SAM's Annual Best and Worst in Marketing 2017-18 (2024)

Article Index

• SAM's Annual Best and Worst in Marketing 2017-18
• GENERAL
• DIGITAL
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Most Positive Negative Branding Campaign
Snowbird, Utah

One ride up the tram and you’ll learn a rock-solid truth: Snowbird is not for everyone. So, some skiers, perhaps in a bit over their heads, let the resort know as much in reviews across the web. But a novice’s nightmare can often be an expert’s playground, so Snowbird flipped the script and turned one-star reviews into a series of print ads that featured “complaints” about Snowbird’s strongest features. But the resort didn’t stop there. Receipts at the resort have one star printed on the bottom, a page on its website is dedicated to the effort, a line of logoed gear is available in the village, and a giant video display in the hotel lobby loops slow-mo footage branded with the campaign. The day I was there, people were crowded around the display to enjoy the message, with parents excitedly explaining the meaning to their kids. Kudos to Snowbird for the home run, and even more kudos for seeing the potential beyond the magazine spread. —G.B.

Ski shops are frequently overlooked or even vilified within our industry. Resorts have their own ski shops, so some may view in-market shops as competitors. But ski shops have always played an important role in the growth of skiing and act as a bridge between the mountains and the cities they serve. Seven Springs knows this. That’s why, every fall, staff fuel up an SUV, plot a route that’d make a UPS driver sweat, and hit the road to show shops some much-deserved love. And the shops return the love, welcoming Seven Springs staffers with banners, food, swag, smiles, and shop-produced content singing the resort’s praises. You want influential people to talk about your brand, and thanks to a little gasoline and elbow grease, Seven Springs has that dialed. —G.B.

Best Billboard
SilverStar, B.C.

It’s easy to try to do too much on a single piece of collateral. This is especially true for billboards. Their placement gives passing drivers only a few, fleeting seconds to consume the message. Even so, billboards can be very effective when done right. SilverStar got it right with a billboard that simply read, “NEW GONDOLA, COMING JULY 2018.” No offers, no prices, no phone numbers—just a concise message that passersby could easily consume and remember. It also makes the most of the on-mountain investment SilverStar’s new lift represents. Could it have offered a discount or given directions or shared a web address? Sure, but it didn’t. And that’s exactly why I think it’s such a great message. —G.B

Worst Time to Host a Reality Dating Show
The Hermitage Club, Vt.

From the mountain that brought us high-end private club advertisem*nts on Boston’s trashcans comes a high-end private club promotion on ABC’s “The Bachelor Winter Games.” I get it, all press is good press, and The Bachelor has a huge audience. But is it The Hermitage Club’s audience? I cannot imagine a family plunking down the kind of money it costs to join The Hermitage Club after seeing it highlighted on an often-mocked reality dating program. In addition, the timing on this was a little off-putting for me. Do we really need resorts participating in Olympic counterprogramming? The Hermitage Club should’ve made efforts to inspire folks to try skiing or snowboarding or anything active, instead of inspiring them to compete for love on television. The program was a success and the exposure was undeniably massive, so, good for them. I guess. —M.T.

Most Inviting Contest
Stoneham and Bromont, Quebec

The past few seasons, Stoneham and Bromont resorts have partnered with a local snowboard shop, Empire, and terrain park builders Today’s Parks, on the two-stop Empire Games—a contest like no other. The competition itself is a head-to-head race, but the event is welcoming to more than just competitors. Spectators are treated to a visually striking X-Games-esque course; a smaller setup designed for grommets to experience freestyle terrain safely; and a full snowboard demo open to everyone, providing the opportunity to try out next year’s boards, boots, and bindings. Each iteration of this multifaceted collaboration between resorts, shop, and builders has resonated with riders and spectators alike, in addition to further spreading via social tags and widely shared post-event videos and photos. —M.W.

Bravest Political Stances
Sugarbush, Vt.

If you can take the heat (most can’t), the quickest route to many eyeballs in 2018 is to take a stand on politics. In this light, Sugarbush has been willing to speak on two flashpoints that immediately penetrate the algorithms. The resort states unequivocally, and often, that climate change is real. The internet goes boom every time, thanks to the anti-science crowd. Taking it up a notch, Sugarbush directly called out a former employee who was racially spouting off on his personal Facebook page, where Sugarbush was listed as his employer. This naturally brought out some anti-ethnic profiles asking if Sugarbush would still accept money from white supremacists, and it devolved from there. Ugh, the comments. The resort knew it would happen, but still took its public stand and weathered the blowhards that followed. I have no idea if this is good for the bottom line, but I bet managers sleep well. —A.K.

