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Each year in the May issue, we like to include some unexpected love from one resort to another. “Peer Reviews” are an added bonus to a resort’s already  successful marketing season: kudos from an audience that it wasn’t necessarily targeting but is perhaps more meaningful than sales conversions or analytics.

While we may enjoy the endorphin rush Jerry of the Day gives us, it’s not a social feed welcoming to new lovers of the sport. Whenever I see a video of ski personality Donny Pelletier pointing it down a run at Palisades Tahoe, wearing jeans, racing Jonny Moseley, though, I think, “I want to ski with that guy.” So, I tip my cap, or rather my construction helmet (Donny’s preferred PPE), to the Palisades Tahoe marketing team for creating a wicked awesome, wickedly funny social campaign with Donny Pelletier. 

This season, I have seen Donny, aka “Maine’s finest athlete,” in the Palisades parking lot, the tune shop, and other places not typically highlighted on resort social channels. The comedic relief and personal connection that Donny offers goes a long way when discussing parking restrictions or new rules, helping to ease social media backlash.

The Donny videos are also a welcome callback to an older ski culture embodied by Shane McConkey skating into a cornice with very little clothing. Is Donny the modern-day saucer boy? 

Skiing needs personality. Now more than ever, we need the ability to laugh at ourselves when we fall and a reminder that we don’t need 3L Gore-Tex to ski with the best. 

At Les Sommets, we have always been strong believers in the importance of entertainment and events in a marketing mix. In the aftermath of the pandemic, especially, gatherings are a must to make people see that skiing is a social event as well as a sport. The new World Cup race, held on Québec soil for the first time in 30 years, at Mont Tremblant, highlights the impact such events can have on the season.

The magical event, hosted at the very beginning of the season, not only created great marketing for the resort, but it hyped up visitors for the entire Québec ski season to come. It provided great visibility for the sport of skiing, for the province, and for our beautiful Laurentians ski destinations.

Tremblant did an excellent job in offering social events around the World Cup, inviting local ski clubs throughout the province to come and watch the race live as well as hosting ancillary concerts and VIP events. 

 I had no doubt that the capable team at the resort would pull it off, but we must applaud the commitment. A significant investment in time and coordination to start off your year is not something that all resorts would jump into. But the marketing impact for the entire Québec ski industry was major, and for that, I thank Mont Tremblant.

In an age where authenticity is king, Snowbird wears the crown. The ski area is six miles up Little Cottonwood Canyon just southeast of Salt Lake City. With so many resorts so close to the city, skiers and snowboarders have many options on any given day. Snowbird’s new-this-season campaign, “A Different Breed,” differentiates the resort from its competitors while embracing its unique selling proposition, which includes being true to—and promoting—the fact that the experience there isn’t for everyone. 

I love the ads, the logo, the stickers, and everything else the resort produced around this campaign, but one billboard in particular stands out. When driving toward the mountains from Salt Lake, skiers can choose to drive up Big Cottonwood Canyon, where they will find Brighton and Solitude, or up Little Cottonwood Canyon to Alta and Snowbird. Just before the turn-off to go to either canyon, drivers come face-to-face with a billboard that directs them up Big Cottonwood to Beginner, Intermediate, and Expert terrain, or for those of “A Different Breed,” an arrow points toward Snowbird. 

When I first saw this billboard (there are others in several places around the city), I did a double take and said to myself, “Perfect! Snowbird did it again.”

It wasn’t long ago that Snowbird tried its hardest to promote itself as a family-friendly resort. But a few years ago, when its “One Star” campaign was introduced, I applauded the marketing team for coming to terms with what sets Snowbird apart: its steep terrain and deep snowfall. “A Different Breed” continues to own this. 

One of the standout marketing efforts for me this season has been Steamboat Resort’s “Steamboat Way” campaign. In a sea of sameness, this creative content from the Steamboat team has cut through the clutter with a cohesive campaign that is visually beautiful, cleverly tackles multiple audience segments, and most importantly, tells the Steamboat story in an authentic way. 

Each ad suggests a reason someone would visit Steamboat, generally with a witty headline and secondary message—e.g., “Powder Days Beat Travel Days;” “Learning to Ride Comes Naturally Out Here;” “The Longer You Stay, the More It Feels Like Home;” etc.—all unified under the “Steamboat Way” tagline and visual identity.

The print and social campaigns were further supported with a series of cleverly produced and amazingly scripted videos each telling a specific story about what it means to live “The Steamboat Way,” narrated by a cowboy poet, Randy Reiman. The ads were packaged and drove to a nice landing page that was also promoted on the homepage of the resort’s website. 

One of the things that stood out the most for me about the campaign is the focused attention and paid advertising dollars that Steamboat has put into promoting its new Greenhorn Ranch learning area and the lesson experiences overall at Steamboat. 

It’s great to see a larger destination resort put marketing attention toward attracting new skiers and riders, while others put most of their paid advertising focus on terrain, conditions, and driving lodging visits.

Great storytelling. Clever content. Authentic messaging. It’s the Steamboat Way. 

Mammoth Mountain’s snow report reels on Instagram brilliantly exemplify the resort’s commitment to customer connection and brand culture. Featuring real customers delivering weather updates in their own unique style, these reports offer a playful and authentic glimpse into the heart of Mammoth.

By inviting customers to participate in the snow reports, Mammoth demonstrates a genuine appreciation for its community. This inclusive approach not only strengthens the bond between the brand and its customers but also transforms guests into passionate ambassadors.

The genuine enthusiasm of the participants, who deliver their message standing in front of a green screen with weather maps and b-roll, creates a captivating experience that keeps you from scrolling past. Each guest snow reporter dons a vintage-looking Mammoth sweater, which adds a subtle bit of branding, style, and fun. 

In a world saturated with impersonal marketing strategies, Mammoth’s emphasis on authenticity and human connection stands out. Its snow report updates serve as a refreshing reminder that genuine engagement is the key to building a loyal and dedicated community.

I want to give some Midwest ski love to our neighboring resort, Shanty Creek, for its humorous and smart execution of “Brad Day.” 

What is Brad Day, you may ask? Well, most will never know the full story of how Brad Day came to be, and that’s OK. We do know that it happens every four years on Leap Day, when, if your name is Brad, you should plan to celebrate “your day” on Schuss Mountain at Shanty Creek. 

Perhaps the quippy social posts for Brad Day caught my attention, like the one with dictionary definitions of Brad (A mythical creature; sightings are rare … Leapling; only celebrated every four years). It could also be that I have a soft spot for leaplings, as my son was born on Leap Day 2012. 

Typically, promoting free anything to Leap Day babies is a guaranteed miss—there’s just not that many of them. I love how Shanty Creek took inspiration from their very own mysterious leapling and made it all about Brads. Free skiing, $29 room nights, a special section for Brads in its restaurant, prizing for the Brad that traveled the farthest as well as the Brad that brought the most non-Brads with them, and, my favorite, a Brad-only restroom. 

Brad Day forced people to think and reflect on the Brads in their lives and tag Brads in comments, but mostly, it made us all smile.