor should get to know the ESM thoroughly to better understand the available tools and ensure ease of participation, provide better visibility with buyers and save time and money. Exhibitors may wish to also have key staff and agencies familiarize themselves with the ESM; more sets of eyes can find more usable information and greater savings.

The companies mentioned in the ESM are the official vendors of the SEMA Show. They were chosen for their understanding of the Show and their high levels of customer service. The Show organizers worked with them to create value pricing and flexible terms, and the organizers recommend that exhibitors consider all of these companies as they create their Show plans.

Included With Each Booth

Even basic SEMA Show booths consist of far more than just floor space. For instance, exhibitors who contract for 400 sq. ft. or less of exhibit space receive free handling for up to 500 lbs. of materials. Those with 450 sq. ft. or more receive a special discount on carpeting of only $1.85 per sq. ft. And every exhibitor receives one SEMA Industry Awards Banquet ticket for each 100 sq. ft. of exhibit space (while tickets last), though they must reserve up to a maximum of 10 tickets per exhibitor.

Every exhibitor is additionally provided with access to Education Days seminars and one free entry in the New Products Showcase or Featured Product Showcase (see below), which is a major attraction for buyers and media from throughout the country and the world. Other included media benefits are company listings in the official SEMA Show Pocket Guide and SEMA Show Directory for booths who confirmed by the August 30 deadline (after August 30, companies will be listed in the Show Directory Addendum). In addition, each exhibitor’s company and product listings are maintained throughout the year in the official SEMA Show online floorplan and directory.

Certain physical booth accessories are included. Each linear booth comes equipped with an 8-ft.-high drape backdrop and 3-ft.-high drape side dividers. Linear booths that are adjacent to a peninsula booth will have an 8-ft. drape between the two booths, and each peninsula exhibit is fitted with an 8-ft.-high full back wall drape. Peninsula exhibits may also construct a full back wall to a maximum of 16 ft. No drape is provided for island exhibits. All aisles are carpeted, and every booth receives a 7x44-in. company identification sign with 24-hour exhibitor hall access.

New Products Showcase

	Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area.

The SEMA Show is all about new products. Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area, and it’s a great way to attract new buyers who may not be familiar with an exhibitor’s products. New buyers are less likely to have specific exhibitors on their schedules—and there were more than 16,000 buyers last year who had never been to the Show before.

The New Products Showcase is now located in the Upper South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition to descriptive signs positioned adjacent to each product, electronic scanners are provided to attendees for use in downloading information for every product entered. The showcase allows exhibitors to introduce new products, packaging and merchandising to industry buyers and media—but the exposure doesn’t end when the Show closes.

Products are photographed before being placed in the display cases, and the photos and descriptions are housed throughout the following year on a SEMA website at www.SEMAphotos.com for use by media and consumers. Products that meet the new-product criteria may also qualify to receive inclusion in the judging for New Product Awards, and displayed products are also featured in SEMA News magazine.

The first product entered in the New Products Showcase is free when submitted online. All additional entries are $75 per product category if entered by Friday, October 11. After October 11, the fee is $150 per product category. Entries submitted on-site will be accepted based on space availability.

For more complete information, visit here.

Pre-Show Promotions

Exhibitors may start drawing buyers to their booths long before the SEMA Show begins through the use of buyer mailing labels. The user-friendly online attendee list rental and marketing system helps exhibitors reach qualified buyers for specific products and services through professional-looking marketing messages. The buyers can be targeted by industry segment, demographic profile or geographic area, and the list counts can be modified to meet individual budget requirements. Complete information is available here.

Generate, Establish and Follow Up With Leads

The use of lead-retrieval products and services from CompuSystems offers another way to connect exhibitors with Show attendees before, during and after the event. The TrafficMax attendee promotional service can be used to send customized marketing messages to the exhibitor’s target audience, and once buyers are on-site, their information and qualifications can be quickly captured using CompuLEAD lead-retrieval products. When the Show ends, exhibitors that used a CompuLEAD device have access to BuyerConnect, a post-Show follow-up service. This suite of products is designed to help exhibitors maximize their return on investment. Complete information is available here.

Displaying a Vehicle

There’s nothing like displaying a product actually installed on an eye-catching vehicle to attract the attention of buyers and media, and the SEMA Show provides two opportunities to do so: either in the exhibitor’s booth or in another location on the Show floor or grounds.

Booth vehicles may occupy no more than 80% of the contracted exhibit space and must be set back 10 in. from the aisle. There are strict rules pertaining to the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers (visit here), but exhibitors do not need to check in their booth vehicles; they simply report to the freight door nearest their booth at any time during exhibitor move-in hours.

Vehicles displayed in other areas of the Show floor or grounds may be entered in the SEMA Show Feature Vehicle Program, which provides extensive exposure. Vehicle spaces are $399 each, and while any exhibitor may submit multiple applications, each company is guaranteed only one vehicle placement, with additional placements dependent upon space availability. Multiple vehicles from the same company may not be placed together.

Each vehicle must be sponsored by a company exhibiting at the 2013 SEMA Show, with the same rules noted above concerning the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers. Confirmation of placement for companies submitting multiple vehicles will be sent no later than October 11.

For more information about booth vehicles, visit here. For more about the Feature Vehicle Program, visit here.

SEMA Publications and Sponsorship Opportunities

Members of the press from every type of outlet and from all over the world converge every year in Las Vegas to cover the SEMA Show, and that equates to terrific opportunities for exhibitors to promote their products. In addition, SEMA produces multiple publications that provide information and promotional opportunities well in advance of the Show. These publications are distributed to the full breadth of industry professionals and include the monthly SEMA News magazine, weekly electronic newsletter SEMA eNews and SEMA Show Daily, which is produced on-site in Las Vegas throughout the Show.

In addition to the advertising options, the SEMA Show also offers numerous sponsorship opportunities, including everything from billboard kiosk ad panels and hanging banners to sponsorship of the SEMA Media Center and Wi-Fi sponsorships. There are also multiple-feature value packs and—specifically for newcomers—a First-Time Exhibitor Sponsorship package.

The first-timer package includes one aisle sign, a single-sided billboard kiosk panel, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the official SEMA Show Directory, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the SEMA Show Pocket Guide and inclusion in a sponsor-acknowledgement ad in the official SEMA Show Directory.

For information about advertising and sponsorship opportunities, contact Brian Paik at 909-978-6677 or Monica Terlouw at 909-978-6695.

Public Relations Opportunities

As noted, media coverage can play a significant role in the success of exhibiting at the SEMA Show, and there is a wealth of avenues for generating coverage of a company and its products. The programs include press-release distribution—both online and as hard copies placed in the SEMA Show Media Center—as well as press conferences, listings of celebrity appearances, product training sessions, social-media connections, after-hours parties and special events.

Media throughout the world will use information from these sources to fill their publications, the airwaves and Internet content sites. In most cases, these opportunities are limited and are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis, and media begin visiting the online media center at well before the actual Show. For complete information about PR programs, either prior to, during or after the SEMA Show, contact SEMA Director of PR Della Domingo via e-mail at dellad@sema.org or by phone at 909-978-6723.

Last-Minute Webinar for First-Timers

Exhibiting at the SEMA Show takes some planning and preparation, and there are a number of details that may not occur to a first-timer until just a few weeks before the doors open. The Show organizers have put together a webinar—an online seminar that requires only a computer and an Internet connection for participation—designed to answer some of the most frequently asked logistical questions. They include what to do when you arrive at your hotel, how and where to arrange transportation, parking while at the Show, moving in and moving out, taking care of yourself, eating well and much more.

The webinar is scheduled to take place September 19. For information about participating and to register, visit here.

See you at the SEMA Show!

SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By Steve Campbell

Information for New Exhibitors at the 2013 SEMA Show

Take Advantage of the Programs, Promotions and Tools

	More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including 500 first-time exhibitors. The Show is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect to and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

The SEMA Show is the world’s most valuable automotive specialty-equipment trade show. More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including more than 415 first-time exhibitors. And while the information provided here is particularly urgent for those who are new to the SEMA Show, it is also must-know content for all exhibiting manufacturers.

More than 130,000 industry professionals are expected at the Show, which is open only to those individuals who are employed in the automotive industry. It is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

Read the Exhibitor Manual

The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show. The online ESM has been redesigned this year and includes general information as well as a list of cost-saving deadlines and all of the online forms an exhibitor might need to secure booth items. Each section is broken down to the basics for ease of navigation. Simply click the buttons on the left side of the table of contents webpage to see the products and services available.

The headings include

• About the Show
• Badges, Registration & Special Events
• Hotels, Parking & Travel
• Marketing, Advertising & Sponsorships

• 	The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show.

  Meeting Rooms
• Guidelines & Policies
• Vehicles/Car Display—Opportunities
• Target Times—When Your Freight Must Be at Your Booth
• Freeman Ordering Procedures
• Carpet, Furnishings & Booth Rentals—Freeman
• Hanging Signs—Freeman
• Hanging Truss & Chain Hoist—Freeman
• Labor—Freeman
• Booth Services
• Freight Shipping
• Freight/Drayage/Material Handling

“The redesigned ESM comes at an ideal time, as exhibitors are now gearing up to register staff, book hotel rooms and planning the physical layout of their booths,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “Of particular interest is the information under the ‘About the Show’ section, where exhibitors will find a list of frequently asked questions, a glossary of terms, details about what is included with a booth and deadlines that started appearing as early as July but are still ongoing. In many cases, exhibitors will see significant cost savings and generate maximum exposure by beating those deadlines.”

We’ve included a few highlights from the manual here, but every exhibitor should get to know the ESM thoroughly to better understand the available tools and ensure ease of participation, provide better visibility with buyers and save time and money. Exhibitors may wish to also have key staff and agencies familiarize themselves with the ESM; more sets of eyes can find more usable information and greater savings.

The companies mentioned in the ESM are the official vendors of the SEMA Show. They were chosen for their understanding of the Show and their high levels of customer service. The Show organizers worked with them to create value pricing and flexible terms, and the organizers recommend that exhibitors consider all of these companies as they create their Show plans.

Included With Each Booth

Even basic SEMA Show booths consist of far more than just floor space. For instance, exhibitors who contract for 400 sq. ft. or less of exhibit space receive free handling for up to 500 lbs. of materials. Those with 450 sq. ft. or more receive a special discount on carpeting of only $1.85 per sq. ft. And every exhibitor receives one SEMA Industry Awards Banquet ticket for each 100 sq. ft. of exhibit space (while tickets last), though they must reserve up to a maximum of 10 tickets per exhibitor.

Every exhibitor is additionally provided with access to Education Days seminars and one free entry in the New Products Showcase or Featured Product Showcase (see below), which is a major attraction for buyers and media from throughout the country and the world. Other included media benefits are company listings in the official SEMA Show Pocket Guide and SEMA Show Directory for booths who confirmed by the August 30 deadline (after August 30, companies will be listed in the Show Directory Addendum). In addition, each exhibitor’s company and product listings are maintained throughout the year in the official SEMA Show online floorplan and directory.

Certain physical booth accessories are included. Each linear booth comes equipped with an 8-ft.-high drape backdrop and 3-ft.-high drape side dividers. Linear booths that are adjacent to a peninsula booth will have an 8-ft. drape between the two booths, and each peninsula exhibit is fitted with an 8-ft.-high full back wall drape. Peninsula exhibits may also construct a full back wall to a maximum of 16 ft. No drape is provided for island exhibits. All aisles are carpeted, and every booth receives a 7x44-in. company identification sign with 24-hour exhibitor hall access.

New Products Showcase

	Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area.

The SEMA Show is all about new products. Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area, and it’s a great way to attract new buyers who may not be familiar with an exhibitor’s products. New buyers are less likely to have specific exhibitors on their schedules—and there were more than 16,000 buyers last year who had never been to the Show before.

The New Products Showcase is now located in the Upper South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition to descriptive signs positioned adjacent to each product, electronic scanners are provided to attendees for use in downloading information for every product entered. The showcase allows exhibitors to introduce new products, packaging and merchandising to industry buyers and media—but the exposure doesn’t end when the Show closes.

Products are photographed before being placed in the display cases, and the photos and descriptions are housed throughout the following year on a SEMA website at www.SEMAphotos.com for use by media and consumers. Products that meet the new-product criteria may also qualify to receive inclusion in the judging for New Product Awards, and displayed products are also featured in SEMA News magazine.

The first product entered in the New Products Showcase is free when submitted online. All additional entries are $75 per product category if entered by Friday, October 11. After October 11, the fee is $150 per product category. Entries submitted on-site will be accepted based on space availability.

For more complete information, visit here.

Pre-Show Promotions

Exhibitors may start drawing buyers to their booths long before the SEMA Show begins through the use of buyer mailing labels. The user-friendly online attendee list rental and marketing system helps exhibitors reach qualified buyers for specific products and services through professional-looking marketing messages. The buyers can be targeted by industry segment, demographic profile or geographic area, and the list counts can be modified to meet individual budget requirements. Complete information is available here.

Generate, Establish and Follow Up With Leads

The use of lead-retrieval products and services from CompuSystems offers another way to connect exhibitors with Show attendees before, during and after the event. The TrafficMax attendee promotional service can be used to send customized marketing messages to the exhibitor’s target audience, and once buyers are on-site, their information and qualifications can be quickly captured using CompuLEAD lead-retrieval products. When the Show ends, exhibitors that used a CompuLEAD device have access to BuyerConnect, a post-Show follow-up service. This suite of products is designed to help exhibitors maximize their return on investment. Complete information is available here.