Worst Attempt at Creating Urgency
Greek Peak, N.Y.

This year Greek Peak launched its 2018-19 season pass sale “with a twist.” The twist was meant to create urgency: the first 450 season passes cost $450, the next 475 passes, $475, and the next 500 passes, $500. Bonus, the passes are valid for the rest of the 2017-18 season. I liked the sound of this. What’s better than buying something and actually feeling as though you won it? However, a quick look at the Facebook comments on this promotion confirmed people weren’t thrilled. They argued that anyone who commits to purchasing a season pass early should get the benefit of the lowest possible price, not just those who are ready to buy the second the promotion drops. Then it dawned on me: perhaps nothing is worse than purchasing something and feeling like you actually lost. Management responded by telling people the marketing strategy is widely used, and you can’t make everyone happy. While true, Greek Peak should have tried. As it is, many customers remained upset. —M.T.

The lines between work and play have become blurred. When phones buzz with emails at all times of the day, and it’s just as easy to call in for a meeting as to sit in a boardroom, why not spend your office hours working just a few steps from the slopes, if your job allows? Mammoth enhanced the daily commute for those who work as hard as they ride with The Fort, a cooperative workspace with two locations: one in the heart of Mammoth Lakes, and the other right inside the Mammoth Main Lodge, ski-in/ski-out. The Fort offers the best way to spend your lunch break—ever. You can work in the morning and grab a few gondola laps in the afternoon. Mammoth then added its Work + Play Membership, a 12-month plan that includes access to The Fort, a Cali4nia Pass for winter, and a lift and trail pass for summer, ensuring you can chase powder, shred dirt, and also finish your to-do list. Now that’s work/life balance. —M.W.

Least Necessary Technology:
Digital screens on lifts

My gut reaction to hearing the news that Winter Park would be installing flat screens on the restraining bars of some of its chairlifts was despair. Have we really reached the point where even our most cherished outdoor activities involve unavoidable screen time? Can we no longer ride up the chairlift and simply enjoy the scenery, discuss our last run with our companion, or engage in casual conversation with our seatmate? Sure, the screens could actually be useful, with trail maps, real-time lift status, and weather forecasts. I've spent many a lift ride struggling to pull a paper trail map from my pocket with the wind trying to blow it from my frozen fingers. Still, for me, the benefits do not outweigh the costs (i.e., advertising). I hate to think that in a few years my children could instinctively look down instead of all around when they get on a chairlift. —M.T. https://www.adventuresportsnetwork.com/sport/snowboarding/coming-to-a-mountain-resort-near-you-chairlifts-with-digital-screens/

Best Powder Day Layaway Plan
Brighton, Utah

A few mountains get to bask in the media glow of opening first. First in the country, first in a region, first snowmaking test—any of those will attract television cameras and share buttons. What can the rest of us Thanksgiving weekend openers do to create a sense of anticipation and urgency? If you were Snowbird in 2017, you picked a theme. It was arena rock anthems and foam fingers replicating a professional sports kickoff event. The resort dubbed it “gameday,” and while it didn’t have the cachet of a “first,” it made day one at Snowbird special, and got it some attention. Any mountain could cue up an idea from a list of similar knockoffs. Your opening day, no matter the offering or date, should be more than the first day you spin a lift. Some ideas: Set sail for winter (everyone’s a pirate). Create a fake/funny holiday with rules, like festivus. Use 15 percent of food/drink sales on opening day and make it one huge tip to a local charity or to all staff. The list goes on… —A.K.

Worst use of RFID
Many Resorts

This is not a rant against RFID. This is a rant against placing RFID gates in front of your conveyor lifts if you are not also providing a conveyor-specific RFID card for free or nearly free. Prior to installing that RFID gate, countless local and visiting parents helped their tiny kids slide on snow for the first time at your mountain, usually for extremely short periods between naps, snacks, or tantrums. You were helping grow the sport. Now those of you with RFID sentinels blocking your carpets are thumbing your nose. I get that it wasn’t intentional. It was an oversight. So fix it. Either remove the gates (you never had anyone checking tickets anyway) or leave the gate and make sure guests know how to get their free-ish “carpet only” RFID pass so your risk manager is happy. Problem solved for everyone. —A.K.

