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Marketing
campaign—allowing us to create work that served up exactly
the information our guest segments are looking for.”
Stowe saw a 65 percent increase in paid media views
within four months of launching the Stowe Bypass card. In
addition, by the end of February, the resort achieved 52.2
percent of all ticket/access transactions via the card or online giving us the most reach and likes/comments/shares….even
access rather than at a traditional ticket window.
BEST USE OF VIDEO MARKETING
Pats Peak Ski Area, NH
Stef Costello/Pats Peak Ski Area
Last season Pats Peak produced a highly successful series of
15 videos offering a behind-the-scenes look at day-to-day
operations through the eyes of the people who keep things
running throughout the ski season. The weekly series, called
“A Day In the Life,” turned out to be a hit, engaging guests
and increasing the area’s visibility and social media presence
beyond its current fan base.
The hope was that these sneak peeks would attract the
attention of current and potential customers who may find
the inner workings of a ski mountain interesting while also
focusing on the personal experiences of a variety of employ-
ees to showcase the area’s fun and welcoming atmosphere.
Professionally produced and as educational as they are
enjoyable, the 2- to 4-minute videos occasionally include hand-
drawn animations and graphics. Most of the videos highlight
a specific department along with a few core employees sharing
what they do over the course of a typical day—whether it’s
snowmaking, grooming, lift operations, rentals/retail, ski
school, or ski patrol. There are also videos on kids learning
programs, adult skier/rider clinics, and on what the mountain
holds in store for advanced skiers and riders. There’s even a
video devoted entirely to Roxy, Pats Peak’s beloved Golden
Retriever and skilled ski area ambassador. The series ends with
how the mountain winds down its winter operations.
46 | NSAA JOURNAL | SUMMER 2016
An unexpected benefit of the series was that it gave
employees a sense of pride in explaining how their department
works on a daily basis, said Lori Rowell, director of marketing
and sales. As for viewers’ reactions, “our Day in the Life series
exceeded our expectations,” Rowell said. “This video series
has also shifted the post type [i.e., video, link, status, photo]
becoming the number two generator of post clicks.”
In terms of views, likes, and comments, the new videos
fared far better than a previous video series Pats Peak
developed for the 2014-15 season. There were 8,445 views of
one of the new videos compared with 1,396 views tallied on
the same day the year prior.
BEST FAMILY CAMPAIGN
Ski Apache Resort, NM
Courtesy Sunlight Mountain Resort
FIRST TIMER
TO
LIFETIMER.
Primary cardholder will receive a season pass for the remainder
of the season upon completion of all five 1 hour lessons.
Also included after all five lessons is a free private lesson and lift ticket.
Reservations: 575-464-3643 Main Line: 575-464-3600
FREE
Ski Apache logo lockup positive read with stroke on dark background.
A punch card is as symbolic as it is tangible for charting
progress toward a special discount or other reward. With a
free season pass as the prize, Apache’s First Timer to Lifetimer
punch card is just the ticket for incentivizing people to get
hooked on skiing and riding—especially families who are
looking for a reasonably priced way to learn the sport and have
fun together.
The program consists of two options: five 1-hour
lessons for $608, or five 2.5-hour lessons for $1,208. Guests
document their participation using their pre-paid punch
card, and upon completion of the five lessons they receive a
free season pass for the remainder of the season.
Whereas other areas offer similar incentives for lesson
taking, Ski Apache’s First Timer to Lifetimer program
is unusual in that guests of all ages may participate.
Even more unusual is the fact that the punch card is
interchangeable; the primary cardholder may loan out
the card to any friend or family member who wants to
take a lesson. Regardless, once all the lessons indicated on