Displaying a Vehicle

There’s nothing like displaying a product actually installed on an eye-catching vehicle to attract the attention of buyers and media, and the SEMA Show provides two opportunities to do so: either in the exhibitor’s booth or in another location on the Show floor or grounds.

Booth vehicles may occupy no more than 80% of the contracted exhibit space and must be set back 10 in. from the aisle. There are strict rules pertaining to the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers (visit here), but exhibitors do not need to check in their booth vehicles; they simply report to the freight door nearest their booth at any time during exhibitor move-in hours.

Vehicles displayed in other areas of the Show floor or grounds may be entered in the SEMA Show Feature Vehicle Program, which provides extensive exposure. Vehicle spaces are $399 each, and while any exhibitor may submit multiple applications, each company is guaranteed only one vehicle placement, with additional placements dependent upon space availability. Multiple vehicles from the same company may not be placed together.

Each vehicle must be sponsored by a company exhibiting at the 2013 SEMA Show, with the same rules noted above concerning the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers. Confirmation of placement for companies submitting multiple vehicles will be sent no later than October 11.

For more information about booth vehicles, visit here. For more about the Feature Vehicle Program, visit here.

SEMA Publications and Sponsorship Opportunities

Members of the press from every type of outlet and from all over the world converge every year in Las Vegas to cover the SEMA Show, and that equates to terrific opportunities for exhibitors to promote their products. In addition, SEMA produces multiple publications that provide information and promotional opportunities well in advance of the Show. These publications are distributed to the full breadth of industry professionals and include the monthly SEMA News magazine, weekly electronic newsletter SEMA eNews and SEMA Show Daily, which is produced on-site in Las Vegas throughout the Show.

In addition to the advertising options, the SEMA Show also offers numerous sponsorship opportunities, including everything from billboard kiosk ad panels and hanging banners to sponsorship of the SEMA Media Center and Wi-Fi sponsorships. There are also multiple-feature value packs and—specifically for newcomers—a First-Time Exhibitor Sponsorship package.

The first-timer package includes one aisle sign, a single-sided billboard kiosk panel, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the official SEMA Show Directory, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the SEMA Show Pocket Guide and inclusion in a sponsor-acknowledgement ad in the official SEMA Show Directory.

For information about advertising and sponsorship opportunities, contact Brian Paik at 909-978-6677 or Monica Terlouw at 909-978-6695.

Public Relations Opportunities

As noted, media coverage can play a significant role in the success of exhibiting at the SEMA Show, and there is a wealth of avenues for generating coverage of a company and its products. The programs include press-release distribution—both online and as hard copies placed in the SEMA Show Media Center—as well as press conferences, listings of celebrity appearances, product training sessions, social-media connections, after-hours parties and special events.

Media throughout the world will use information from these sources to fill their publications, the airwaves and Internet content sites. In most cases, these opportunities are limited and are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis, and media begin visiting the online media center at well before the actual Show. For complete information about PR programs, either prior to, during or after the SEMA Show, contact SEMA Director of PR Della Domingo via e-mail at dellad@sema.org or by phone at 909-978-6723.

Last-Minute Webinar for First-Timers

Exhibiting at the SEMA Show takes some planning and preparation, and there are a number of details that may not occur to a first-timer until just a few weeks before the doors open. The Show organizers have put together a webinar—an online seminar that requires only a computer and an Internet connection for participation—designed to answer some of the most frequently asked logistical questions. They include what to do when you arrive at your hotel, how and where to arrange transportation, parking while at the Show, moving in and moving out, taking care of yourself, eating well and much more.

The webinar is scheduled to take place September 19. For information about participating and to register, visit here.

See you at the SEMA Show!

SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By Steve Campbell

Information for New Exhibitors at the 2013 SEMA Show

Take Advantage of the Programs, Promotions and Tools

	More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including 500 first-time exhibitors. The Show is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect to and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

The SEMA Show is the world’s most valuable automotive specialty-equipment trade show. More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including more than 415 first-time exhibitors. And while the information provided here is particularly urgent for those who are new to the SEMA Show, it is also must-know content for all exhibiting manufacturers.

More than 130,000 industry professionals are expected at the Show, which is open only to those individuals who are employed in the automotive industry. It is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

Read the Exhibitor Manual

The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show. The online ESM has been redesigned this year and includes general information as well as a list of cost-saving deadlines and all of the online forms an exhibitor might need to secure booth items. Each section is broken down to the basics for ease of navigation. Simply click the buttons on the left side of the table of contents webpage to see the products and services available.

The headings include

• About the Show
• Badges, Registration & Special Events
• Hotels, Parking & Travel
• Marketing, Advertising & Sponsorships

• 	The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show.

  Meeting Rooms
• Guidelines & Policies
• Vehicles/Car Display—Opportunities
• Target Times—When Your Freight Must Be at Your Booth
• Freeman Ordering Procedures
• Carpet, Furnishings & Booth Rentals—Freeman
• Hanging Signs—Freeman
• Hanging Truss & Chain Hoist—Freeman
• Labor—Freeman
• Booth Services
• Freight Shipping
• Freight/Drayage/Material Handling

“The redesigned ESM comes at an ideal time, as exhibitors are now gearing up to register staff, book hotel rooms and planning the physical layout of their booths,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “Of particular interest is the information under the ‘About the Show’ section, where exhibitors will find a list of frequently asked questions, a glossary of terms, details about what is included with a booth and deadlines that started appearing as early as July but are still ongoing. In many cases, exhibitors will see significant cost savings and generate maximum exposure by beating those deadlines.”

We’ve included a few highlights from the manual here, but every exhibitor should get to know the ESM thoroughly to better understand the available tools and ensure ease of participation, provide better visibility with buyers and save time and money. Exhibitors may wish to also have key staff and agencies familiarize themselves with the ESM; more sets of eyes can find more usable information and greater savings.

The companies mentioned in the ESM are the official vendors of the SEMA Show. They were chosen for their understanding of the Show and their high levels of customer service. The Show organizers worked with them to create value pricing and flexible terms, and the organizers recommend that exhibitors consider all of these companies as they create their Show plans.

Included With Each Booth

Even basic SEMA Show booths consist of far more than just floor space. For instance, exhibitors who contract for 400 sq. ft. or less of exhibit space receive free handling for up to 500 lbs. of materials. Those with 450 sq. ft. or more receive a special discount on carpeting of only $1.85 per sq. ft. And every exhibitor receives one SEMA Industry Awards Banquet ticket for each 100 sq. ft. of exhibit space (while tickets last), though they must reserve up to a maximum of 10 tickets per exhibitor.

Every exhibitor is additionally provided with access to Education Days seminars and one free entry in the New Products Showcase or Featured Product Showcase (see below), which is a major attraction for buyers and media from throughout the country and the world. Other included media benefits are company listings in the official SEMA Show Pocket Guide and SEMA Show Directory for booths who confirmed by the August 30 deadline (after August 30, companies will be listed in the Show Directory Addendum). In addition, each exhibitor’s company and product listings are maintained throughout the year in the official SEMA Show online floorplan and directory.

Certain physical booth accessories are included. Each linear booth comes equipped with an 8-ft.-high drape backdrop and 3-ft.-high drape side dividers. Linear booths that are adjacent to a peninsula booth will have an 8-ft. drape between the two booths, and each peninsula exhibit is fitted with an 8-ft.-high full back wall drape. Peninsula exhibits may also construct a full back wall to a maximum of 16 ft. No drape is provided for island exhibits. All aisles are carpeted, and every booth receives a 7x44-in. company identification sign with 24-hour exhibitor hall access.

New Products Showcase

	Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area.

The SEMA Show is all about new products. Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area, and it’s a great way to attract new buyers who may not be familiar with an exhibitor’s products. New buyers are less likely to have specific exhibitors on their schedules—and there were more than 16,000 buyers last year who had never been to the Show before.

The New Products Showcase is now located in the Upper South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition to descriptive signs positioned adjacent to each product, electronic scanners are provided to attendees for use in downloading information for every product entered. The showcase allows exhibitors to introduce new products, packaging and merchandising to industry buyers and media—but the exposure doesn’t end when the Show closes.

Products are photographed before being placed in the display cases, and the photos and descriptions are housed throughout the following year on a SEMA website at www.SEMAphotos.com for use by media and consumers. Products that meet the new-product criteria may also qualify to receive inclusion in the judging for New Product Awards, and displayed products are also featured in SEMA News magazine.

The first product entered in the New Products Showcase is free when submitted online. All additional entries are $75 per product category if entered by Friday, October 11. After October 11, the fee is $150 per product category. Entries submitted on-site will be accepted based on space availability.

For more complete information, visit here.

Pre-Show Promotions

Exhibitors may start drawing buyers to their booths long before the SEMA Show begins through the use of buyer mailing labels. The user-friendly online attendee list rental and marketing system helps exhibitors reach qualified buyers for specific products and services through professional-looking marketing messages. The buyers can be targeted by industry segment, demographic profile or geographic area, and the list counts can be modified to meet individual budget requirements. Complete information is available here.

Generate, Establish and Follow Up With Leads

The use of lead-retrieval products and services from CompuSystems offers another way to connect exhibitors with Show attendees before, during and after the event. The TrafficMax attendee promotional service can be used to send customized marketing messages to the exhibitor’s target audience, and once buyers are on-site, their information and qualifications can be quickly captured using CompuLEAD lead-retrieval products. When the Show ends, exhibitors that used a CompuLEAD device have access to BuyerConnect, a post-Show follow-up service. This suite of products is designed to help exhibitors maximize their return on investment. Complete information is available here.

Displaying a Vehicle

There’s nothing like displaying a product actually installed on an eye-catching vehicle to attract the attention of buyers and media, and the SEMA Show provides two opportunities to do so: either in the exhibitor’s booth or in another location on the Show floor or grounds.

Booth vehicles may occupy no more than 80% of the contracted exhibit space and must be set back 10 in. from the aisle. There are strict rules pertaining to the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers (visit here), but exhibitors do not need to check in their booth vehicles; they simply report to the freight door nearest their booth at any time during exhibitor move-in hours.

Vehicles displayed in other areas of the Show floor or grounds may be entered in the SEMA Show Feature Vehicle Program, which provides extensive exposure. Vehicle spaces are $399 each, and while any exhibitor may submit multiple applications, each company is guaranteed only one vehicle placement, with additional placements dependent upon space availability. Multiple vehicles from the same company may not be placed together.

Each vehicle must be sponsored by a company exhibiting at the 2013 SEMA Show, with the same rules noted above concerning the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers. Confirmation of placement for companies submitting multiple vehicles will be sent no later than October 11.

For more information about booth vehicles, visit here. For more about the Feature Vehicle Program, visit here.

SEMA Publications and Sponsorship Opportunities

Members of the press from every type of outlet and from all over the world converge every year in Las Vegas to cover the SEMA Show, and that equates to terrific opportunities for exhibitors to promote their products. In addition, SEMA produces multiple publications that provide information and promotional opportunities well in advance of the Show. These publications are distributed to the full breadth of industry professionals and include the monthly SEMA News magazine, weekly electronic newsletter SEMA eNews and SEMA Show Daily, which is produced on-site in Las Vegas throughout the Show.

In addition to the advertising options, the SEMA Show also offers numerous sponsorship opportunities, including everything from billboard kiosk ad panels and hanging banners to sponsorship of the SEMA Media Center and Wi-Fi sponsorships. There are also multiple-feature value packs and—specifically for newcomers—a First-Time Exhibitor Sponsorship package.

The first-timer package includes one aisle sign, a single-sided billboard kiosk panel, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the official SEMA Show Directory, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the SEMA Show Pocket Guide and inclusion in a sponsor-acknowledgement ad in the official SEMA Show Directory.

For information about advertising and sponsorship opportunities, contact Brian Paik at 909-978-6677 or Monica Terlouw at 909-978-6695.

Public Relations Opportunities

As noted, media coverage can play a significant role in the success of exhibiting at the SEMA Show, and there is a wealth of avenues for generating coverage of a company and its products. The programs include press-release distribution—both online and as hard copies placed in the SEMA Show Media Center—as well as press conferences, listings of celebrity appearances, product training sessions, social-media connections, after-hours parties and special events.

Media throughout the world will use information from these sources to fill their publications, the airwaves and Internet content sites. In most cases, these opportunities are limited and are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis, and media begin visiting the online media center at well before the actual Show. For complete information about PR programs, either prior to, during or after the SEMA Show, contact SEMA Director of PR Della Domingo via e-mail at dellad@sema.org or by phone at 909-978-6723.

Last-Minute Webinar for First-Timers

Exhibiting at the SEMA Show takes some planning and preparation, and there are a number of details that may not occur to a first-timer until just a few weeks before the doors open. The Show organizers have put together a webinar—an online seminar that requires only a computer and an Internet connection for participation—designed to answer some of the most frequently asked logistical questions. They include what to do when you arrive at your hotel, how and where to arrange transportation, parking while at the Show, moving in and moving out, taking care of yourself, eating well and much more.