Most Sensible Partnership
Alterra Mountain Company

On the face of it, the teaming of Mikaela Shiffrin with the resorts of the Ikon Pass—just prior to the Olympics, no less—lined up perfectly. Both Lindsey Vonn and the Epic Pass have been around a while. Vonn is likely to retire prior to the next Olympics, and it’s unknown if she’ll remain as powerful a brand advocate for Vail in the years to come. Shiffrin is on the rise into the nation’s consciousness, just as the Ikon Pass aims to do the same. Will Shiffrin star in viral promotional videos as Vonn did for Vail? She’s been a bit busy lately winning medals, but one assumes the best is yet to come from this partnership. —A.K.

Best Passholder Campaign
Jay Peak, Vt.

Passholders are to resorts what season ticket holders are to professional sports teams: a critical group of hyper-loyal customers. The difference is, sports teams are known to lavish their loyalists with freebies and perks and swag as a thank you for their dedication. Jay Peak decided to follow suit. So, as fall was arriving in the Northeast Kingdom, the team at Jay was filling box after box with goodies and thank you notes to passholders. The boxes were sealed with custom tape that read, “Passholders are the tape that keep the whole package together.” The words “thank you” go a long way in any situation, but in this case, Jay took it a step further. When you think about marketing spend and the amount of loyalty and goodwill such a token of appreciation could earn, it’s tough to see a better way to spend than this. —G.B. https://twitter.com/jaypeakresort/status/907344571960582144

Best Use of Snowless Ski Trails
Powder Mountain, Utah

Skiers love the outdoors and the mountains, and love to wind their way through trails. So it’s no surprise that many skiers love trail running after the snow melts. The problem is, however, despite growing interest in the sport, there are few opportunities for training, racing, and crossing a finish line. Unless you have the time and body for a 100-mile ultra, you’re mostly outta luck. Powder Mountain recognized this, so it started a trail running series “for the rest of us” called Trail Trials, which also helped promote its new trail network. The manageable 5k course meandered through wildflower-lined singletrack high in the Wasatch. Runs were timed and had the all-important finish line, where tacos awaited the finishers. The result was a strong message of inclusion to budding trail runners, plus it served as a weekly showcase of the newest reason to visit the resort in summer. —G.B.

Best Resort-Branded Merch
Snowbird, Utah

What we wear makes a statement. It conveys who we are, what we like, what we believe in, who we’re rooting for, and where we ski/ride. And it’s nice to see some resorts getting more creative and thoughtful, going beyond the “insert logo here” approach. I love Snowbird’s branded apparel. For me, it started with the shirt that snarkily reads, “Snowbird Marketing Gave Me This Shirt.” Big, white helvetica letters (on brand with Snowbird’s typeface, might I add) across a subtle, gender neutral heather gray, with the Snowbird logo on soft, high-quality cotton. It screamed “cool,” and if you had one, you were in the club. And Snowbird’s holiday ugly sweater—which is not ugly at all—is perfect. The photo collection to promote it was hilarious, yet almost felt like it was out of a fashion catalog. Snowbird has taken a page out of creating a YouTuber apparel or merchandise collection, or as the Millennials call it, “merch.” And that’s a good thing. —H.O’B.

Best Powder Day Snack
Aspen Snowmass, Colo.

Skiing and snacks go hand in hand, and nothing works up an appetite more than a powder day. It’s as if Aspen Snowmass heard the hunger pangs growling in locals’ stomachs. So, every time it snows more than eight inches, the resort doles out Powder Pancakes. If that wasn’t awesome enough, the videos used to promote this campaign are excellent. Produced in the vein of Tasty, Delish and other viral food recipe videos circulating the internet, they show how the pancakes are expertly created in the shapes of different winter-related themes. The videos themselves are shareable snacks that are visually interesting and appealing, and so different from what you’re used to seeing from a ski resort. I might have to carry nips of pure maple syrup at all times, you know…just in case. —H.O’B.

DIGITAL

Campaign that Best Stands Out Amid the Clutter
POW

Black Friday, Cyber Monday, Giving Tuesday: ‘tis the season to spend, and to filter through an insane number of holiday offers and donation requests online. It’s a challenge for anything to catch my eye during that stretch. However, this post from Protect Our Winters did, after it was liked and shared by a few snowsports-loving friends on Facebook. First of all: $1? I can get behind that. More importantly, though, I had never heard of POW before. My ski crew’s likes and shares piqued my interest, so I dove deeper to learn more. I discovered a cool climate advocacy group for winter sports fans, with some pretty large industry partners and a sweet reminder that “We All Need Winter.” I started following POW on Facebook and am regularly inspired by our awesome snowsports community. Getting donations ($33,000 on Giving Tuesday alone) and new followers from one post: priceless. —M.T.

