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About 68 percent of the total respondents to the quiz the taxes on necessary assets, everything had to remain
were people who had never skied or snowboarded before. confidential prior to the closing.
Bristol was able to collect 331 email addresses of first- To assure the public that the resort wasn’t going under,
timers who did not previously have a relationship with Tamarack set out to change the narrative by identifying low-
the mountain, establishing a new line of communication cost but high-impact improvements at the area. Throughout
with these valuable customers. As a result, the resort has September, Tamarack released a three-part video series,
seen success with many of its multiple lesson programs, Untracked, that highlighted the improvements, providing
including a 98 percent increase in its three-lesson package, positive news for the resort. Once the sale was finalized,
the Mountain Flex Card. the resort released another video, Operations Update, with
General Manager Brad Larsen announcing the transition
BEST USE OF VIDEO MARKETING and emphasizing that Tamarack’s future is solid. All
TAMARACK RESORT, IDAHO in all, the videos garnered 20,000 combined views on
Facebook and YouTube, kept core customers informed, and
Using video to accentuate the positive was a winning attracted new fans.
strategy for Tamarack last season as it worked to divert Tamarack’s use of video as a crisis management tool was
attention from perceptions that it had an uncertain future a smart investment. Expenses associated with the campaign
based on an unsettled past. were about $500 on terrain improvements and only $2,540
At the tender age of 14, Tamarack has been through for the videos. As it turns out, Tamarack achieved its highest
much. After opening in 2004 the resort saw impressive, skier visitation ever last season.
almost immediate growth, but in 2008 it fell into
bankruptcy proceedings that would persist for years. Last BEST FAMILY CAMPAIGN
summer, as the then-prior owners began the process of SUNLIGHT MOUNTAIN RESORT, COLO.
selling Tamarack to a group of homeowners, it was clear that
things were getting back on track. Families are vital to any area, with kids often being a
The trouble was, the resort’s communications team large part of the reason why parents choose one area
was required to keep mum about the sale until the deal was over another. Sunlight Mountain Resort continues
done. At the same time, news stories erupted about back to provide a variety of options to attract and drive
taxes Tamarack accrued from the 2008-14 bankruptcy, participation for all ages—from the youngest child to
which had to be paid or the resort’s assets would be their great-grandparents.
auctioned off. Although the homeowners group would pay One of Sunlight’s most successful initiatives is its Ski,
Swim, and Stay packages offered in collaboration with the
Glenwood Hot Springs Pool, Lodge, and Spa and seven
other premier local lodging properties. Starting at just $99,
the packages consist of skiing for the whole family, one
night’s lodging, and passes to the hot springs.
About half of Sunlight’s marketing budget is dedicated
to Ski, Swim, and Stay, which is hugely popular with good
customer awareness and strong word-of-mouth, particularly
along Colorado’s Front Rage. Appealing to regional and
destination travelers, the packages attract key markets from
Denver, Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Grand Junction,
and also many families from out of state, including Kansas,
Texas, and Oklahoma.
While the program is not new, Sunlight works to keep
the campaign fresh, on-point, and in front of its target
markets. The by-product is strong relations with local
Tamarack Resort released a series of videos to reassure skittish lodging partners, which ends up being a key component
fans and would-be customers that the resort’s future is solid.
to Sunlight’s overall success. According to Troy Hawks,
marketing and sales director at Sunlight, families come back

SUMMER 2017 | NSAA JOURNAL | 57