The webinar is scheduled to take place September 19. For information about participating and to register, visit here.

See you at the SEMA Show!

SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By Steve Campbell

Information for New Exhibitors at the 2013 SEMA Show

Take Advantage of the Programs, Promotions and Tools

	More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including 500 first-time exhibitors. The Show is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect to and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

The SEMA Show is the world’s most valuable automotive specialty-equipment trade show. More than 2,100 companies have already secured space for the 2013 event, including more than 415 first-time exhibitors. And while the information provided here is particularly urgent for those who are new to the SEMA Show, it is also must-know content for all exhibiting manufacturers.

More than 130,000 industry professionals are expected at the Show, which is open only to those individuals who are employed in the automotive industry. It is designed to provide manufacturers of automotive products and accessories with a venue to connect and do business with buyers from throughout the world, so the better informed exhibitors are, the more successful their experience will be.

Read the Exhibitor Manual

The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show. The online ESM has been redesigned this year and includes general information as well as a list of cost-saving deadlines and all of the online forms an exhibitor might need to secure booth items. Each section is broken down to the basics for ease of navigation. Simply click the buttons on the left side of the table of contents webpage to see the products and services available.

The headings include

• About the Show
• Badges, Registration & Special Events
• Hotels, Parking & Travel
• Marketing, Advertising & Sponsorships

• 	The number-one tool for new exhibitors—for all exhibitors, really—is the online Exhibitor Services Manual, where the Show organizers have housed all of the resources pertinent to successfully displaying at the SEMA Show.

  Meeting Rooms
• Guidelines & Policies
• Vehicles/Car Display—Opportunities
• Target Times—When Your Freight Must Be at Your Booth
• Freeman Ordering Procedures
• Carpet, Furnishings & Booth Rentals—Freeman
• Hanging Signs—Freeman
• Hanging Truss & Chain Hoist—Freeman
• Labor—Freeman
• Booth Services
• Freight Shipping
• Freight/Drayage/Material Handling

“The redesigned ESM comes at an ideal time, as exhibitors are now gearing up to register staff, book hotel rooms and planning the physical layout of their booths,” said Peter MacGillivray, SEMA vice president of communications and events. “Of particular interest is the information under the ‘About the Show’ section, where exhibitors will find a list of frequently asked questions, a glossary of terms, details about what is included with a booth and deadlines that started appearing as early as July but are still ongoing. In many cases, exhibitors will see significant cost savings and generate maximum exposure by beating those deadlines.”

We’ve included a few highlights from the manual here, but every exhibitor should get to know the ESM thoroughly to better understand the available tools and ensure ease of participation, provide better visibility with buyers and save time and money. Exhibitors may wish to also have key staff and agencies familiarize themselves with the ESM; more sets of eyes can find more usable information and greater savings.

The companies mentioned in the ESM are the official vendors of the SEMA Show. They were chosen for their understanding of the Show and their high levels of customer service. The Show organizers worked with them to create value pricing and flexible terms, and the organizers recommend that exhibitors consider all of these companies as they create their Show plans.

Included With Each Booth

Even basic SEMA Show booths consist of far more than just floor space. For instance, exhibitors who contract for 400 sq. ft. or less of exhibit space receive free handling for up to 500 lbs. of materials. Those with 450 sq. ft. or more receive a special discount on carpeting of only $1.85 per sq. ft. And every exhibitor receives one SEMA Industry Awards Banquet ticket for each 100 sq. ft. of exhibit space (while tickets last), though they must reserve up to a maximum of 10 tickets per exhibitor.

Every exhibitor is additionally provided with access to Education Days seminars and one free entry in the New Products Showcase or Featured Product Showcase (see below), which is a major attraction for buyers and media from throughout the country and the world. Other included media benefits are company listings in the official SEMA Show Pocket Guide and SEMA Show Directory for booths who confirmed by the August 30 deadline (after August 30, companies will be listed in the Show Directory Addendum). In addition, each exhibitor’s company and product listings are maintained throughout the year in the official SEMA Show online floorplan and directory.

Certain physical booth accessories are included. Each linear booth comes equipped with an 8-ft.-high drape backdrop and 3-ft.-high drape side dividers. Linear booths that are adjacent to a peninsula booth will have an 8-ft. drape between the two booths, and each peninsula exhibit is fitted with an 8-ft.-high full back wall drape. Peninsula exhibits may also construct a full back wall to a maximum of 16 ft. No drape is provided for island exhibits. All aisles are carpeted, and every booth receives a 7x44-in. company identification sign with 24-hour exhibitor hall access.

New Products Showcase

	Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area.

The SEMA Show is all about new products. Thousands of buyers come from literally all over the world to discover innovations that will sell in their home markets, whether that market is an accessories outlet in Boston or an off-road shop in Abu Dhabi. For most, the New Products Showcase is a must-see area, and it’s a great way to attract new buyers who may not be familiar with an exhibitor’s products. New buyers are less likely to have specific exhibitors on their schedules—and there were more than 16,000 buyers last year who had never been to the Show before.

The New Products Showcase is now located in the Upper South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center. In addition to descriptive signs positioned adjacent to each product, electronic scanners are provided to attendees for use in downloading information for every product entered. The showcase allows exhibitors to introduce new products, packaging and merchandising to industry buyers and media—but the exposure doesn’t end when the Show closes.

Products are photographed before being placed in the display cases, and the photos and descriptions are housed throughout the following year on a SEMA website at www.SEMAphotos.com for use by media and consumers. Products that meet the new-product criteria may also qualify to receive inclusion in the judging for New Product Awards, and displayed products are also featured in SEMA News magazine.

The first product entered in the New Products Showcase is free when submitted online. All additional entries are $75 per product category if entered by Friday, October 11. After October 11, the fee is $150 per product category. Entries submitted on-site will be accepted based on space availability.

For more complete information, visit here.

Pre-Show Promotions

Exhibitors may start drawing buyers to their booths long before the SEMA Show begins through the use of buyer mailing labels. The user-friendly online attendee list rental and marketing system helps exhibitors reach qualified buyers for specific products and services through professional-looking marketing messages. The buyers can be targeted by industry segment, demographic profile or geographic area, and the list counts can be modified to meet individual budget requirements. Complete information is available here.

Generate, Establish and Follow Up With Leads

The use of lead-retrieval products and services from CompuSystems offers another way to connect exhibitors with Show attendees before, during and after the event. The TrafficMax attendee promotional service can be used to send customized marketing messages to the exhibitor’s target audience, and once buyers are on-site, their information and qualifications can be quickly captured using CompuLEAD lead-retrieval products. When the Show ends, exhibitors that used a CompuLEAD device have access to BuyerConnect, a post-Show follow-up service. This suite of products is designed to help exhibitors maximize their return on investment. Complete information is available here.

Displaying a Vehicle

There’s nothing like displaying a product actually installed on an eye-catching vehicle to attract the attention of buyers and media, and the SEMA Show provides two opportunities to do so: either in the exhibitor’s booth or in another location on the Show floor or grounds.

Booth vehicles may occupy no more than 80% of the contracted exhibit space and must be set back 10 in. from the aisle. There are strict rules pertaining to the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers (visit here), but exhibitors do not need to check in their booth vehicles; they simply report to the freight door nearest their booth at any time during exhibitor move-in hours.

Vehicles displayed in other areas of the Show floor or grounds may be entered in the SEMA Show Feature Vehicle Program, which provides extensive exposure. Vehicle spaces are $399 each, and while any exhibitor may submit multiple applications, each company is guaranteed only one vehicle placement, with additional placements dependent upon space availability. Multiple vehicles from the same company may not be placed together.

Each vehicle must be sponsored by a company exhibiting at the 2013 SEMA Show, with the same rules noted above concerning the promotion of products from non-exhibiting manufacturers. Confirmation of placement for companies submitting multiple vehicles will be sent no later than October 11.

For more information about booth vehicles, visit here. For more about the Feature Vehicle Program, visit here.

SEMA Publications and Sponsorship Opportunities

Members of the press from every type of outlet and from all over the world converge every year in Las Vegas to cover the SEMA Show, and that equates to terrific opportunities for exhibitors to promote their products. In addition, SEMA produces multiple publications that provide information and promotional opportunities well in advance of the Show. These publications are distributed to the full breadth of industry professionals and include the monthly SEMA News magazine, weekly electronic newsletter SEMA eNews and SEMA Show Daily, which is produced on-site in Las Vegas throughout the Show.

In addition to the advertising options, the SEMA Show also offers numerous sponsorship opportunities, including everything from billboard kiosk ad panels and hanging banners to sponsorship of the SEMA Media Center and Wi-Fi sponsorships. There are also multiple-feature value packs and—specifically for newcomers—a First-Time Exhibitor Sponsorship package.

The first-timer package includes one aisle sign, a single-sided billboard kiosk panel, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the official SEMA Show Directory, a ½-page four-color (horizontal only) ad in the SEMA Show Pocket Guide and inclusion in a sponsor-acknowledgement ad in the official SEMA Show Directory.

For information about advertising and sponsorship opportunities, contact Brian Paik at 909-978-6677 or Monica Terlouw at 909-978-6695.

Public Relations Opportunities

As noted, media coverage can play a significant role in the success of exhibiting at the SEMA Show, and there is a wealth of avenues for generating coverage of a company and its products. The programs include press-release distribution—both online and as hard copies placed in the SEMA Show Media Center—as well as press conferences, listings of celebrity appearances, product training sessions, social-media connections, after-hours parties and special events.

Media throughout the world will use information from these sources to fill their publications, the airwaves and Internet content sites. In most cases, these opportunities are limited and are accommodated on a first-come, first-served basis, and media begin visiting the online media center at well before the actual Show. For complete information about PR programs, either prior to, during or after the SEMA Show, contact SEMA Director of PR Della Domingo via e-mail at dellad@sema.org or by phone at 909-978-6723.

Last-Minute Webinar for First-Timers

Exhibiting at the SEMA Show takes some planning and preparation, and there are a number of details that may not occur to a first-timer until just a few weeks before the doors open. The Show organizers have put together a webinar—an online seminar that requires only a computer and an Internet connection for participation—designed to answer some of the most frequently asked logistical questions. They include what to do when you arrive at your hotel, how and where to arrange transportation, parking while at the Show, moving in and moving out, taking care of yourself, eating well and much more.

The webinar is scheduled to take place September 19. For information about participating and to register, visit here.

See you at the SEMA Show!

SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By John Waraniak

Vehicle Technology Matters More Than Ever

	Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. Young will be returning to the SEMA Show this year with his latest ‘59 Lincvolt (above).

The Vehicle Technology Center (VTC) held a prominent position in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the 2012 SEMA Show, drawing greater attention and attendance than ever before. The VTC and Technology Briefing Seminar (TBS) program will be returning to the 2013 SEMA Show, providing attendees with new levels of education through the program’s vehicle technology keynotes, briefing sessions and workshops.

The association’s vehicle technology programs, initiatives and relationships are investments in SEMA’s collective future. The purpose of the VTC and the accompanying TBS program is to inform SEMA members about the latest vehicle technologies and introduce them to the programs, resources, partners, solutions and benefits available to them at affordable costs as well as show them how to protect their businesses in the face of disruptive and advanced technological change. Advanced vehicle technologies are integral to both the relevance and the future of SEMA. To ignore their impact is a fundamental mistake. Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

The VTC and TBS Program are designed to connect members to the benefits of SEMA-developed vehicle technology solutions and partnerships and help them understand the impact on their businesses today as well as prepare them to compete and leverage tomorrow’s technologies and new business opportunities. Locating the VTC in the Grand Lobby helps to position advanced vehicle technology challenges, solutions and opportunities at the front and center of members’ minds and attention.

The center’s exhibit space at the 2013 SEMA Show will once again be located in the Grand Lobby and will highlight SEMA-developed solutions, our technology partners, vehicle system demonstrations and workshops throughout the week. The VTC provides members with valuable resources, and the TBS keynotes, forum panels and workshops are must-attend education sessions for serious technology enthusiasts and performance professionals committed to developing technology roadmaps and business plans focused on future-proofing their survival and growth.

		Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

In the April 2013 advanced vehicle technology edition of SEMA News, I posed a couple of questions: Does the automotive specialty-equipment industry have five years left? And what is SEMA doing with its vehicle technology programs and partners to help members be successful and protect the performance industry?

Technology constantly creates changes to vehicles and, consequently, to specialty-equipment businesses. Advanced vehicle technologies, shifting market segments and changing consumer behaviors continue to drive new business opportunities and performance-product innovations in the specialty-equipment industry. We will focus on several key trends in this year’s VTC and TBS program as our industry moves through and beyond the next five years. Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.

Vehicle Technology Center Theater Keynotes, Forums and Workshops

The VTC Tech-Zones and TBS program are designed around four megatrends driving the automotive performance aftermarket: Driving Green, Driving Connected, Driving Safe and Driving Cool. The Tech-Zones are designed to be relevant to today’s enthusiasts as well as appeal to tomorrow’s next generation of performance and technology enthusiasts, designers, engineers and marketers. They bring greater focus to current and emerging performance-product developments and aftermarket opportunities.

