[button link=”https://www.arredanegozi.it/2022/01/eicma-2021-una-lenta-timida-ma-ottimistica-ripresa/ ” icon=”none” target=”” color=”a30b0b” textcolor=”ffffff”]TESTO ITALIANO[/button]
Dear readers,
Like many animals in the forest we looked out of the den after a long period of lethargy, in which events and fairs, because of this bloody pandemic, have had an inevitable decline and reduced attendance.
The storm that has fallen on us has touched our souls, our minds and especially our pockets, making sure that everyone now face every day with sense of insecurity and fear about what will happen.null
We are experiencing an extremely difficult time for those who carry out a professional activity related to travel and relationships, however we perceive, strong and unstoppable, the desire to resume a normal life that the most skeptical do not see so close (the most pessimistic speak of two or three years).
So we have made our vaccines, we showed our Green pass and with the usual intolerance to the mask we headed towards this unmissable event for two-wheel enthusiasts.
Although the day in which we were present was the one dedicated to industry operators, we were pleasantly surprised by a turnout certainly large, which was held in maximum safety and in a respectful discipline.
As often happens, the first impressions are those that actually correspond to the reality of the facts, that is the desire of the operators of the sector to give back enthusiasm and optimism to all those who of the two wheels make a movement of freedom and a lifestyle.
The lack of giants like BMW, Ducati, KTM and Harley Davidson is certainly a signal that the market is going more and more in a direction where the consumer is hired in a new way.
It is therefore no longer necessary, perhaps, to be present at events like these to present new vehicles or to show what must be your brand identity, but the future will be increasingly tied, I am inevitably afraid, to the digital world, which although significantly reduces human contact, reaches customers much faster.
The discussion with my travelling companion while we were on the train was: what reasoning did these great giants make by taking the courageous decision not to participate in this edition? And is this choice final, for a few years, or just the first year after the pandemic?
Good or bad, we are aware of the costs that a brand faces for such an important fair, and at a time of cutting investments, there is no doubt that a commitment like that of a fair, affects the annual budget.
Therefore it is natural to ask whether the final consumer actually pays attention and gives importance to the presence or not of a large brand at a fair; or maybe you prefer to inquire through the web and then go to the dealership to view and test the vehicle.
From the point of view closer to the Retail we noticed a significant step back in terms of image and materials research for the stands; this to demonstrate that even the big brands that wanted to be present, (see the Japanese brands or Italian companies such as moto Guzzi and Piaggio) had to make important cuts in terms of square meters but also exhibition facilities.
As you can see from the photos, only some have ventured into some outdoor settings, but most companies have focused on simple platforms on which to put their top-of-the-range items.
I guess at this point some of the readers are wondering: but what’s good then in this trip to the EICMA? I
In reality little and nothing, except to appreciate the effort of everyone to rediscover what we took for granted in the past, and that was questioned by a ruthless virus of which we may never know the real origin.
The very presence of the hostesses, who once were definitely one of the many moments of recall for this and other fairs, relegated inexorably to stay on the bike with the mask, will remain in history as the image of a period that we will never forget.
From the motor point of view it seems evident a homogeneity of models and design that makes all bikes very similar.
The most interesting signs were certainly in the field of scooters that now wink at the eye in an inevitable and obvious electric propulsion.
And so how to finish this story of a day with a taste half bitter? As the famous
Neapolitan actor Eduardo De Fililippo used to say”HA DA PASSA’ ‘A NUTTATA”…
Paolo Zanardi – XT Retail
by AN shopfitting magazine no.166
