Keen to make waves in key foreign markets, Chinese automakers are treating oversees media to the best of the Shanghai Auto Show
2 hours ago
- A record number of journalists and influencers are reportedly in attendance at the Shanghai Show.
- A report suggests that many of them are from Latin America, a region prime for EV expansion.
- Foreign content creators reportedly received better access to Chinese automakers than ever before.
Motor shows may be on the verge of extinction in the West, with many events already going under, including stalwarts like Geneva, but in a country with at least 150 active brands, China’s events are thriving. Now, as more local automakers look to make their mark abroad, the number of journalists and influencers flown in seems to be the highest ever.
China has traditionally been quite strict regarding those eligible for journalist visas. However, with local automakers realizing the importance of being present in the media, a change in policy appears to be underway, as evidenced by record journalist attendance at the 2025 Shanghai Auto Show.
A Targeted Campaign
According to Bloomberg, BYD hosted around 150 journalists and influencers, with many invitees hailing from Latin America. Countries such as El Salvador, Paraguay, Ecuador, Chile, and Peru are being targeted in particular, with the region prime for expansion.
Read: Denza Z Is An Electric 911 Rival With A Fold-Away Steering Wheel
Guests are reportedly being hosted in luxury accommodations in an upmarket area of Shanghai, with some rooms costing as much as $375 per night. Meanwhile, influencers are gaining a kind of access that, according to one China-based creator, has not been seen in the past — something that has irritated some of his peers.
The reasoning for the push is clear. Latin America’s EV market is set to exceed $19 billion in 2030. BYD plans to manufacture over 150,000 cars annually in Brazil, while SAIC-owned MG is setting up a plant in Mexico.
Western Media Gets Access Too
It’s not just those from Latin America that have been flown in, though. Some of the most influential content creators in the West have also managed to get on the ticket. Despite most Chinese automakers not selling their cars in the US, Forest Jones, an influencer with 3.2 million YouTube subscribers, suggests that if those brands were able to enter the market, American consumers would see the value on offer.
Bloomberg reported that Jones was seen being hosted by Zeekr, and later posted a temporary driving permit on his Instagram account along with stories of him test-driving a selection of cars from Lynk & Co. Meanwhile, from Europe, Felix Hammer, who documents his EV travels, was flown in from Amsterdam. His aim was to discover more about the fast-charging technology on offer, but he joked that a carmaker like Audi wouldn’t even fly him to Portugal.
Images: Geely, Chery, MG, Zeekr, BYD
#Chinese #Brands #Fly #Record #Number #Foreign #Journos #Influencers #Shanghai #Show