This year’s roster of keynotes, forum panels and workshop topics includes a wide range of high-profile speakers representing a global who’s who in the OEM, technology-provider and performance aftermarket communities. It also includes experts and leaders in vehicle and system technologies, mobile youth and lifestyle trends and performance branding as well as those at the forefront of the entrepreneurial spirit that continues to drive the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

Three vehicle technology keynotes, four forum panel sessions and two SEMA-Clemson workshops will be held in the VTC Theater. The keynotes, sessions and workshops will focus on vehicle dynamics and emissions of aftermarket-modified vehicles, racing and performance, green-performance product development, connected-vehicle technologies, performance branding and next-generation enthusiasts. The center’s exhibit space will highlight vehicle technology simulations and demonstrations from SEMA technology partners that include Clemson University, CarSim, dSPACE and Link Engineering as well as Gen-6 vehicles from NASCAR, Icon’s ’47 Chevy Thriftmaster and Neil Young’s new ’59 Lincvolt.

Vehicle Dynamics Forum

The first of the forum panel sessions, the Vehicle Dynamics Forum, is scheduled for Monday, November 4 (the day before the SEMA Show officially opens), from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. September 1, 2012, marked the date requiring aftermarket companies to comply with the U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 126 for electronic stability control (ESC) systems. The NHTSA also recently defined five levels of vehicle automation that will be part of the forum discussion.

	In his Racing and Performance Keynote remarks, NASCAR President Mike Helton will focus on how performance aftermarket companies have worked with manufacturers to drive innovation in motorsports as well as NASCAR’s continuing evolution.

SEMA’s Vehicle Dynamics Program and participating member companies have made significant achievements over the past five years in helping members customize with confidence and understand how their performance products—suspension, brakes, wheels, tires and steering as well as engine modifications—interact with ESC and other active safety systems. SEMA members are invited to attend the Vehicle Dynamics Forum presentations, demonstrations and solutions regarding FMVSS 126 and learn firsthand from the experts about the ESC performance of aftermarket-modified vehicles. This year’s Vehicle Dynamics Forum will feature the new ’14 Chevy Silverado, which is one of the most technologically advanced vehicles on the road today.

The full-scale vehicle testing and hardware-in-the-loop simulation technology and product development methodologies available to members is the same as that used by all OEMs and major suppliers around the world to develop, test and simulate vehicle dynamics, new chassis system components, engines, powertrains, drivelines, suspensions and vehicle electronic control systems. The innovative and collaborative approach developed by SEMA has minimized costs while establishing unique capabilities for member companies that want to know the impact of their products on vehicle dynamics and ESC performance.

The SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Dynamics Workshop led by Dr. Paul Venhovens from Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) will follow the Vehicle Dynamics Forum. The workshop will provide an overview of the unique resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Grant Projects.

Racing and Performance Keynote

Mike Helton, president of NASCAR, will present the Racing and Performance Keynote on Tuesday, November 5, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. SEMA Chairman of the Board Nate Shelton will provide the opening comments for this exciting keynote session.

SEMA-member companies continue to play a significant role in NASCAR’s 70-year history and Gen-6 evolution, and NASCAR has played an equally important role in SEMA’s 50-year history and continuing evolution. SEMA’s roots are embedded in racing and the performance aftermarket. Racing and the performance lifestyle are critical to continued relevance and innovation within the NASCAR and SEMA communities and include longtime members and enthusiasts as well as next-generation companies, fans and enthusiasts.

Racing and Performance Forum

	Director of Ford Racing North America Jamie Allison (top) will participate along with General Motors Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell (below) in the Racing and Performance Forum.

The Racing and Performance Forum panel session will be held Tuesday, November 5, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC. Speakers will include Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing; Jim Campbell, leader of General Motors Performance Vehicles and Motorsports; Wilfried Eibach, chairman of the Eibach Group; Alwin Springer, former president of Porsche Motorsport North America; and Yves Morizot, founder and chairman of Stand21. The roster will also include several other leaders from the racing and performance community. John Kilroy, vice president and general manager of PRI, will provide an overview of the exciting programs and events leading PRI’s return to Indianapolis, the racing capital of the world.

This forum panel will address questions about the impact of advanced technologies and tighter federal emissions and fuel-efficiency standards on the racing and performance market today and in the near future. For instance, is Gen Y’s lack of interest in cars affecting racing and performance? Does 4G trump a V8 for many young people who may be less interested in driving than their parent’s generation was? Does winning on Sunday still translate to selling on Monday?

This session will explore how leading automakers and SEMA companies are focusing on matching horsepower with the fastest computing power and supporting existing series such as NASCAR and off-road racing. It will also review the merger of Grand-Am and ALMS to form the United SportsCar Racing series as well as new series such as Global Rallycross.

Next-Gen Racers, Designers and Engineers Forum

This new session, to be held November 5 from 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m., will focus on the next generation of racers, designers and engineers. This panel will be an open-forum discussion and jam session on the future of motor racing, performance engineering, automotive design and lifestyle from the perspectives of today’s millennial enthusiasts and next-generation professionals on the frontlines of the future.

Special Session: Clemson University Deep Orange Project Vehicle

SEMA’s innovative partnership with the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and its annual Deep Orange Project Vehicle will be the subject of a press conference in the VTC on Wednesday, November 6, from 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m. The SEMA-Clemson partnership is an excellent example of open innovation and generative thinking in action. SEMA and CU-ICAR have teamed up to offer SEMA members access to world-class resources, testing capabilities and engineering talent at affordable costs. This is a must-attend event for technology and performance professionals as well as next-gen enthusiasts and students.

Performance Branding Keynote

	Graham Brown, founder of mobileYouth and a leading authority on brand democracy and fansourcing, will provide the Performance Branding Keynote.

Graham Brown—founder of MobileYouth and the Earned Media Fight Club, leading digital anthropologist, cultural explorer and author of six books on youth, culture and social business—will present the Performance Branding Keynote on Wednesday, November 6, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. on the VTC Stage.

From wheels and tires to smartphone apps that interact with consumer vehicles and onboard technologies, successful designing and marketing with automotive enthusiasts requires strategies that make customers part of a company’s brand through movements, storytelling and advocacy. Brown is one of the world’s leading authorities on brand democracy and believes that the best brands market with consumers, not to consumers.

Brown’s keynote remarks will help SEMA members understand how brand democracy creates desire through social packaging and consumer context. He will explain why it is important for every business to help fans and enthusiasts tell their story about the benefits of the company’s products and the importance of developing an emotional connection to its brand. Brand democracy is about letting go and turning a brand over to consumers, fans and enthusiasts. Vehicle customization, personalization and accessorization are major elements in that first step.

Performance Branding Forum

On Wednesday, November 6, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., the discussion in the VTC will turn to Performance Branding: Integrating Design Thinking and Product Content with Social Thinking and Consumer Context.

People buy on emotion and justify with logic. Design thinking drives technology and product content. It’s a top-down, expert-driven product-development process that creates value. Social thinking is quite the opposite. It is a bottom-up, frontline-driven brand-development process that creates meaning.

		Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.”

Design and social thinking both matter in how people think about technology, performance branding and lifestyle marketing. Every generation defines what it thinks is cool and has a rebirth of cool, from Steve McQueen to Peter Fonda to Travis Pastrana. Today’s vehicles are works of art, power, access and fashion. This panel will investigate the latest strategies, tactics and best practices of successful brands and explore how consumer expectations are impacting how you can use design as a competitive advantage and branding as a competitive differentiator.

Justin Wilkenfeld, GoPro’s director of lifestyle marketing, will headline this panel. He will be joined by Aaron Levant, founder of Agenda, Stewart Reed of the Pasadena Art Center College of Design and other leading designers, brand leaders and customizers currently influencing automotive lifestyles and the specialty-equipment market.

SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Workshop

Dr. Rob Prucka from CU-ICAR will provide an overview of the unique testing, analysis and compliance resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Grant Projects. Sandy Stojkovski, Scenaria president, a member of the AVL Group, will join Prucka in this workshop session and describe the unique capabilities of the equipment being used in the Clemson Vehicle Emissions Lab to support SEMA members.

Green Performance Keynote: Repowering the American Dream

	Neil Young will provide the Green Performance Keynote in the Vehicle Technology Center and focus on Repowering the American Dream on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater Stage.

Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, will provide a Green Performance Keynote entitled “Repowering the American Dream” on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater State. Young’s goal is to inspire a generation by creating a clean automobile propulsion technology that serves the needs of the 21st century and delivers performance that is a reflection of the driver’s spirit.

Young demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. On this, SEMA’s 50th anniversary, it is worth noting that repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum

The Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum panel session will be on November 7 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the VCT Theater. Panelists will include Ted Cardenas from Pioneer Car Electronics; Jake Sigal, founder of Livio Radio; Nick Pudar, director of global connected consumer at General Motors; Danny Shapiro from Nvidia; Michael Schagrin from the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Greg Krueger, program manager at SAIC.

This forum will help SEMA members understand how mobile technology is accelerating the automotive aftermarket. Silicon Valley and Detroit are in a battle for the future of the car, and the aftermarket is helping to democratize connected-vehicle technologies. The integration of automotive and consumer electronics technologies and connected-vehicle systems is the hottest area where automakers are collaborating with aftermarket companies and app developers.

Repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

The OEMs are rapidly expanding their car-to-x and app offerings, but the aftermarket is getting in on the action as well. Automotive and consumer-electronics technologies are leading the way in optimizing the consumer and driving experience. For some SEMA companies, not connected could mean not in business.

Next-generation enthusiasts were born online and raised on technology. They want the fastest cars as well as the smartest cars. Many have no e-fear of sharing information online if they get something in return.

Apps are coming to automobile dashboards. Nearly every new car will soon have downloadable applications, either through a tethered smartphone or via a built-in data link to local wireless carriers. General Motors just announced a new flexible application framework that allows drivers to add apps and features to their vehicles after the initial purchase of the vehicle so that infotainment systems can be updated and improved over time. The framework provides vehicle application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers to access the infotainment systems in GM vehicles.

To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.

Apps programs such as Ford’s OpenXC Platform and GM’s Flexible App Framework for customized and upgradable driver and customer experiences will create new business opportunities for those SEMA companies focused on connected-vehicle technologies, systems, apps, features and how they get installed, integrated and upgraded into vehicles and automotive lifestyles.

The automotive specialty-equipment industry will always be challenged by advanced vehicle technologies, federal regulations, systems integration and safety considerations. SEMA is continually working to provide unique benefits and value to members by developing vehicle technology solutions and building relationships that foster collaboration between automakers, suppliers, retailers, research organizations, industry associations and member companies.

SEMA’s vehicle technology initiatives, programs and solutions are operational throughout the year. However, experiencing the Vehicle Technology Center and attending the Technology Briefing Seminars at the SEMA Show are great opportunities for members to learn firsthand about the impact of vehicle technology on their business and the resources and benefits available to them. To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.

SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By John Waraniak

Vehicle Technology Matters More Than Ever

	Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. Young will be returning to the SEMA Show this year with his latest ‘59 Lincvolt (above).

The Vehicle Technology Center (VTC) held a prominent position in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the 2012 SEMA Show, drawing greater attention and attendance than ever before. The VTC and Technology Briefing Seminar (TBS) program will be returning to the 2013 SEMA Show, providing attendees with new levels of education through the program’s vehicle technology keynotes, briefing sessions and workshops.

The association’s vehicle technology programs, initiatives and relationships are investments in SEMA’s collective future. The purpose of the VTC and the accompanying TBS program is to inform SEMA members about the latest vehicle technologies and introduce them to the programs, resources, partners, solutions and benefits available to them at affordable costs as well as show them how to protect their businesses in the face of disruptive and advanced technological change. Advanced vehicle technologies are integral to both the relevance and the future of SEMA. To ignore their impact is a fundamental mistake. Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

The VTC and TBS Program are designed to connect members to the benefits of SEMA-developed vehicle technology solutions and partnerships and help them understand the impact on their businesses today as well as prepare them to compete and leverage tomorrow’s technologies and new business opportunities. Locating the VTC in the Grand Lobby helps to position advanced vehicle technology challenges, solutions and opportunities at the front and center of members’ minds and attention.

The center’s exhibit space at the 2013 SEMA Show will once again be located in the Grand Lobby and will highlight SEMA-developed solutions, our technology partners, vehicle system demonstrations and workshops throughout the week. The VTC provides members with valuable resources, and the TBS keynotes, forum panels and workshops are must-attend education sessions for serious technology enthusiasts and performance professionals committed to developing technology roadmaps and business plans focused on future-proofing their survival and growth.

		Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

In the April 2013 advanced vehicle technology edition of SEMA News, I posed a couple of questions: Does the automotive specialty-equipment industry have five years left? And what is SEMA doing with its vehicle technology programs and partners to help members be successful and protect the performance industry?

Technology constantly creates changes to vehicles and, consequently, to specialty-equipment businesses. Advanced vehicle technologies, shifting market segments and changing consumer behaviors continue to drive new business opportunities and performance-product innovations in the specialty-equipment industry. We will focus on several key trends in this year’s VTC and TBS program as our industry moves through and beyond the next five years. Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.

Vehicle Technology Center Theater Keynotes, Forums and Workshops

The VTC Tech-Zones and TBS program are designed around four megatrends driving the automotive performance aftermarket: Driving Green, Driving Connected, Driving Safe and Driving Cool. The Tech-Zones are designed to be relevant to today’s enthusiasts as well as appeal to tomorrow’s next generation of performance and technology enthusiasts, designers, engineers and marketers. They bring greater focus to current and emerging performance-product developments and aftermarket opportunities.

