business

'Booth babes' on verge of extinction at Geneva Motor Show

28 Comments
By Yann SCHREIBER

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Another victory for the Puritans . Well, thank god for Asia, which is a lot more liberal on this issue. The Seoul, Beijing and Tokyo autoshows are always a treat.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

JeffLeeToday  07:11 am JST

Another victory for the Puritans

You will never make headway on the issue with that misguided attitude.

No one at these events has a problem with sex or sexuality. The objection is to the sexual objectification of women being the draw instead of the hard work put into tightly-designed automobile parts that maximize performance. Imagine, spending years of your life designing the perfect car component that gives that crucial .x% improved performance over all your rivals, but no one notices is because your rival has some women in the booth with short skirts doing saucy poses next to conventional, run-of-the-mill automobile parts.

No one wants that, but when booth babes become the norm, it becomes an arms race (or other body parts race) to find the most edgy ones to garner the maximum attention, but the attention always distracts away from the products themselves. It's just good business sense to collectively agree not to stoop to that level.

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

@katsu78

> You will never make headway on the issue with that misguided attitude.

"Midguided"? Don't make me laugh. The mini-skirt has been a symbol of liberation since the 60s, worn by the likes of Germaine Greer and Gloria Steinem. By contrast, covering up the body are practices of oppresive, intolerant and backward societies (which we are sadly becoming)

Read and be educated:

Miniskirts Forever: How One Piece of Clothing Came to Symbolize Women's Liberation

https://www.wmagazine.com/story/miniskirts-womens-liberation-trend

" I recommend counseling for those sad souls."

Yep, at re-education camps and struggle sessions.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

The women that did these jobs, just like the F1 race queens, were paid models. It was their job. People talk about this like these women were sold into slavery. Why doesn't anyone interview one of the many now-out-of-work models for these articles. I seriously doubt the women hired to be 'car explainers' are the same ones.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

Burning BushToday  08:33 am JST

Quit trying to turn the world into a giant church.

These women are consenting adults and have a right to choose what they want to do with their bodies.

No one is telling these women what to do with their bodies. They are free to dress however they like in their private time. It tells you something of the nature of booth babe work that they don't usually dress that way in their free time, though.

What's actually happening here is businesses are deciding amongst themselves how to present their products. Who are you to interfere with that? I thought you guys were all about the free market? Well, the free market has decided that trade shows want a bit more professionalism.

-10 ( +4 / -14 )

@katsu78

What's actually happening here is businesses are deciding amongst themselves how to present their products.

Nope. Not as simple as that. Because when they roll up in Seoul or elsewhere in Asia, they'll be chucking out the Puritan/Taliban gowns and replacing them with mini-skirts and stilleto heels. They are bowing to social and national dictates, not making their own decisions.

'

Pics from Seoul 2017, for your reference

https://thecoverage.my/automotive/babes/girls-seoul-motor-show-2017-part-1/

3 ( +9 / -6 )

Well if they keep them in Asia they should bring in fit men to ogle at...just to be fair. Though I really dislike the men ogling and taking photos more than the girls on display.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

Well if they keep them in Asia they should bring in fit men to ogle at...just to be fair. 

Why? There is no demand for men at these shows.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

I am with Jeff and Marcel: I most certainly would not want to go to a car show and see out of shape women wearing yoga pants that are too small or pajamas like the Walmart crowd does.

If more women were interested in these events, there would be more toy boys and hunks there for them as well. Business is business. No reason to damper it with Puritan issues.

If pretty girls make you offended, just stay home or go to church. No one says you have to go.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

About time too.

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

OK, now in addition to trying to shame all men in the world, now the metoo etc are targeting other women....whoa da  thunk  that! Watch out ladies, if you are attractive YOU TOOWILL be in their sights, in fact you already are!!!   Just saying!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

So what are guys supposed to look at now????

What’s the point of having a motor show if there are no attractive women to be distracted by? Do they really expect men to just stand around and look at boring cars?

:-/

3 ( +4 / -1 )

So what are guys supposed to look at now????

They can check each other out at the jacks, like they usually do. It's all about compensating for something, these car/women shows.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

They should hire in-shape scantily clad guys to draw in the female spectators.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

Sexy woman and sexy cars are some of the best two things in life.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

They're making a business decision for themselves that they'd lose less business going more professional than if they kept status quo

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

At auto shows/events geared towards the younger crowd, the outfits are getting skimpier every year.

Major Corporations want to look more modest and professional, that’s fine. The mod/tuner and drifting/street racing shows will cater to eye candy seekers.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

They should hire in-shape scantily clad guys to draw in the female spectators.

That would kill every car show. There are not hoards of women who have the desire to attend these events in any case. 

Good point. There are however, hoards of women who, without second thought, would gladly hop into the shotgun seat of one those cars.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

I have zero issues with women (and men) being dressed as they like. What I take issue with are the people who seem to think it is fine to make crude comments and grope these women. Or worse. And sadly, getting rid of the models seems to be the only way people think they can combat the harassment. Couldn't teach the jerks how to behave now, could we?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Why? There is no demand for men at these shows.

Because women don't like cars, right? I mean, cars are for men only, right? Seriously????

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

What I take issue with are the people who seem to think it is fine to make crude comments and grope these women.

Men have and always will make crude comments. Sorry. That's just the way it is.

As for groping, it doesn't go at car shows.

Because women don't like cars, right? I mean, cars are for men only, right? Seriously????

I never said that.

I'd bet a dollar to a donut you've never been to a car show. I've been to lots. Male:female ration usually runs about 20:1, if not less.

Add that to the fact that women do not generally have the same interest in semi-naked men as men have in semi-naked women, and you end up with a fact of reality: There is no demand for naked men at car shows. Sure, maybe 2-3 people at each show would like it, but that's not enough to justify the costs.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Did I miss something?  Why are the "car explainers" all female, despite being covered up?

I stopped going to car shows anyway, once Mazda discontinued the Wankel.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Stranger, I've been to car shows. The idea that there is no harassing and groping going on indicates you really don't get it.

Men have and always will make crude comments. Sorry. That's just the way it is.

With self proclaimed "good guys" making statements like that...

0 ( +1 / -1 )

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