Another successful NADA Show has come and gone, and Canadian auto dealer’s team was out covering it, attending sessions, talking to dozens of exhibitors on the massive show floor, talking to Canadian dealers, and attending smaller private events and larger blockbuster parties where dealers and suppliers mingled and chatted late into the evening.
There was a really good buzz at this year’s show. We’ve been covering this event for well over a decade, and usually at least a few exhibitors (and often many) grumble about the lack of attendance at their booth, always hopeful to get more leads to justify the massive expense of time and resources to exhibit.
Not so this year.
When we visited some exhibitors, they were visibly worn out, some admitting they were already “talked out” with so many visitors and customers descending upon their booths seeking new information.
So we can officially say, NADA is back!
Every year there always seems to be a shiny new toy that dealers are chasing or that suppliers are pushing in front of them. This year, not surprisingly, it was AI. Many new exhibitors in the AI space showed up, and even other traditional suppliers of software and tools to dealers were talking about AI. The reality is, some form of machine learning is already baked into many of the software tools and platforms they are already using, whether through automated chat platforms, or automated decisioning tools in their business offices.
So, when it comes to “embracing AI” dealers will really have no choice as their tech partners will have already made that decision for them. What we will continue to see is a rapid improvement in the sophistication of these tools, and their more seamless integration into many of the touchpoints with customers.
This year’s NADA Show also saw the return of more high-profile parties and events. The tone for bigger parties was set right out of the gate with NADA’s opening welcome reception held at the Sphere, the $2.3 billion multimedia entertainment complex that is the talk of Vegas. The Irish rockers U2 are in residency there.
Canada Night at NAD’eh this year featured the iconic Canadian country rockers Blue Rodeo, who played a set of their classic tunes at the Sahara Theater. That annual event was supported by Canadian suppliers and it helped create a place for Canadian dealers and suppliers to connect before the show fully got under way.
Next year’s NADA Show 2025 in New Orleans, from January 23-26 will have a tough time topping the extravagance and glitz of this year’s show, but also the solid content offerings.
Please scroll through our photo gallery from NADA 2024 to see some snapshots of the events. Some of these are NADA photos and some are from the Canadian auto dealer team. Enjoy!