This year’s roster of keynotes, forum panels and workshop topics includes a wide range of high-profile speakers representing a global who’s who in the OEM, technology-provider and performance aftermarket communities. It also includes experts and leaders in vehicle and system technologies, mobile youth and lifestyle trends and performance branding as well as those at the forefront of the entrepreneurial spirit that continues to drive the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

Three vehicle technology keynotes, four forum panel sessions and two SEMA-Clemson workshops will be held in the VTC Theater. The keynotes, sessions and workshops will focus on vehicle dynamics and emissions of aftermarket-modified vehicles, racing and performance, green-performance product development, connected-vehicle technologies, performance branding and next-generation enthusiasts. The center’s exhibit space will highlight vehicle technology simulations and demonstrations from SEMA technology partners that include Clemson University, CarSim, dSPACE and Link Engineering as well as Gen-6 vehicles from NASCAR, Icon’s ’47 Chevy Thriftmaster and Neil Young’s new ’59 Lincvolt.

Vehicle Dynamics Forum

The first of the forum panel sessions, the Vehicle Dynamics Forum, is scheduled for Monday, November 4 (the day before the SEMA Show officially opens), from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. September 1, 2012, marked the date requiring aftermarket companies to comply with the U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 126 for electronic stability control (ESC) systems. The NHTSA also recently defined five levels of vehicle automation that will be part of the forum discussion.

	In his Racing and Performance Keynote remarks, NASCAR President Mike Helton will focus on how performance aftermarket companies have worked with manufacturers to drive innovation in motorsports as well as NASCAR’s continuing evolution.

SEMA’s Vehicle Dynamics Program and participating member companies have made significant achievements over the past five years in helping members customize with confidence and understand how their performance products—suspension, brakes, wheels, tires and steering as well as engine modifications—interact with ESC and other active safety systems. SEMA members are invited to attend the Vehicle Dynamics Forum presentations, demonstrations and solutions regarding FMVSS 126 and learn firsthand from the experts about the ESC performance of aftermarket-modified vehicles. This year’s Vehicle Dynamics Forum will feature the new ’14 Chevy Silverado, which is one of the most technologically advanced vehicles on the road today.

The full-scale vehicle testing and hardware-in-the-loop simulation technology and product development methodologies available to members is the same as that used by all OEMs and major suppliers around the world to develop, test and simulate vehicle dynamics, new chassis system components, engines, powertrains, drivelines, suspensions and vehicle electronic control systems. The innovative and collaborative approach developed by SEMA has minimized costs while establishing unique capabilities for member companies that want to know the impact of their products on vehicle dynamics and ESC performance.

The SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Dynamics Workshop led by Dr. Paul Venhovens from Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) will follow the Vehicle Dynamics Forum. The workshop will provide an overview of the unique resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Grant Projects.

Racing and Performance Keynote

Mike Helton, president of NASCAR, will present the Racing and Performance Keynote on Tuesday, November 5, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. SEMA Chairman of the Board Nate Shelton will provide the opening comments for this exciting keynote session.

SEMA-member companies continue to play a significant role in NASCAR’s 70-year history and Gen-6 evolution, and NASCAR has played an equally important role in SEMA’s 50-year history and continuing evolution. SEMA’s roots are embedded in racing and the performance aftermarket. Racing and the performance lifestyle are critical to continued relevance and innovation within the NASCAR and SEMA communities and include longtime members and enthusiasts as well as next-generation companies, fans and enthusiasts.

Racing and Performance Forum

	Director of Ford Racing North America Jamie Allison (top) will participate along with General Motors Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell (below) in the Racing and Performance Forum.

The Racing and Performance Forum panel session will be held Tuesday, November 5, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC. Speakers will include Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing; Jim Campbell, leader of General Motors Performance Vehicles and Motorsports; Wilfried Eibach, chairman of the Eibach Group; Alwin Springer, former president of Porsche Motorsport North America; and Yves Morizot, founder and chairman of Stand21. The roster will also include several other leaders from the racing and performance community. John Kilroy, vice president and general manager of PRI, will provide an overview of the exciting programs and events leading PRI’s return to Indianapolis, the racing capital of the world.

This forum panel will address questions about the impact of advanced technologies and tighter federal emissions and fuel-efficiency standards on the racing and performance market today and in the near future. For instance, is Gen Y’s lack of interest in cars affecting racing and performance? Does 4G trump a V8 for many young people who may be less interested in driving than their parent’s generation was? Does winning on Sunday still translate to selling on Monday?

This session will explore how leading automakers and SEMA companies are focusing on matching horsepower with the fastest computing power and supporting existing series such as NASCAR and off-road racing. It will also review the merger of Grand-Am and ALMS to form the United SportsCar Racing series as well as new series such as Global Rallycross.

Next-Gen Racers, Designers and Engineers Forum

This new session, to be held November 5 from 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m., will focus on the next generation of racers, designers and engineers. This panel will be an open-forum discussion and jam session on the future of motor racing, performance engineering, automotive design and lifestyle from the perspectives of today’s millennial enthusiasts and next-generation professionals on the frontlines of the future.

Special Session: Clemson University Deep Orange Project Vehicle

SEMA’s innovative partnership with the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and its annual Deep Orange Project Vehicle will be the subject of a press conference in the VTC on Wednesday, November 6, from 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m. The SEMA-Clemson partnership is an excellent example of open innovation and generative thinking in action. SEMA and CU-ICAR have teamed up to offer SEMA members access to world-class resources, testing capabilities and engineering talent at affordable costs. This is a must-attend event for technology and performance professionals as well as next-gen enthusiasts and students.

Performance Branding Keynote

	Graham Brown, founder of mobileYouth and a leading authority on brand democracy and fansourcing, will provide the Performance Branding Keynote.

Graham Brown—founder of MobileYouth and the Earned Media Fight Club, leading digital anthropologist, cultural explorer and author of six books on youth, culture and social business—will present the Performance Branding Keynote on Wednesday, November 6, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. on the VTC Stage.

From wheels and tires to smartphone apps that interact with consumer vehicles and onboard technologies, successful designing and marketing with automotive enthusiasts requires strategies that make customers part of a company’s brand through movements, storytelling and advocacy. Brown is one of the world’s leading authorities on brand democracy and believes that the best brands market with consumers, not to consumers.

Brown’s keynote remarks will help SEMA members understand how brand democracy creates desire through social packaging and consumer context. He will explain why it is important for every business to help fans and enthusiasts tell their story about the benefits of the company’s products and the importance of developing an emotional connection to its brand. Brand democracy is about letting go and turning a brand over to consumers, fans and enthusiasts. Vehicle customization, personalization and accessorization are major elements in that first step.

Performance Branding Forum

On Wednesday, November 6, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., the discussion in the VTC will turn to Performance Branding: Integrating Design Thinking and Product Content with Social Thinking and Consumer Context.

People buy on emotion and justify with logic. Design thinking drives technology and product content. It’s a top-down, expert-driven product-development process that creates value. Social thinking is quite the opposite. It is a bottom-up, frontline-driven brand-development process that creates meaning.

		Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.”

Design and social thinking both matter in how people think about technology, performance branding and lifestyle marketing. Every generation defines what it thinks is cool and has a rebirth of cool, from Steve McQueen to Peter Fonda to Travis Pastrana. Today’s vehicles are works of art, power, access and fashion. This panel will investigate the latest strategies, tactics and best practices of successful brands and explore how consumer expectations are impacting how you can use design as a competitive advantage and branding as a competitive differentiator.

Justin Wilkenfeld, GoPro’s director of lifestyle marketing, will headline this panel. He will be joined by Aaron Levant, founder of Agenda, Stewart Reed of the Pasadena Art Center College of Design and other leading designers, brand leaders and customizers currently influencing automotive lifestyles and the specialty-equipment market.

SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Workshop

Dr. Rob Prucka from CU-ICAR will provide an overview of the unique testing, analysis and compliance resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Grant Projects. Sandy Stojkovski, Scenaria president, a member of the AVL Group, will join Prucka in this workshop session and describe the unique capabilities of the equipment being used in the Clemson Vehicle Emissions Lab to support SEMA members.

Green Performance Keynote: Repowering the American Dream

	Neil Young will provide the Green Performance Keynote in the Vehicle Technology Center and focus on Repowering the American Dream on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater Stage.

Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, will provide a Green Performance Keynote entitled “Repowering the American Dream” on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater State. Young’s goal is to inspire a generation by creating a clean automobile propulsion technology that serves the needs of the 21st century and delivers performance that is a reflection of the driver’s spirit.

Young demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. On this, SEMA’s 50th anniversary, it is worth noting that repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum

The Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum panel session will be on November 7 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the VCT Theater. Panelists will include Ted Cardenas from Pioneer Car Electronics; Jake Sigal, founder of Livio Radio; Nick Pudar, director of global connected consumer at General Motors; Danny Shapiro from Nvidia; Michael Schagrin from the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Greg Krueger, program manager at SAIC.

This forum will help SEMA members understand how mobile technology is accelerating the automotive aftermarket. Silicon Valley and Detroit are in a battle for the future of the car, and the aftermarket is helping to democratize connected-vehicle technologies. The integration of automotive and consumer electronics technologies and connected-vehicle systems is the hottest area where automakers are collaborating with aftermarket companies and app developers.

Repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

The OEMs are rapidly expanding their car-to-x and app offerings, but the aftermarket is getting in on the action as well. Automotive and consumer-electronics technologies are leading the way in optimizing the consumer and driving experience. For some SEMA companies, not connected could mean not in business.

Next-generation enthusiasts were born online and raised on technology. They want the fastest cars as well as the smartest cars. Many have no e-fear of sharing information online if they get something in return.

Apps are coming to automobile dashboards. Nearly every new car will soon have downloadable applications, either through a tethered smartphone or via a built-in data link to local wireless carriers. General Motors just announced a new flexible application framework that allows drivers to add apps and features to their vehicles after the initial purchase of the vehicle so that infotainment systems can be updated and improved over time. The framework provides vehicle application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers to access the infotainment systems in GM vehicles.

To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.

Apps programs such as Ford’s OpenXC Platform and GM’s Flexible App Framework for customized and upgradable driver and customer experiences will create new business opportunities for those SEMA companies focused on connected-vehicle technologies, systems, apps, features and how they get installed, integrated and upgraded into vehicles and automotive lifestyles.

The automotive specialty-equipment industry will always be challenged by advanced vehicle technologies, federal regulations, systems integration and safety considerations. SEMA is continually working to provide unique benefits and value to members by developing vehicle technology solutions and building relationships that foster collaboration between automakers, suppliers, retailers, research organizations, industry associations and member companies.

SEMA’s vehicle technology initiatives, programs and solutions are operational throughout the year. However, experiencing the Vehicle Technology Center and attending the Technology Briefing Seminars at the SEMA Show are great opportunities for members to learn firsthand about the impact of vehicle technology on their business and the resources and benefits available to them. To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.

SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By John Waraniak

Vehicle Technology Matters More Than Ever

	Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. Young will be returning to the SEMA Show this year with his latest ‘59 Lincvolt (above).

The Vehicle Technology Center (VTC) held a prominent position in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the 2012 SEMA Show, drawing greater attention and attendance than ever before. The VTC and Technology Briefing Seminar (TBS) program will be returning to the 2013 SEMA Show, providing attendees with new levels of education through the program’s vehicle technology keynotes, briefing sessions and workshops.

The association’s vehicle technology programs, initiatives and relationships are investments in SEMA’s collective future. The purpose of the VTC and the accompanying TBS program is to inform SEMA members about the latest vehicle technologies and introduce them to the programs, resources, partners, solutions and benefits available to them at affordable costs as well as show them how to protect their businesses in the face of disruptive and advanced technological change. Advanced vehicle technologies are integral to both the relevance and the future of SEMA. To ignore their impact is a fundamental mistake. Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

The VTC and TBS Program are designed to connect members to the benefits of SEMA-developed vehicle technology solutions and partnerships and help them understand the impact on their businesses today as well as prepare them to compete and leverage tomorrow’s technologies and new business opportunities. Locating the VTC in the Grand Lobby helps to position advanced vehicle technology challenges, solutions and opportunities at the front and center of members’ minds and attention.

The center’s exhibit space at the 2013 SEMA Show will once again be located in the Grand Lobby and will highlight SEMA-developed solutions, our technology partners, vehicle system demonstrations and workshops throughout the week. The VTC provides members with valuable resources, and the TBS keynotes, forum panels and workshops are must-attend education sessions for serious technology enthusiasts and performance professionals committed to developing technology roadmaps and business plans focused on future-proofing their survival and growth.

		Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

In the April 2013 advanced vehicle technology edition of SEMA News, I posed a couple of questions: Does the automotive specialty-equipment industry have five years left? And what is SEMA doing with its vehicle technology programs and partners to help members be successful and protect the performance industry?

Technology constantly creates changes to vehicles and, consequently, to specialty-equipment businesses. Advanced vehicle technologies, shifting market segments and changing consumer behaviors continue to drive new business opportunities and performance-product innovations in the specialty-equipment industry. We will focus on several key trends in this year’s VTC and TBS program as our industry moves through and beyond the next five years. Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.

