Some QUESTIONS for everyone...

It has become increasingly harder for builders to get sponsorships on products due to the ever increasing amount of Television shows that display products for the after market companies. Unless you are an established builder, the first thing a company asks for if you are looking to get sponsored

Pretty much zero effect, I usually just go off word of mouth from good experiences and make sure to do the same when I have a good one.

1. seeing shit on tv doesnt make me want to buy it i just now know it exist
2. i dont go to SEMA and in all the people i know none of them go to SEMA either
3. it gets a product out in the public eye but i think unless some one the buyer can trust is out there explaining their personal expirence with the product than im not gonna buy it (and when i say personal expierence i dont mean reading off a script or a cue card)

i hope that helps and i know thats how most people around are gonna think too.

Definitely word of mouth. They don

I'm with the rest of the guys...I've never bought anything just because it was featured on tv...

I buy trojan condoms cuz I like the commercials.....does that count?

every potential sponsor I've spoke to about my Blazer ask me the same two questions.
1. What else have you built?
2. Whens it gonna be done?

We have nothing 'finished' to really show off, and who the fuk knows when its gonna be done. I wish my truck was one of those "hey we got 3 months, lets build a full blown show truck to have at SEMA" lol. those guys amaze me. And they are the ones that pick up sponsors easily.
As for the TV crap, I bet that helps those companies tremendously to the average Joe sitting on his couch at home watching Monster Garage. that isn't on the web, or at least not public forums. He'll see a product used on a show, and probably think that must be the people to go to for that product, then bam-- he shells out twice as much as what he could have bought that for had he known better. I know I bought alot of stupid $hit back in the day and probably got ripped just b/c I wanted it at the time, and I knew "such and such" company made it.
So the majority on SSM, i'm sure you'll get the same reply as the first few. But I bet these companies are getting there moneys worth out of showcasing there products on TV.
As for SEMA, considering SEMA is a consumer/product showcase, so most "average joes" will never even go to SEMA unless they know a good buddy that can get them in. For the ones that can't get in to see the products, they throw 'em on a TV show for all the world to see.
i don't think I answered either of ur questions, i'm just rambling now.
mike

1. i trust nothing i see on tv till i have it physically in front of my face, i.e. using it myself, watched a friend use it, or witnessed the results of the product first hand and up close. So, no.

2.Sema is for people working in the automotive field, with the intent of making money, not for shade tree mechanics, and weekend customizers. I go to sema to see the newly built rides up close, that are out front, and drink with the freaks. So, no on that also.

3.By "buyers" do you mean the people who purchase for their business at wholesale, and sell to us the consumers? or are you referring to consumers in the first place? For the most part i feel as if, these forms of advertising do very little to sway my opinion about a product. Word of mouth from people i trust seems to be the best form of advertising to me.

1. I guess I may have purchased things from magazine coverage, but never from television( I had learned to research things better by the time the television shows came out).

2.SEMA is great, but like everyone else, I am more impressed by the builders work than the product often.

3.It will effect the general television viewing audience more than the involved customiser. The kids with mtv will all want an mtx jack hammer because pimp my ride used one, but people already involved with auto sound, will pick and choose their equipment selections with more knowledge.
Minitruckers, hot rodders, lowriders, off roaders...etc., will probably continue to research their product choices a little more than the general viewing public.

Plus we are all poor...LOL

As a "business" man, I want to have visibility when I give big discount to people. The fact that someone has a place set for the SEMA show proves me that he is serious in his project...you should see how many "Hey would you give me a steering wheel...I'll show it to the world if you do". The next thing you know about that guy is he's selling his project for dirt cheap 'cause he's bored with it.

Then, having my product in a ride that is at the SEMA show should be seen a lot. Even tho the average joe won't go there, he'll see plenty of coverage of the show all around the net. If my product is in a clean ass ride it'll get coverage...that's the way I see it.

I know that the best advertising is the word of mouth...that's why we prefer offering good prices to everyone rather than giving away a few wheels to some people (that in the end don't deserve it very much than the other one).

So, I can understand why people ask you if you're going to be at the SEMA show, but I prefer offering my product at a lower price and giving 'em a good service so they'll talk about us to their friends and so on. Anyways, as a small business we can't afford to give away our wheels.

I didn't meant to give THE answer, I'm just giving you my point of view.

Later,