Best Use of Locals
Sun Valley, Idaho

Our family loves to hike, but we recently had some close calls with slightly out-of-control mountain bikers on the trail. So when planning a trip to Sun Valley, we hoped to find trails that were both kid-friendly and mostly free from our friends on two wheels. The great library of maps and info online didn’t quite tell us what we wanted to know. And then we saw it. A yellow box that read, “Ask an Expert.” It was after 9:00 p.m., but we gave it a try. By the next morning, a knowledgeable local guy had already sent back a personal, thorough reply. He shared suggestions on the best trails near our hotel, included a link to a map we could use on our adventures, and encouraged us to reply if we had more questions (we did, and his follow up was just as useful). Technology is helpful, but kudos to Sun Valley for leveraging the human touch. —G.B.

Best Pre-Arrival Email
Camelback, Pa.

Pre-arrival emails can go one of two ways: thoughtful and informative, or useless. Camelback’s pre-arrival defines the former. Last fall, fam and I checked out Camelback’s famed indoor waterpark. As never-evers to the place—and with two little kids ready to play—we spent lots of time on the resort’s website. Then the email came, two days before our arrival. “We’re looking forward to your arrival,” the headline said politely and sans exclamation point (thanks!). The banner photo is of two kids looking genuinely amazed, and the intro is short and sweet. The best part, though? “Here are the top 5 things you need to know in advance of your visit.” Details about check in, what to do, where to eat, how to check out, and a call to reach out if we need anything. We already felt welcomed and informed before we even showed up. That’s what a pre-arrival should accomplish. —D.M.

Most Premature Snowmaking Message
Sunday River, Maine

In mid-October I received an email from Sunday River simply titled, “We Made Snow.” What? Really? I haven’t even finished picking apples, and a ski resort in Maine is making snow? When I opened the email, I saw a very cool image of Locke Mountain in peak fall foliage with snow guns blasting as if it were mid-December. The nice image and the clever tag line “Peak Snowliage” were a win. However, the more I looked at the photo the more I wondered, “What is the point?” The email readily admitted it was warm and the snow wouldn’t last. Suddenly it all felt so wasteful. I appreciate the heads up that ski season is near, but at the end of the day, this one left me wondering if the PR overhead would affect my ticket price. —M.T.

Best Pop Up Program
Boreal, Calif.
Boreal Resort in Tahoe has a devoted following of freestyle phenoms. The resort harnessed both the onhill skills and digital prowess of its regulars with a special, limited-time setup, the Boreal Pop Up Park. Boreal invited a select group of pro snowboarders and skiers, brands, and media to a one-day photoshoot in the surprise Pop Up Park. The resort broadcast snippets of the action on its social channels, and attendees posted stories, videos, and photos in real time, all collected under the hashtag #BorealPopUpPark. The fun continued over four days before the park was open to the public, who contributed to the social frenzy. A month later, a new Pop Up Park bolstered the success of the first, creating an exciting and recurring—yet still surprising—program. Boreal scored an A+ with organic content genuinely shared by the strata of snow opinion leaders, striking a chord with its entire audience and beyond. —M.W.

Most Awkward Cut and Paste Job
SnoCountry.com

Sorry, SnoCountry. I love you, but this one was just too good an example of what can go bad, accidentally. Somehow, an excerpt from the 1981 movie “Stripes,” in which Bill Murray and Harold Ramis are applying to join the army, became the caption copy for learning to ski in Vermont. It’s a funny scene in the film, but less funny in the context of the email. Cut-and-paste goblins can strike any of us. Be on the lookout. Once you hit send, there are no backsies. Or…intentionally put some crazy, but maybe less sexual, copy into your newsletters to keep readers on their toes and maintain open rate. —A.K.

Most Consistently Good Branding
Sunday River, Maine

A new website can be an incredible boost, but it can also be a huge time suck that takes you away from working on other things. Same with a new tagline. Dozens (if not hundreds) of resorts change one or the other every year, but not Sunday River. With the exception of a few cosmetic updates, its website has remained largely the same for about four years—an eternity in the world of design, but a testament to the original effort. The tagline, “Find Your Happy Place,” has celebrated more birthdays than most taglines do. I love this. Not only is the brand strong and established with consistent messages to its market, but consistency frees up massive amounts of time, resources, and budget for doing other things and chasing new ideas. —G.B.