Vehicle Technology Center Theater Keynotes, Forums and Workshops

The VTC Tech-Zones and TBS program are designed around four megatrends driving the automotive performance aftermarket: Driving Green, Driving Connected, Driving Safe and Driving Cool. The Tech-Zones are designed to be relevant to today’s enthusiasts as well as appeal to tomorrow’s next generation of performance and technology enthusiasts, designers, engineers and marketers. They bring greater focus to current and emerging performance-product developments and aftermarket opportunities.

This year’s roster of keynotes, forum panels and workshop topics includes a wide range of high-profile speakers representing a global who’s who in the OEM, technology-provider and performance aftermarket communities. It also includes experts and leaders in vehicle and system technologies, mobile youth and lifestyle trends and performance branding as well as those at the forefront of the entrepreneurial spirit that continues to drive the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

Three vehicle technology keynotes, four forum panel sessions and two SEMA-Clemson workshops will be held in the VTC Theater. The keynotes, sessions and workshops will focus on vehicle dynamics and emissions of aftermarket-modified vehicles, racing and performance, green-performance product development, connected-vehicle technologies, performance branding and next-generation enthusiasts. The center’s exhibit space will highlight vehicle technology simulations and demonstrations from SEMA technology partners that include Clemson University, CarSim, dSPACE and Link Engineering as well as Gen-6 vehicles from NASCAR, Icon’s ’47 Chevy Thriftmaster and Neil Young’s new ’59 Lincvolt.

Vehicle Dynamics Forum

The first of the forum panel sessions, the Vehicle Dynamics Forum, is scheduled for Monday, November 4 (the day before the SEMA Show officially opens), from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. September 1, 2012, marked the date requiring aftermarket companies to comply with the U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 126 for electronic stability control (ESC) systems. The NHTSA also recently defined five levels of vehicle automation that will be part of the forum discussion.

	In his Racing and Performance Keynote remarks, NASCAR President Mike Helton will focus on how performance aftermarket companies have worked with manufacturers to drive innovation in motorsports as well as NASCAR’s continuing evolution.

SEMA’s Vehicle Dynamics Program and participating member companies have made significant achievements over the past five years in helping members customize with confidence and understand how their performance products—suspension, brakes, wheels, tires and steering as well as engine modifications—interact with ESC and other active safety systems. SEMA members are invited to attend the Vehicle Dynamics Forum presentations, demonstrations and solutions regarding FMVSS 126 and learn firsthand from the experts about the ESC performance of aftermarket-modified vehicles. This year’s Vehicle Dynamics Forum will feature the new ’14 Chevy Silverado, which is one of the most technologically advanced vehicles on the road today.

The full-scale vehicle testing and hardware-in-the-loop simulation technology and product development methodologies available to members is the same as that used by all OEMs and major suppliers around the world to develop, test and simulate vehicle dynamics, new chassis system components, engines, powertrains, drivelines, suspensions and vehicle electronic control systems. The innovative and collaborative approach developed by SEMA has minimized costs while establishing unique capabilities for member companies that want to know the impact of their products on vehicle dynamics and ESC performance.

The SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Dynamics Workshop led by Dr. Paul Venhovens from Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) will follow the Vehicle Dynamics Forum. The workshop will provide an overview of the unique resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Grant Projects.

Racing and Performance Keynote

Mike Helton, president of NASCAR, will present the Racing and Performance Keynote on Tuesday, November 5, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. SEMA Chairman of the Board Nate Shelton will provide the opening comments for this exciting keynote session.

SEMA-member companies continue to play a significant role in NASCAR’s 70-year history and Gen-6 evolution, and NASCAR has played an equally important role in SEMA’s 50-year history and continuing evolution. SEMA’s roots are embedded in racing and the performance aftermarket. Racing and the performance lifestyle are critical to continued relevance and innovation within the NASCAR and SEMA communities and include longtime members and enthusiasts as well as next-generation companies, fans and enthusiasts.

Racing and Performance Forum

	Director of Ford Racing North America Jamie Allison (top) will participate along with General Motors Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell (below) in the Racing and Performance Forum.

The Racing and Performance Forum panel session will be held Tuesday, November 5, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC. Speakers will include Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing; Jim Campbell, leader of General Motors Performance Vehicles and Motorsports; Wilfried Eibach, chairman of the Eibach Group; Alwin Springer, former president of Porsche Motorsport North America; and Yves Morizot, founder and chairman of Stand21. The roster will also include several other leaders from the racing and performance community. John Kilroy, vice president and general manager of PRI, will provide an overview of the exciting programs and events leading PRI’s return to Indianapolis, the racing capital of the world.

This forum panel will address questions about the impact of advanced technologies and tighter federal emissions and fuel-efficiency standards on the racing and performance market today and in the near future. For instance, is Gen Y’s lack of interest in cars affecting racing and performance? Does 4G trump a V8 for many young people who may be less interested in driving than their parent’s generation was? Does winning on Sunday still translate to selling on Monday?

This session will explore how leading automakers and SEMA companies are focusing on matching horsepower with the fastest computing power and supporting existing series such as NASCAR and off-road racing. It will also review the merger of Grand-Am and ALMS to form the United SportsCar Racing series as well as new series such as Global Rallycross.

Next-Gen Racers, Designers and Engineers Forum

This new session, to be held November 5 from 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m., will focus on the next generation of racers, designers and engineers. This panel will be an open-forum discussion and jam session on the future of motor racing, performance engineering, automotive design and lifestyle from the perspectives of today’s millennial enthusiasts and next-generation professionals on the frontlines of the future.

Special Session: Clemson University Deep Orange Project Vehicle

SEMA’s innovative partnership with the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and its annual Deep Orange Project Vehicle will be the subject of a press conference in the VTC on Wednesday, November 6, from 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m. The SEMA-Clemson partnership is an excellent example of open innovation and generative thinking in action. SEMA and CU-ICAR have teamed up to offer SEMA members access to world-class resources, testing capabilities and engineering talent at affordable costs. This is a must-attend event for technology and performance professionals as well as next-gen enthusiasts and students.

Performance Branding Keynote

	Graham Brown, founder of mobileYouth and a leading authority on brand democracy and fansourcing, will provide the Performance Branding Keynote.

Graham Brown—founder of MobileYouth and the Earned Media Fight Club, leading digital anthropologist, cultural explorer and author of six books on youth, culture and social business—will present the Performance Branding Keynote on Wednesday, November 6, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. on the VTC Stage.

From wheels and tires to smartphone apps that interact with consumer vehicles and onboard technologies, successful designing and marketing with automotive enthusiasts requires strategies that make customers part of a company’s brand through movements, storytelling and advocacy. Brown is one of the world’s leading authorities on brand democracy and believes that the best brands market with consumers, not to consumers.

Brown’s keynote remarks will help SEMA members understand how brand democracy creates desire through social packaging and consumer context. He will explain why it is important for every business to help fans and enthusiasts tell their story about the benefits of the company’s products and the importance of developing an emotional connection to its brand. Brand democracy is about letting go and turning a brand over to consumers, fans and enthusiasts. Vehicle customization, personalization and accessorization are major elements in that first step.

Performance Branding Forum

On Wednesday, November 6, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., the discussion in the VTC will turn to Performance Branding: Integrating Design Thinking and Product Content with Social Thinking and Consumer Context.

People buy on emotion and justify with logic. Design thinking drives technology and product content. It’s a top-down, expert-driven product-development process that creates value. Social thinking is quite the opposite. It is a bottom-up, frontline-driven brand-development process that creates meaning.

		Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.”

Design and social thinking both matter in how people think about technology, performance branding and lifestyle marketing. Every generation defines what it thinks is cool and has a rebirth of cool, from Steve McQueen to Peter Fonda to Travis Pastrana. Today’s vehicles are works of art, power, access and fashion. This panel will investigate the latest strategies, tactics and best practices of successful brands and explore how consumer expectations are impacting how you can use design as a competitive advantage and branding as a competitive differentiator.

Justin Wilkenfeld, GoPro’s director of lifestyle marketing, will headline this panel. He will be joined by Aaron Levant, founder of Agenda, Stewart Reed of the Pasadena Art Center College of Design and other leading designers, brand leaders and customizers currently influencing automotive lifestyles and the specialty-equipment market.

SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Workshop

Dr. Rob Prucka from CU-ICAR will provide an overview of the unique testing, analysis and compliance resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Grant Projects. Sandy Stojkovski, Scenaria president, a member of the AVL Group, will join Prucka in this workshop session and describe the unique capabilities of the equipment being used in the Clemson Vehicle Emissions Lab to support SEMA members.

Green Performance Keynote: Repowering the American Dream

	Neil Young will provide the Green Performance Keynote in the Vehicle Technology Center and focus on Repowering the American Dream on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater Stage.

Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, will provide a Green Performance Keynote entitled “Repowering the American Dream” on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater State. Young’s goal is to inspire a generation by creating a clean automobile propulsion technology that serves the needs of the 21st century and delivers performance that is a reflection of the driver’s spirit.

Young demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. On this, SEMA’s 50th anniversary, it is worth noting that repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum

The Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum panel session will be on November 7 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the VCT Theater. Panelists will include Ted Cardenas from Pioneer Car Electronics; Jake Sigal, founder of Livio Radio; Nick Pudar, director of global connected consumer at General Motors; Danny Shapiro from Nvidia; Michael Schagrin from the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Greg Krueger, program manager at SAIC.

This forum will help SEMA members understand how mobile technology is accelerating the automotive aftermarket. Silicon Valley and Detroit are in a battle for the future of the car, and the aftermarket is helping to democratize connected-vehicle technologies. The integration of automotive and consumer electronics technologies and connected-vehicle systems is the hottest area where automakers are collaborating with aftermarket companies and app developers.

Repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

The OEMs are rapidly expanding their car-to-x and app offerings, but the aftermarket is getting in on the action as well. Automotive and consumer-electronics technologies are leading the way in optimizing the consumer and driving experience. For some SEMA companies, not connected could mean not in business.

Next-generation enthusiasts were born online and raised on technology. They want the fastest cars as well as the smartest cars. Many have no e-fear of sharing information online if they get something in return.

Apps are coming to automobile dashboards. Nearly every new car will soon have downloadable applications, either through a tethered smartphone or via a built-in data link to local wireless carriers. General Motors just announced a new flexible application framework that allows drivers to add apps and features to their vehicles after the initial purchase of the vehicle so that infotainment systems can be updated and improved over time. The framework provides vehicle application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers to access the infotainment systems in GM vehicles.

To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.

Apps programs such as Ford’s OpenXC Platform and GM’s Flexible App Framework for customized and upgradable driver and customer experiences will create new business opportunities for those SEMA companies focused on connected-vehicle technologies, systems, apps, features and how they get installed, integrated and upgraded into vehicles and automotive lifestyles.

The automotive specialty-equipment industry will always be challenged by advanced vehicle technologies, federal regulations, systems integration and safety considerations. SEMA is continually working to provide unique benefits and value to members by developing vehicle technology solutions and building relationships that foster collaboration between automakers, suppliers, retailers, research organizations, industry associations and member companies.

SEMA’s vehicle technology initiatives, programs and solutions are operational throughout the year. However, experiencing the Vehicle Technology Center and attending the Technology Briefing Seminars at the SEMA Show are great opportunities for members to learn firsthand about the impact of vehicle technology on their business and the resources and benefits available to them. To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.

SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By John Waraniak

Vehicle Technology Matters More Than Ever

	Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. Young will be returning to the SEMA Show this year with his latest ‘59 Lincvolt (above).

The Vehicle Technology Center (VTC) held a prominent position in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the 2012 SEMA Show, drawing greater attention and attendance than ever before. The VTC and Technology Briefing Seminar (TBS) program will be returning to the 2013 SEMA Show, providing attendees with new levels of education through the program’s vehicle technology keynotes, briefing sessions and workshops.

The association’s vehicle technology programs, initiatives and relationships are investments in SEMA’s collective future. The purpose of the VTC and the accompanying TBS program is to inform SEMA members about the latest vehicle technologies and introduce them to the programs, resources, partners, solutions and benefits available to them at affordable costs as well as show them how to protect their businesses in the face of disruptive and advanced technological change. Advanced vehicle technologies are integral to both the relevance and the future of SEMA. To ignore their impact is a fundamental mistake. Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

The VTC and TBS Program are designed to connect members to the benefits of SEMA-developed vehicle technology solutions and partnerships and help them understand the impact on their businesses today as well as prepare them to compete and leverage tomorrow’s technologies and new business opportunities. Locating the VTC in the Grand Lobby helps to position advanced vehicle technology challenges, solutions and opportunities at the front and center of members’ minds and attention.

The center’s exhibit space at the 2013 SEMA Show will once again be located in the Grand Lobby and will highlight SEMA-developed solutions, our technology partners, vehicle system demonstrations and workshops throughout the week. The VTC provides members with valuable resources, and the TBS keynotes, forum panels and workshops are must-attend education sessions for serious technology enthusiasts and performance professionals committed to developing technology roadmaps and business plans focused on future-proofing their survival and growth.

		Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

In the April 2013 advanced vehicle technology edition of SEMA News, I posed a couple of questions: Does the automotive specialty-equipment industry have five years left? And what is SEMA doing with its vehicle technology programs and partners to help members be successful and protect the performance industry?

