The event is a frankly commercial venture designed to entertain clients of Sitour North America and Good Housekeeping and Advertising Age magazines, the sponsors who fund the outing. According to Monte Rios, of Sitour, the outing attracts top advertising agency people and, this year for the first time, some of their major clients as well.
To qualify for the free day, the Madison Avenue skiers, who range from agency presidents to media planners, must be full-time employees and submit their business cards with the registration form.
“When we started, there were only 20 teams,” said Rios. “This year, we had 50 teams of three to five each.”
The three sponsors divvied up the costs with Advertising Age paying for lift tickets and bus transportation from Manhattan, Good Housekeeping covering the dinner and Sitour paying for the race, bibs and banners as well as prizes for the winning teams and lottery-drawing winners.
For its part, Hunter waved the promotional fee usually charged to groups holding specialty races. “We think it’s good for the ski area because we want potential sponsors for other events to see our mountain,” said Paul Pepe, marketing director for the area. Hunter also promoted the race in ad spots carried on 169 radio stations the week before the event and in local print promotions.
“This type of event would not necessarily work in every region of the country,” cautioned Pepe. “But where there are advertising agencies with national or local accounts, it can be terrific for everyone involved.”