Mountain Creek showcased its social media savvy by utilizing Instagram stories to share snow conditions and park updates. In the current, fast-paced digital landscape, Insta stories have emerged as a very effective way to communicate with a growing segment of the ski and board population. Using stories, Creek gave its customers up-to-the-minute reports—particularly beneficial in a region where temps and snow conditions can go from spring-like to powdery in 24 hours (gotta love the East Coast!). The posts make it easier to get the attention of a person on the fence about heading to the mountain and create excitement when conditions align. —M.W.

Best Email Subject Line
Ski Utah

On January 10, things hadn’t been going all that well for much of the nation’s ski areas. In Vermont, we went from a string of sub-zero days into a forecast for hot rain. Out West, snow was scarce. I needed a glimmer of hope. It came in the form of an email from Ski Utah. The most striking takeaway was how straightforward the call to click was. Ski Utah certainly had license to yell about the foot of snow that fell. After such a dearth of powder, it took restraint not to write an email subject in all caps, complete with snowflake and explosion emojis. Instead, “Check out this photo taken yesterday at 3:10 PM” was what I got. The single powder shot was all the reminder I needed. Subtle, straightforward, and confident beats overzealous, excited, and loud every time. —D.M.

Worst Mid-Season Call to Action
Vail Mountain

At the end of January, Vail circulated an email blast with the subject: "76 days left to use your pass!" However, I read that as: "ONLY 76 more days to use your pass." Huh? It's January! Is there really a countdown clock on the season already? And am I the only person who cannot easily convert 76 days into weeks or months? After opening the email, I learned 76 days from then was April 15. I’m still not sure what the goal of the message was, but I assume 76 days means absolutely nothing to most people quickly going though promotional emails on their phones. Why not say that I have until mid-April to use my pass? Or point out that there are two and a half months of primo skiing left? Or, if you must use 76 days, at least let me know that there are STILL 76 days left to use my pass. —M.T.

Best Lemonade Made From a Real Lemon
Powder Mountain, Utah

When your tagline is “preserving the pow” but it’s not snowing enough to get open and you have no snowmaking because you usually have pow, what’s a resort to do? Suck it up, face the music, and shower your customers in gifts. Powder Mountain eventually got plenty of snow, but during November and December it ran non-stop retail “giveaways until we get snow” across its channels. The effort kept its customer base engaged during the long wait for Powder’s powder, and didn’t beat around the bush of the low-snow scenario. When things are sh*t, admit it and do something else fun to you maintain some credibility and share of mind. The alternative would have been two months of fart-in-the-wind sales messages. Don’t be a fart in the wind. —A.K.

Best Digital Photography
Jackson Hole, Wyo.

Facebook has become a cluttered and busy hybrid of Tumblr, Vine, and its old self, so it’s difficult to stick out in the crowd. But Jackson Hole’s photography does just that. JHMR is no ugly duckling, of course, and some would argue anyone can point a camera and take a beautiful shot there. However, the resort has established a unique brand voice and style by consistently capturing and sharing one high-quality photo at a time. It’s usually so stunning, it stops your thirsty thumb from scrolling in an instant. Then there’s the nuance of pairing that image with a simple, laid-back, understated caption. The caption inevitably complements the main dish, the photo, and never overpowers it. It’s not salesy, it’s not trying too hard. It simply tells a story and lets you get lost in the beauty of Jackson Hole. —H.O’B.

PRINT

Best Case of Playing to the Audience
Carinthia at Mount Snow, Vt.

The young followers on the Carinthia Parks Instagram feed love to curse, talk smack, and be generally inappropriate. These keyboard tough guys (and girls) have a say in where the family goes on vacation, but they’re not searching Travelzoo for great deals like mom and dad are. They’re staring at Instagram and flipping through ski and snowboard magazines to see which place is raddest (ugh). Big ups to Mount Snow for recognizing this and speaking their language. If mom saw the “Go Huck Yourself” Carinthia Parks ads in Freeskier or Snowboarder mags, she wouldn’t be too impressed. Nor would she understand why the ad has no website URL, and only @carinthiaparks. Junior, however, has all he needs. —D.M.

Most Inclusive Park Philosophy
Sun Valley, Idaho
It’s truly music to our ears: “Places for learners. Parks for pros. And everything in between … Dollar Mountain is stepping into the future of ‘parks for everyone.’” Sun Valley’s 2018 print campaign for its new park program at Dollar Mountain featured a two-page spread explaining its philosophy on freestyle terrain for all abilities. As such, the photos and info are inclusive. Sun Valley’s stance is a powerful one, staking a claim in the ever-expanding interest in park riding and acknowledging that hitting jumps isn’t just for X Games hopefuls—parks can be fun for everyone. This outlook is a surefire way to stoke out a wide customer base. —M.W.