Technology constantly creates changes to vehicles and, consequently, to specialty-equipment businesses. Advanced vehicle technologies, shifting market segments and changing consumer behaviors continue to drive new business opportunities and performance-product innovations in the specialty-equipment industry. We will focus on several key trends in this year’s VTC and TBS program as our industry moves through and beyond the next five years. Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.

Vehicle Technology Center Theater Keynotes, Forums and Workshops

The VTC Tech-Zones and TBS program are designed around four megatrends driving the automotive performance aftermarket: Driving Green, Driving Connected, Driving Safe and Driving Cool. The Tech-Zones are designed to be relevant to today’s enthusiasts as well as appeal to tomorrow’s next generation of performance and technology enthusiasts, designers, engineers and marketers. They bring greater focus to current and emerging performance-product developments and aftermarket opportunities.

This year’s roster of keynotes, forum panels and workshop topics includes a wide range of high-profile speakers representing a global who’s who in the OEM, technology-provider and performance aftermarket communities. It also includes experts and leaders in vehicle and system technologies, mobile youth and lifestyle trends and performance branding as well as those at the forefront of the entrepreneurial spirit that continues to drive the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

Three vehicle technology keynotes, four forum panel sessions and two SEMA-Clemson workshops will be held in the VTC Theater. The keynotes, sessions and workshops will focus on vehicle dynamics and emissions of aftermarket-modified vehicles, racing and performance, green-performance product development, connected-vehicle technologies, performance branding and next-generation enthusiasts. The center’s exhibit space will highlight vehicle technology simulations and demonstrations from SEMA technology partners that include Clemson University, CarSim, dSPACE and Link Engineering as well as Gen-6 vehicles from NASCAR, Icon’s ’47 Chevy Thriftmaster and Neil Young’s new ’59 Lincvolt.

Vehicle Dynamics Forum

The first of the forum panel sessions, the Vehicle Dynamics Forum, is scheduled for Monday, November 4 (the day before the SEMA Show officially opens), from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. September 1, 2012, marked the date requiring aftermarket companies to comply with the U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 126 for electronic stability control (ESC) systems. The NHTSA also recently defined five levels of vehicle automation that will be part of the forum discussion.

	In his Racing and Performance Keynote remarks, NASCAR President Mike Helton will focus on how performance aftermarket companies have worked with manufacturers to drive innovation in motorsports as well as NASCAR’s continuing evolution.

SEMA’s Vehicle Dynamics Program and participating member companies have made significant achievements over the past five years in helping members customize with confidence and understand how their performance products—suspension, brakes, wheels, tires and steering as well as engine modifications—interact with ESC and other active safety systems. SEMA members are invited to attend the Vehicle Dynamics Forum presentations, demonstrations and solutions regarding FMVSS 126 and learn firsthand from the experts about the ESC performance of aftermarket-modified vehicles. This year’s Vehicle Dynamics Forum will feature the new ’14 Chevy Silverado, which is one of the most technologically advanced vehicles on the road today.

The full-scale vehicle testing and hardware-in-the-loop simulation technology and product development methodologies available to members is the same as that used by all OEMs and major suppliers around the world to develop, test and simulate vehicle dynamics, new chassis system components, engines, powertrains, drivelines, suspensions and vehicle electronic control systems. The innovative and collaborative approach developed by SEMA has minimized costs while establishing unique capabilities for member companies that want to know the impact of their products on vehicle dynamics and ESC performance.

The SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Dynamics Workshop led by Dr. Paul Venhovens from Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) will follow the Vehicle Dynamics Forum. The workshop will provide an overview of the unique resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Grant Projects.

Racing and Performance Keynote

Mike Helton, president of NASCAR, will present the Racing and Performance Keynote on Tuesday, November 5, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. SEMA Chairman of the Board Nate Shelton will provide the opening comments for this exciting keynote session.

SEMA-member companies continue to play a significant role in NASCAR’s 70-year history and Gen-6 evolution, and NASCAR has played an equally important role in SEMA’s 50-year history and continuing evolution. SEMA’s roots are embedded in racing and the performance aftermarket. Racing and the performance lifestyle are critical to continued relevance and innovation within the NASCAR and SEMA communities and include longtime members and enthusiasts as well as next-generation companies, fans and enthusiasts.

Racing and Performance Forum

	Director of Ford Racing North America Jamie Allison (top) will participate along with General Motors Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell (below) in the Racing and Performance Forum.

The Racing and Performance Forum panel session will be held Tuesday, November 5, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC. Speakers will include Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing; Jim Campbell, leader of General Motors Performance Vehicles and Motorsports; Wilfried Eibach, chairman of the Eibach Group; Alwin Springer, former president of Porsche Motorsport North America; and Yves Morizot, founder and chairman of Stand21. The roster will also include several other leaders from the racing and performance community. John Kilroy, vice president and general manager of PRI, will provide an overview of the exciting programs and events leading PRI’s return to Indianapolis, the racing capital of the world.

This forum panel will address questions about the impact of advanced technologies and tighter federal emissions and fuel-efficiency standards on the racing and performance market today and in the near future. For instance, is Gen Y’s lack of interest in cars affecting racing and performance? Does 4G trump a V8 for many young people who may be less interested in driving than their parent’s generation was? Does winning on Sunday still translate to selling on Monday?

This session will explore how leading automakers and SEMA companies are focusing on matching horsepower with the fastest computing power and supporting existing series such as NASCAR and off-road racing. It will also review the merger of Grand-Am and ALMS to form the United SportsCar Racing series as well as new series such as Global Rallycross.

Next-Gen Racers, Designers and Engineers Forum

This new session, to be held November 5 from 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m., will focus on the next generation of racers, designers and engineers. This panel will be an open-forum discussion and jam session on the future of motor racing, performance engineering, automotive design and lifestyle from the perspectives of today’s millennial enthusiasts and next-generation professionals on the frontlines of the future.

Special Session: Clemson University Deep Orange Project Vehicle

SEMA’s innovative partnership with the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and its annual Deep Orange Project Vehicle will be the subject of a press conference in the VTC on Wednesday, November 6, from 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m. The SEMA-Clemson partnership is an excellent example of open innovation and generative thinking in action. SEMA and CU-ICAR have teamed up to offer SEMA members access to world-class resources, testing capabilities and engineering talent at affordable costs. This is a must-attend event for technology and performance professionals as well as next-gen enthusiasts and students.

Performance Branding Keynote

	Graham Brown, founder of mobileYouth and a leading authority on brand democracy and fansourcing, will provide the Performance Branding Keynote.

Graham Brown—founder of MobileYouth and the Earned Media Fight Club, leading digital anthropologist, cultural explorer and author of six books on youth, culture and social business—will present the Performance Branding Keynote on Wednesday, November 6, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. on the VTC Stage.

From wheels and tires to smartphone apps that interact with consumer vehicles and onboard technologies, successful designing and marketing with automotive enthusiasts requires strategies that make customers part of a company’s brand through movements, storytelling and advocacy. Brown is one of the world’s leading authorities on brand democracy and believes that the best brands market with consumers, not to consumers.

Brown’s keynote remarks will help SEMA members understand how brand democracy creates desire through social packaging and consumer context. He will explain why it is important for every business to help fans and enthusiasts tell their story about the benefits of the company’s products and the importance of developing an emotional connection to its brand. Brand democracy is about letting go and turning a brand over to consumers, fans and enthusiasts. Vehicle customization, personalization and accessorization are major elements in that first step.

Performance Branding Forum

On Wednesday, November 6, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., the discussion in the VTC will turn to Performance Branding: Integrating Design Thinking and Product Content with Social Thinking and Consumer Context.

People buy on emotion and justify with logic. Design thinking drives technology and product content. It’s a top-down, expert-driven product-development process that creates value. Social thinking is quite the opposite. It is a bottom-up, frontline-driven brand-development process that creates meaning.

		Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.”

Design and social thinking both matter in how people think about technology, performance branding and lifestyle marketing. Every generation defines what it thinks is cool and has a rebirth of cool, from Steve McQueen to Peter Fonda to Travis Pastrana. Today’s vehicles are works of art, power, access and fashion. This panel will investigate the latest strategies, tactics and best practices of successful brands and explore how consumer expectations are impacting how you can use design as a competitive advantage and branding as a competitive differentiator.

Justin Wilkenfeld, GoPro’s director of lifestyle marketing, will headline this panel. He will be joined by Aaron Levant, founder of Agenda, Stewart Reed of the Pasadena Art Center College of Design and other leading designers, brand leaders and customizers currently influencing automotive lifestyles and the specialty-equipment market.

SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Workshop

Dr. Rob Prucka from CU-ICAR will provide an overview of the unique testing, analysis and compliance resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Grant Projects. Sandy Stojkovski, Scenaria president, a member of the AVL Group, will join Prucka in this workshop session and describe the unique capabilities of the equipment being used in the Clemson Vehicle Emissions Lab to support SEMA members.

Green Performance Keynote: Repowering the American Dream

	Neil Young will provide the Green Performance Keynote in the Vehicle Technology Center and focus on Repowering the American Dream on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater Stage.

Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, will provide a Green Performance Keynote entitled “Repowering the American Dream” on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater State. Young’s goal is to inspire a generation by creating a clean automobile propulsion technology that serves the needs of the 21st century and delivers performance that is a reflection of the driver’s spirit.

Young demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. On this, SEMA’s 50th anniversary, it is worth noting that repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum

The Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum panel session will be on November 7 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the VCT Theater. Panelists will include Ted Cardenas from Pioneer Car Electronics; Jake Sigal, founder of Livio Radio; Nick Pudar, director of global connected consumer at General Motors; Danny Shapiro from Nvidia; Michael Schagrin from the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Greg Krueger, program manager at SAIC.

This forum will help SEMA members understand how mobile technology is accelerating the automotive aftermarket. Silicon Valley and Detroit are in a battle for the future of the car, and the aftermarket is helping to democratize connected-vehicle technologies. The integration of automotive and consumer electronics technologies and connected-vehicle systems is the hottest area where automakers are collaborating with aftermarket companies and app developers.

Repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

The OEMs are rapidly expanding their car-to-x and app offerings, but the aftermarket is getting in on the action as well. Automotive and consumer-electronics technologies are leading the way in optimizing the consumer and driving experience. For some SEMA companies, not connected could mean not in business.

Next-generation enthusiasts were born online and raised on technology. They want the fastest cars as well as the smartest cars. Many have no e-fear of sharing information online if they get something in return.

Apps are coming to automobile dashboards. Nearly every new car will soon have downloadable applications, either through a tethered smartphone or via a built-in data link to local wireless carriers. General Motors just announced a new flexible application framework that allows drivers to add apps and features to their vehicles after the initial purchase of the vehicle so that infotainment systems can be updated and improved over time. The framework provides vehicle application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers to access the infotainment systems in GM vehicles.

To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.

Apps programs such as Ford’s OpenXC Platform and GM’s Flexible App Framework for customized and upgradable driver and customer experiences will create new business opportunities for those SEMA companies focused on connected-vehicle technologies, systems, apps, features and how they get installed, integrated and upgraded into vehicles and automotive lifestyles.

The automotive specialty-equipment industry will always be challenged by advanced vehicle technologies, federal regulations, systems integration and safety considerations. SEMA is continually working to provide unique benefits and value to members by developing vehicle technology solutions and building relationships that foster collaboration between automakers, suppliers, retailers, research organizations, industry associations and member companies.

SEMA’s vehicle technology initiatives, programs and solutions are operational throughout the year. However, experiencing the Vehicle Technology Center and attending the Technology Briefing Seminars at the SEMA Show are great opportunities for members to learn firsthand about the impact of vehicle technology on their business and the resources and benefits available to them. To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.

SEMA News—September 2013

EVENTS
By John Waraniak

Vehicle Technology Matters More Than Ever

	Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. Young will be returning to the SEMA Show this year with his latest ‘59 Lincvolt (above).

The Vehicle Technology Center (VTC) held a prominent position in the Grand Lobby of the Las Vegas Convention Center at the 2012 SEMA Show, drawing greater attention and attendance than ever before. The VTC and Technology Briefing Seminar (TBS) program will be returning to the 2013 SEMA Show, providing attendees with new levels of education through the program’s vehicle technology keynotes, briefing sessions and workshops.

The association’s vehicle technology programs, initiatives and relationships are investments in SEMA’s collective future. The purpose of the VTC and the accompanying TBS program is to inform SEMA members about the latest vehicle technologies and introduce them to the programs, resources, partners, solutions and benefits available to them at affordable costs as well as show them how to protect their businesses in the face of disruptive and advanced technological change. Advanced vehicle technologies are integral to both the relevance and the future of SEMA. To ignore their impact is a fundamental mistake. Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

The VTC and TBS Program are designed to connect members to the benefits of SEMA-developed vehicle technology solutions and partnerships and help them understand the impact on their businesses today as well as prepare them to compete and leverage tomorrow’s technologies and new business opportunities. Locating the VTC in the Grand Lobby helps to position advanced vehicle technology challenges, solutions and opportunities at the front and center of members’ minds and attention.

The center’s exhibit space at the 2013 SEMA Show will once again be located in the Grand Lobby and will highlight SEMA-developed solutions, our technology partners, vehicle system demonstrations and workshops throughout the week. The VTC provides members with valuable resources, and the TBS keynotes, forum panels and workshops are must-attend education sessions for serious technology enthusiasts and performance professionals committed to developing technology roadmaps and business plans focused on future-proofing their survival and growth.

