Snow Monsters
There have been several attempts at an industry-wide marketing campaign to sell skiing and boarding to the public. Our small ski area has supported most of them. Whether it is bad luck, bad weather or bad karma, big plans haven’t turned out the way we had hoped.
Maybe it’s time for a new idea. It’s right in front of our noses and it can work for little ski areas as well as the industry giants. All ski area operators should integrate the Snow Monster program into their operations in order to build a national grass roots program we all need. For the 1999-2000 season, the Snow Monsters will play a significant role in Showdown’s marketing, ski school, day care, guest services and risk management programs.
If you haven’t already checked it out, you owe it to yourself to give it a close look. Jack Turner is the first person to position skiing and snowboarding to children and their families the way Disney sells its fantasies and fun parks. The target market, the positive messages and our images are positioned to the benefit of everyone in the ski and snowboard industry. Furthermore, Snow Monsters is based upon “Your Responsibility Code” and other safety/courtesy lessons.
And it’s done. No committees, no consultants, no advertising agencies, no overhead and no administration.
The big question is whether individual resort executives, particularly presidents and CEOs, are willing to take leadership positions on this issue. The simplest of ideas, even the good ones, are often ignored because they are just that—simple and good.
I urge my industry colleagues to investigate and invest in Snow Monsters. Wouldn’t it be great if every kid was familiar with “Snowball the Snow Tiger?”
George S. Willett, President, Showdown Ski Area, Mont.
NSAA Letter
National Ski Areas Association sent out the following to all members in July:
Dear Ski Area Owner;
Here is an unprecedented opportunity for our industry to gain respect. Take six minutes out of your day and watch this video.
The video features international recording artist Aretha Franklin. More importantly, she endorses our industry and the use of public lands by playing the part of Mother Nature and singing her hit song, Respect. It’s the message we need to send to the American public.
With your help, this video will be seen on children’s programming networks, public television and will be distributed in schools, clubs and youth organizations. At least 10,000 copies are scheduled for the first production run. But, your help is needed.
Jack Turner of Sirdar is the creator/producer of the video. The National Ski Areas Association (NSAA) is asking ski area owners and operators to support this project. When completed, the video will belong to the industry for everyone’s use. Our goal is to raise $200,000 from the membership. A minimum pledge of $1,000 is needed from your area. Currently, the U.S. Forest Service is making a significant contribution to support the development of this project. It’s a partnership we all need.
Michael Berry, President, NSAA
Reader Comments
Sir:
This past July issue of SAM contained the essential paradox of the ski industry.
Jeff Harbaugh pointed out that many ski areas have an advertising and promotion plan that lack a fundamental marketing plan that points out who the potential customers are. This means they are unlikely to be targeting the right audience with the right message at the right price. It’s basic business school 101. They need some basic business/marketing help and they need to listen to it.
The letter to the editor, “Got a Problem, Work it Out,” is a classic. I’ll bet that almost every CEO from the ski industry read that and thought old “Lift Wrench” has the right stuff to run a resort. He has years of experience and he doesn’t come to me with problems all the time.
It’s clear that the ski industry is at a difficult crossroads. In the past, a ski area could do well by simply running the ski business well—Lift Wrench’s job. But it’s far more complicated today as not only do ski areas have to compete with other ski areas for skiers, but they also have to fight all comers for the entertainment dollar—the MBA’s job.
The ski industry has a huge task in front of it to survive and until the Lift Wrenches stop calling the MBAs jerks and MBAs stop calling the Lift Wrenches stupid (both points of view have merit) the problem will not be solved.
The major problem, in my opinion, is with top management. They need to work hard to get two culturally diverse groups to work effectively together—that cooperation holds the future of the ski industry.
Steve Wells
Correction
In the July issue of SAM, on page 52, we printed an article titled; “SUVs Take on Ski Resorts.” The lead photos were mistakenly attributed to Snow Valley, Calif. The photos and ad campaign are the brain child of Sugar Bowl, Calif.