Most Enticing Ad for a Ski Deprived Mom
Grand Targhee, Wyo.
The 2017-18 season started slowly out West, our family is expanding, and for countless other silly reasons, it just did not feel like a great year to commit to a full-fledged ski vacation. Fast forward to March, when I am experiencing some major ski envy. Every single member of my ski tribe is enjoying copious amounts of fresh powder. Those in Vermont and New Hampshire are gleefully posting photos of 2+ feet of snow, and friends who traveled to B.C. are sharing photos that look like they were taken inside a snow globe. Why oh why didn’t I plan a trip this year? I know that no matter how patchy, scratchy, or slushy the conditions, I’ve never once regretted a ski vacation. So I sit here, staring at this ad telling me not to miss another winter, nodding my head in agreement, Googling the conditions at Grand Targhee. Agreed: I will not miss out next year. —M.T.

Most Honest Print Campaign
Magic Mountain, Vt.
Magic Mountain, located in southern Vermont just minutes from a handful of major resorts, is one of those operations falling behind in the “pimp my resort” games—and that’s exactly where it wants to be. Since new ownership took over a couple years ago, the ski area’s resurgence has been the result of a marketing message that’s less about keeping up, and more about staying the same. Heading back in time, even. As one of its print ads states: “Throw it Back.” That has as much to do with the old-school vibe and fixed-grip lifts as it does the mountain’s proper, no-frills après scene. Magic embraces what it is, “Where skiing still has its soul,” and makes no apologies for it. Others in a similarly capital-constrained situation may find success taking a similar approach. —D.M.

Best “Wish You Were Here” Ad
Big Boulder Park, Pa.

Print ads should inspire readers to take action, and imagery plays a big role in that. Big Boulder accomplished this with an image that combines a great trick (a classic method), a great scene (sunny day, soft-looking snow), and an expansive terrain park brimming with jibs, jumps, and bonks that fill the page. The imagery played deftly to the “wish you were here” mentality, with a heavy dose of choose-your-own-adventure-esque inspiration. The tube-to-rail, wallride, flat-down tubes, and rider’s right hip are fuel for daydreams about which lines readers would take. For the past few winters, Boulder has nailed it with straight-to-the-point advertisem*nts that showcase its high- quality terrain park assets, and this year’s campaign was its best yet. —M.W.

Best Connection to Busy People
Deer Valley, Utah

The phrase “skiing is freedom” is easy to recite, but rarely, if ever, do resorts make the effort to specify what skiing is freedom from. That’s because us resort folk live the skiing experience, which skews our view a little. But Deer Valley nailed it. The print ad, which I saw in SKI, had just one line of text: “It’s surprising how clear life gets with a little snow in your eyes.” Our guests are good people who live hectic lives in cities and suburbs, far from the solitude of a tree-lined trail. Their lifestyle can leave little room to just take a breath and clear their heads. For many, that’s exactly the role skiing plays. It’s an escape from the mental clutter of daily life. Deer Valley created an ad that simply and succinctly speaks to this crowd on a level they truly understand and, so doing, created one of the best print ads of the season. —G.B.

It’s not intentional that I end up writing about Crested Butte’s print ads. I feel bad for doing this more than once. This ad is not a “best” or “worst,” it’s just one I want you to read with me. Here is the copy: “What is life if not to be lived uniquely as you? Find yourself in the heart place that will forever find a place in your heart. Welcome to the life you were meant to live. Yours.” Imagine with me the team of advertisers workshopping that copy, sending it to the client, making changes, revisions, more changes, then deciding to run with the final version. Let’s all find each other in the heart place and welcome ourselves to the life we were meant to live. Ours.” That copy was in Freeskier magazine. Advertising is fun. —A.K.

Most En-Lightened Advertising
Carinthia at Mount Snow, Vt.

Carinthia at Mount Snow’s 2017-18 print ad campaign was far from a shot in the dark. It’s clear that Carinthia knows the value of a proper snowboarding shot to excite its freestyle following. The resort’s well-deserved reputation for having some of the best terrain parks in the U.S. shows in its dedicated messaging. This ad, which depicts a really unique feature (a large, Y-shaped tree), a talented snowboarder (Levi Gunzberg), and a stylish trick, further reinforces the values Carinthia communicates to its customers: we build parks that you will have fun riding. While Mount Snow kept the premise simple, the photo used is anything but, with strikingly lit trails and dynamic action. The result is a beacon calling all park rats to visit Carinthia. —M.W.