		Disruptive technologies don’t totally eliminate existing vehicle technologies, but they do often eliminate unprepared businesses and companies.

In the April 2013 advanced vehicle technology edition of SEMA News, I posed a couple of questions: Does the automotive specialty-equipment industry have five years left? And what is SEMA doing with its vehicle technology programs and partners to help members be successful and protect the performance industry?

Technology constantly creates changes to vehicles and, consequently, to specialty-equipment businesses. Advanced vehicle technologies, shifting market segments and changing consumer behaviors continue to drive new business opportunities and performance-product innovations in the specialty-equipment industry. We will focus on several key trends in this year’s VTC and TBS program as our industry moves through and beyond the next five years. Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.

Vehicle Technology Center Theater Keynotes, Forums and Workshops

The VTC Tech-Zones and TBS program are designed around four megatrends driving the automotive performance aftermarket: Driving Green, Driving Connected, Driving Safe and Driving Cool. The Tech-Zones are designed to be relevant to today’s enthusiasts as well as appeal to tomorrow’s next generation of performance and technology enthusiasts, designers, engineers and marketers. They bring greater focus to current and emerging performance-product developments and aftermarket opportunities.

This year’s roster of keynotes, forum panels and workshop topics includes a wide range of high-profile speakers representing a global who’s who in the OEM, technology-provider and performance aftermarket communities. It also includes experts and leaders in vehicle and system technologies, mobile youth and lifestyle trends and performance branding as well as those at the forefront of the entrepreneurial spirit that continues to drive the automotive specialty-equipment industry.

Three vehicle technology keynotes, four forum panel sessions and two SEMA-Clemson workshops will be held in the VTC Theater. The keynotes, sessions and workshops will focus on vehicle dynamics and emissions of aftermarket-modified vehicles, racing and performance, green-performance product development, connected-vehicle technologies, performance branding and next-generation enthusiasts. The center’s exhibit space will highlight vehicle technology simulations and demonstrations from SEMA technology partners that include Clemson University, CarSim, dSPACE and Link Engineering as well as Gen-6 vehicles from NASCAR, Icon’s ’47 Chevy Thriftmaster and Neil Young’s new ’59 Lincvolt.

Vehicle Dynamics Forum

The first of the forum panel sessions, the Vehicle Dynamics Forum, is scheduled for Monday, November 4 (the day before the SEMA Show officially opens), from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. September 1, 2012, marked the date requiring aftermarket companies to comply with the U.S. Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 126 for electronic stability control (ESC) systems. The NHTSA also recently defined five levels of vehicle automation that will be part of the forum discussion.

	In his Racing and Performance Keynote remarks, NASCAR President Mike Helton will focus on how performance aftermarket companies have worked with manufacturers to drive innovation in motorsports as well as NASCAR’s continuing evolution.

SEMA’s Vehicle Dynamics Program and participating member companies have made significant achievements over the past five years in helping members customize with confidence and understand how their performance products—suspension, brakes, wheels, tires and steering as well as engine modifications—interact with ESC and other active safety systems. SEMA members are invited to attend the Vehicle Dynamics Forum presentations, demonstrations and solutions regarding FMVSS 126 and learn firsthand from the experts about the ESC performance of aftermarket-modified vehicles. This year’s Vehicle Dynamics Forum will feature the new ’14 Chevy Silverado, which is one of the most technologically advanced vehicles on the road today.

The full-scale vehicle testing and hardware-in-the-loop simulation technology and product development methodologies available to members is the same as that used by all OEMs and major suppliers around the world to develop, test and simulate vehicle dynamics, new chassis system components, engines, powertrains, drivelines, suspensions and vehicle electronic control systems. The innovative and collaborative approach developed by SEMA has minimized costs while establishing unique capabilities for member companies that want to know the impact of their products on vehicle dynamics and ESC performance.

The SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Dynamics Workshop led by Dr. Paul Venhovens from Clemson University’s International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) will follow the Vehicle Dynamics Forum. The workshop will provide an overview of the unique resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Grant Projects.

Racing and Performance Keynote

Mike Helton, president of NASCAR, will present the Racing and Performance Keynote on Tuesday, November 5, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. in the VTC Theater. SEMA Chairman of the Board Nate Shelton will provide the opening comments for this exciting keynote session.

SEMA-member companies continue to play a significant role in NASCAR’s 70-year history and Gen-6 evolution, and NASCAR has played an equally important role in SEMA’s 50-year history and continuing evolution. SEMA’s roots are embedded in racing and the performance aftermarket. Racing and the performance lifestyle are critical to continued relevance and innovation within the NASCAR and SEMA communities and include longtime members and enthusiasts as well as next-generation companies, fans and enthusiasts.

Racing and Performance Forum

	Director of Ford Racing North America Jamie Allison (top) will participate along with General Motors Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell (below) in the Racing and Performance Forum.

The Racing and Performance Forum panel session will be held Tuesday, November 5, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. in the VTC. Speakers will include Jamie Allison, director of Ford Racing; Jim Campbell, leader of General Motors Performance Vehicles and Motorsports; Wilfried Eibach, chairman of the Eibach Group; Alwin Springer, former president of Porsche Motorsport North America; and Yves Morizot, founder and chairman of Stand21. The roster will also include several other leaders from the racing and performance community. John Kilroy, vice president and general manager of PRI, will provide an overview of the exciting programs and events leading PRI’s return to Indianapolis, the racing capital of the world.

This forum panel will address questions about the impact of advanced technologies and tighter federal emissions and fuel-efficiency standards on the racing and performance market today and in the near future. For instance, is Gen Y’s lack of interest in cars affecting racing and performance? Does 4G trump a V8 for many young people who may be less interested in driving than their parent’s generation was? Does winning on Sunday still translate to selling on Monday?

This session will explore how leading automakers and SEMA companies are focusing on matching horsepower with the fastest computing power and supporting existing series such as NASCAR and off-road racing. It will also review the merger of Grand-Am and ALMS to form the United SportsCar Racing series as well as new series such as Global Rallycross.

Next-Gen Racers, Designers and Engineers Forum

This new session, to be held November 5 from 3:30 p.m.–4:30 p.m., will focus on the next generation of racers, designers and engineers. This panel will be an open-forum discussion and jam session on the future of motor racing, performance engineering, automotive design and lifestyle from the perspectives of today’s millennial enthusiasts and next-generation professionals on the frontlines of the future.

Special Session: Clemson University Deep Orange Project Vehicle

SEMA’s innovative partnership with the Clemson University International Center for Automotive Research (CU-ICAR) and its annual Deep Orange Project Vehicle will be the subject of a press conference in the VTC on Wednesday, November 6, from 10:00 a.m.–10:20 a.m. The SEMA-Clemson partnership is an excellent example of open innovation and generative thinking in action. SEMA and CU-ICAR have teamed up to offer SEMA members access to world-class resources, testing capabilities and engineering talent at affordable costs. This is a must-attend event for technology and performance professionals as well as next-gen enthusiasts and students.

Performance Branding Keynote

	Graham Brown, founder of mobileYouth and a leading authority on brand democracy and fansourcing, will provide the Performance Branding Keynote.

Graham Brown—founder of MobileYouth and the Earned Media Fight Club, leading digital anthropologist, cultural explorer and author of six books on youth, culture and social business—will present the Performance Branding Keynote on Wednesday, November 6, from 12:00 p.m.–1:00 p.m. on the VTC Stage.

From wheels and tires to smartphone apps that interact with consumer vehicles and onboard technologies, successful designing and marketing with automotive enthusiasts requires strategies that make customers part of a company’s brand through movements, storytelling and advocacy. Brown is one of the world’s leading authorities on brand democracy and believes that the best brands market with consumers, not to consumers.

Brown’s keynote remarks will help SEMA members understand how brand democracy creates desire through social packaging and consumer context. He will explain why it is important for every business to help fans and enthusiasts tell their story about the benefits of the company’s products and the importance of developing an emotional connection to its brand. Brand democracy is about letting go and turning a brand over to consumers, fans and enthusiasts. Vehicle customization, personalization and accessorization are major elements in that first step.

Performance Branding Forum

On Wednesday, November 6, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m., the discussion in the VTC will turn to Performance Branding: Integrating Design Thinking and Product Content with Social Thinking and Consumer Context.

People buy on emotion and justify with logic. Design thinking drives technology and product content. It’s a top-down, expert-driven product-development process that creates value. Social thinking is quite the opposite. It is a bottom-up, frontline-driven brand-development process that creates meaning.

		Vehicle technology is at the top of the performance aftermarket trending list and matters more than ever.”

Design and social thinking both matter in how people think about technology, performance branding and lifestyle marketing. Every generation defines what it thinks is cool and has a rebirth of cool, from Steve McQueen to Peter Fonda to Travis Pastrana. Today’s vehicles are works of art, power, access and fashion. This panel will investigate the latest strategies, tactics and best practices of successful brands and explore how consumer expectations are impacting how you can use design as a competitive advantage and branding as a competitive differentiator.

Justin Wilkenfeld, GoPro’s director of lifestyle marketing, will headline this panel. He will be joined by Aaron Levant, founder of Agenda, Stewart Reed of the Pasadena Art Center College of Design and other leading designers, brand leaders and customizers currently influencing automotive lifestyles and the specialty-equipment market.

SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Workshop

Dr. Rob Prucka from CU-ICAR will provide an overview of the unique testing, analysis and compliance resources available to members and the benefits received by SEMA members participating in the SEMA-Clemson Vehicle Emissions Grant Projects. Sandy Stojkovski, Scenaria president, a member of the AVL Group, will join Prucka in this workshop session and describe the unique capabilities of the equipment being used in the Clemson Vehicle Emissions Lab to support SEMA members.

Green Performance Keynote: Repowering the American Dream

	Neil Young will provide the Green Performance Keynote in the Vehicle Technology Center and focus on Repowering the American Dream on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater Stage.

Neil Young, musician, entrepreneur and Lincvolt team leader, will provide a Green Performance Keynote entitled “Repowering the American Dream” on Thursday, November 7, from 11:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. on the VTC Theater State. Young’s goal is to inspire a generation by creating a clean automobile propulsion technology that serves the needs of the 21st century and delivers performance that is a reflection of the driver’s spirit.

Young demonstrated the entrepreneurial spirit of SEMA members and performance enthusiasts around the world with his keynote remarks and the introduction of his ’59 Lincvolt at the 2010 SEMA Show. On this, SEMA’s 50th anniversary, it is worth noting that repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum

The Connected Vehicle and Apps Forum panel session will be on November 7 from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. in the VCT Theater. Panelists will include Ted Cardenas from Pioneer Car Electronics; Jake Sigal, founder of Livio Radio; Nick Pudar, director of global connected consumer at General Motors; Danny Shapiro from Nvidia; Michael Schagrin from the U.S. Department of Transportation; and Greg Krueger, program manager at SAIC.

This forum will help SEMA members understand how mobile technology is accelerating the automotive aftermarket. Silicon Valley and Detroit are in a battle for the future of the car, and the aftermarket is helping to democratize connected-vehicle technologies. The integration of automotive and consumer electronics technologies and connected-vehicle systems is the hottest area where automakers are collaborating with aftermarket companies and app developers.

Repowering the American Dream is not just about new vehicles; it’s about new technologies and new ways of thinking for the next generation of hot rodders and enthusiasts. An old car can take you to new places.

The OEMs are rapidly expanding their car-to-x and app offerings, but the aftermarket is getting in on the action as well. Automotive and consumer-electronics technologies are leading the way in optimizing the consumer and driving experience. For some SEMA companies, not connected could mean not in business.

Next-generation enthusiasts were born online and raised on technology. They want the fastest cars as well as the smartest cars. Many have no e-fear of sharing information online if they get something in return.

Apps are coming to automobile dashboards. Nearly every new car will soon have downloadable applications, either through a tethered smartphone or via a built-in data link to local wireless carriers. General Motors just announced a new flexible application framework that allows drivers to add apps and features to their vehicles after the initial purchase of the vehicle so that infotainment systems can be updated and improved over time. The framework provides vehicle application programming interfaces (APIs) for developers to access the infotainment systems in GM vehicles.

To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.

Apps programs such as Ford’s OpenXC Platform and GM’s Flexible App Framework for customized and upgradable driver and customer experiences will create new business opportunities for those SEMA companies focused on connected-vehicle technologies, systems, apps, features and how they get installed, integrated and upgraded into vehicles and automotive lifestyles.

The automotive specialty-equipment industry will always be challenged by advanced vehicle technologies, federal regulations, systems integration and safety considerations. SEMA is continually working to provide unique benefits and value to members by developing vehicle technology solutions and building relationships that foster collaboration between automakers, suppliers, retailers, research organizations, industry associations and member companies.

SEMA’s vehicle technology initiatives, programs and solutions are operational throughout the year. However, experiencing the Vehicle Technology Center and attending the Technology Briefing Seminars at the SEMA Show are great opportunities for members to learn firsthand about the impact of vehicle technology on their business and the resources and benefits available to them. To paraphrase the King of Cool, Steve McQueen: SEMA is life. Anything before or after the Show is just waiting.