Geneva: It certainly not only cars that draw people's attention at auto shows like the Geneva International Motor show. Some companies still use attractive female models to grab potential customers' attention.
The practice of using women to sell cars was banned in April 2018 at the Shanghai motor show, with one of the reasons given by the show's organisers that the show intended to put the focus back on the cars.
The issue is especially contentious in light of the #metoo movement, which brought a sharp focus on gender stereotyping and unequal treatment between the sexes.
While some companies still use these marketing tactics from the past, others have opted out and instead employ woman in top positions.
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Citroen's CEO Linda Jackson was named the most influential women in the British auto industry by motoring magazine Autocar.
Jackson was appointed as Citroen Chief Executive in 2014. Jackson says people have a limited understanding of the important contribution women can make to the automotive industry.
"People have a very simple perception that the car industry is about engines and gearboxes..and all that..of course ultra-important, but the whole all about the digitalisation of our cars, the connectivity in our cars, it's the customer experience. It is so much more important now. Because you don't just sell products, you sell an experience. And therefore that is exciting and why wouldn't women want to be part of that?"
"So, I encourage more women to come into our industry and you know we are seeing an increase in women. It is slow, but it is happening. So, for example in the PSA group, of which Citroen is part of you know in our managers that are under 30 then 36 percent, so that wasn't the case 5 , 6, 7 years ago. So, we are seeing an increase even you now at Citroen, my communications director is female, the lady that chooses the interior in terms of colours and material is female for Citroen. So, why wouldn't more woman want to come in and have an influence."
The motoring industry is still heavily skewed in men's favour.
According to Catalyst, a non profit organisation that aims to empower women in the work place, women are markedly under represented in the auto industry in Europe, Canada and the United States.
Catalyst says the motoring industry shows meagre progress in diversifying executive teams as more than half of the top 20 automotive companies have no woman on their executive teams according to their website.
The exhibit halls of motor shows like the one taking place in Geneva from 7 - 8 March 2019 is still dominated by men, those who sell, buy and write about cars are predominantly men.
Silvia Baruffaldi, Editor of Auto&Design, says she would like to see more women in top management in the automotive industry.
"We have an image of women being interested especially in stylish products or just aesthetic matters, but actually women are much more interested in how the car really performs, how it is practical – the areas they use of a product. So, I think that it would be very good to have both, more managers, women managers of course, but at the same time also to have more women interested in the products."
Deb Pollack, a publicist in the luxury automotive Industry, says she has seen the motoring industry changing slowly over time to be more inclusive for women.
"I think that it has evolved, I don't know that it has really changed. I think that people are looking more toward women and trusting them, trusting their instincts, trusting their skills, trusting their abilities, I mean with us as a brand we have got over a 1.8 million dollar car that is on display here and the person who designed the interior is a woman. And so we are taking charge of things and if you look across from race car drivers to executives like Mary Barra and GM, people are looking at women and saying they are very well respected, they are doing what they need to do and the car industry is not just a man's industry anymore."
General Motors became the first global automotive company to employ a women as its CEO with the appointment of Mary Barra in 2013.
Pollack says in the years that she has worked as a publicist she has seen reduction in companies using models to sell their products.
"I think it has changed, but not just because of the women, but I think the car industry in itself is respected in a different level, so people are looking for innovation and they are looking for high tech. "
"They don't necessarily need the women to come over and show them the way. They are seeing what they want to see in the vehicles and it is the women that are displaying that by their executive status and talking about those products and showcasing what they've learned or what they have created within those products and that people are looking more toward and when you look around you see all of the innovation that's here and all of the excitement – you are not just looking for a pretty girl on a stand to show you what's going to be behind the door."
While things are changing in to automotive industry, it is not changing at a rapid pace and some exhibitions on the show room floor of the Geneva Motor show is testament to that.
(Inputs from AP)