In a divisive online culture, it’s easy for resorts to play it safe and stay on the sidelines. But Aspen, known for taking a stand on issues, had other ideas. To not just take a stand, but build its brand on it. The four words it chose—Love, Respect, Unity, Commit—aren’t vague odes to whatever ideals the reader attaches to them, but specific statements on big issues. They are affirmations that Aspen holds certain values and it isn’t backing down. Were people offended? Absolutely. It is 2018, after all. But the resort also gave its community a flag to rally around, and rally they did. Employees’, guests’, and community members’ voice of support quickly drowned out any negativity. Not every mountain can or should take a stand like this, but it works for Aspen. Christian Knapp, SkiCo CMO, called it “the antithesis of vanilla marketing.” At a time when vanilla is easier than ever, that’s exactly why it’s my favorite campaign of 2017-18. —G.B.

Best Use of Elves
Pebble Creek, Idaho

Need to crank out some pre-Christmas video content? Think that getting the intern to dress up in a Santa costume and ski around will be just the ticket? STOP. This is the lowest common denominator of holiday video. It’s been done and will be done until the end of time, and your audience is less impressed every year. Unless you can arrange 200 out of control Santas skiing at the same time (which has also been done), or can make your office dog ski in a Santa outfit, it’s time to at least add some characters to the mix. Pebble Creek’s pre-holiday video isn’t a mind-blowing production, but Santa’s taking park laps with one of his friendly elves. So, for next season’s pre-holiday video, please choose some similarly new characters. Thankfully there’s plenty to choose from. If you must include Santa, get creative. Put a patroller in a Santa suit and let him practice a lift evac, but he’s really practicing going down chimneys. Less skiing Santas, more Christmas spirit. —A.K.

Most Abusive Use Of 100% Pure Maple Syrup
Killington, Vt.

Killington’s King of Spring is one of my favorite resort characters. His bare-chested bravado and, shall we say, niche sex appeal is usually something we appreciate, laughing both with and at. However, this spring, Killington may have taken it a bit too far when the King poured 100 percent pure Vermont maple syrup down his bare body. Up close. In slow motion. It definitely got people talking—and some people dry heaving. So if it was shock, awe, and engagement they were after, it definitely worked. But will any of us have pancakes…ever again? Questionable. —H.O’B.

Best Commuter Marketing
Ski New Hampshire

Enticing commuters waiting for the subway with a skiing video broadcast on the station wall is like picking low-hanging fruit. There are very few places Boston’s Green Line will take you that are as fun as hitting the slopes in New Hampshire. What struck me about this ad, though, was my young son’s reaction. You see, we were going somewhere fun: the New England Aquarium. He had been looking forward to it for weeks. Suddenly, he would rather go skiing and, no offense to the fish, but I was on board, too. I think the success here was in the video’s simplicity. No crazy tricks, no waist deep powder—just a family out skiing for the day. It all seemed so attainable. Even better, the video featured kids actually skiing. This was a refreshing approach. —M.T.

Best Snowfall Update Videos
Mammoth Mountain, Calif.

Snowfall is the most unpredictable marketing tool in our business. And because we can’t strongarm nature into dropping it from the sky whenever we need a kitschy Facebook or Instagram post, we NEED to capture the magic when it happens and share it quickly, efficiently and beautifully. Mammoth Mountain does this, and has raised the bar when it comes to snowfall p*rn. Mammoth produces super high-quality snowfall reels that get pushed out almost as they happen. These timely vignettes do everything they’re supposed to and more: convey it’s snowing, raise the stoke level to all-new heights, and increase social engagement like crazy. These videos are why Mammoth is always part of the conversation whenever California as a whole is talking snow. —H.O’B.

As skiers, we’ve been trained to expect ski movies to hold our attention by showing a broad variety in terrain and skiing. To achieve that, ski movies are often filmed in dozens of locations across the country and globe. Whistler Blackcomb, with the help of Origin, its marketing agency, wanted to play to that expectation and prove that its terrain is so incredible and its locals so talented, that an entire, full-length ski movie—rivaling the traditional fare—could be filmed without stepping foot outside of the resort’s boundaries. And it worked. The film, titled “Magnetic,” leaves skiers wide-eyed and saying, “This was all filmed at Whistler? Whoa!” And 200,000 views later, it provided some powerful marketing for this iconic brand. —G.B.

Best Recruiting Video
SilverStar, B.C.

Working in the ski business isn’t necessarily a hard sell: ski for free, get cheap gear, work outside, and collect all the stickers your laptop can handle. Where do I sign? But even with all of those undeniable perks, I love when resorts see their recruiting efforts as a creative marketing opportunity. There have been quite a few solid digital campaigns that have circulated this season, but it was SilverStar’s that set the bar with this unique, hilarious and very well-produced video. It does a great job highlighting all of the resort departments available, while sneakily marketing its offerings through an entertaining, well-scripted and fast-paced video. I watch this, and I immediately get familiar with and appreciate the resort’s culture—I’m in. —H.O’B.

Best Use of Time Lapse
Mammoth Mountain, Calif.

If you have ever had any doubt in the magic of #MammothMarch, it’s time to start believing. Cali didn’t get much snow during the first few months of the 2017-18 winter, but as soon as the calendar flipped to March, the storms began rolling into Mammoth Lakes. Following a massive storm, the resort released a 30-second time-lapse video of a Mammoth-branded Ford getting buried in snow before the camera itself gets completely blocked with fresh white stuff. The message was simple: the snow is back. And the message resonated: in less than 12 hours, the video reached 100,000 views on Facebook. —M.W.

Best Resort Update Video Series
Mountain Creek N.J., Sugarloaf, Maine, and Mount Snow, Vt.

Whether your skiers and riders are in the 100-day club or visit once or twice a season, guests develop a relationship with their home resort, and video updates are some of the most valuable ways to connect with your fans. Over the last 10 years, the snow-reporter-hosted video series has become a staple. Three resorts that do this consistently well are Mountain Creek with “Wackie Jackie” updates, the “Mount Snow Minute” with Kelsey King, and Sugarloaf’s “On The Snow” with Noelle Tuttle. All feature high-quality video production, and each host does a great job on camera, serving as a recognizable, trustworthy, and approachable brand ambassador. This kind of regular communication extends the reach of the daily snow report narrative, as well as the resort’s voice overall. Watching one of these video reports is like checking in with a friend, and that’s a great resource to have. —H.O’B.

Best Real-Time Avalanche Safety Updates
Mammoth Mountain, Calif.

It’s not called Miracle March for nothing. This spring, California saw some incredible snowfall totals, ranging anywhere from 4-8 feet in one storm. Naturally, skiers and riders rejoice in the bottomless powder available to them inbounds at their favorite California resorts. However, that much snow accumulating that fast comes with its risks and hazards. On March 3, Mammoth was performing routine avalanche mitigation when a slide occurred inbounds. Mammoth took to Facebook to post regular updates throughout the day beginning around 2 p.m., ending around 7:30 p.m., with each update providing more details, context, and explanations about the situation. Luckily, no one was injured in the slide, and Mammoth’s complete and timely transparency was widely appreciated by its guests and fans. —H.O’B.

Best use of sound
Jay Peak, Vt.

As a semi-pro podcaster, I’m constantly amazed at what legit pros are able to accomplish with sound design. Our industry cranks out a lot of ski edits. Most of them have music, some of them have voice-overs, and some have occasionally appropriate natural sound. Almost none have used narrative, crafting soundscapes in short shelf-life conditions edits, until Andrew Lanoue had to find a way to keep topping himself at Jay Peak. Ninety seconds of ski footage can be a story. It can have an arc. It can have a beginning, middle, and conclusion. If it does, it will make a greater connection with the audience, which causes more people to click share. Pow shots are fine, but pow shots arranged in a way that also tells a basic story stand out in a world where your 20 neighbors are also dropping pow shots. Go watch Jay’s most popular edits from 2017-18 to see how it’s done. —A.K.

Best Use of Social Media Videos
Mountain Creek, N.J.

Mountain Creek hit the bullseye with its entertaining and informative Wacky Jackie videos. Each week, Creek released a new update video on Facebook (garnering a few thousand views each on FB alone) featuring marketing maven and lady of the mountain, Wacky Jackie. Not only is Jackie’s charismatic on screen personality appealing, but her updates span the interests of Creek’s customer base. Jackie riffs on storm systems and snowmaking, provides park reports, and dishes information on a variety of upcoming events whether they’re geared toward weekend warriors, families with young groms, first-timers, park rats, lodge lizards, or everyday guests. The result was high engagement and communication across Creek’s entire constituency. —M.W.