Ski advertising goes digital
When it comes to advertising, it is limited only
by imagination. Now, advertisers can reach skiers
with frequent, targeted real-time communication,
using digital signages. Sitour, a global leader in
ski advertisements and promotions, is set to
install LED wireless electronic message centres
in this ski season at major resorts.
Skiing is the activity of gliding
over snow using skis
(originally wooden planks,
now usually made from fiberglass
or related composites), with
metal edges, strapped to the
feet with ski bindings. Originally
used primarily for transportation,
skiing has evolved into a popular
recreational and competitive
activity. The US ski industry
delivers strong reach to active
families with kids and singles
aged 18-34. It is estimated
that skiers and snowboarders
are well educated with strong
income levels. And this is the
target audience that the
advertisers look for.
Earlier, static message boards and
other signages were used in these
places but more recently, Sitour
(www.sitourusa.com), the global
leader in ski advertising and
promotions, has introduced in
North America the industry’s first
wireless electronic message
centres for ski resorts. This new
media vehicle lets advertisers
reach snow sports consumers with
personalised real-time messages.
With these new message centres,
advertisers can tailor and deliver
messages with greater frequency
to guests waiting on lift lines and
at base areas by sponsoring
reports that can be instantly
updated by ski resorts on trails,
traffic, weather, safety and special
events, and provide other timely
information. Using technology
similar to that employed by the
New York State Lottery to update
its bulletin boards, ski resort
operators can update messages
on impending snow storms, traffic
updates for the trip home, trail
closures, missing children reports,
and even sports scores on busy
ski days like Super Bowl Sunday
so skiers don’t have to leave the
slopes to find out what’s going on.
Debuting in the 2006-07 ski
season at resorts nationwide,
these large-screen, full-colour
LED signs that work with
schedule-based software linked to
the Internet can display text
messages, logos and animated
video, and can easily be
viewed in direct sunlight and at
great distances. Each message
centre will generate 1.5 million
impressions per ad/season. The
messages are repeated in cycles
based on wait patterns on lift
lines for multiple and lasting
impressions. Individual signs in
the system can be personalized
with tailored messages to
reach the desired demographic
for example, placing ads
geared toward parents in the
children’s ski area or those for
entertainment or dining close
to the main lodge.
“These message centres make
the days of communicating to
guests on dry erase or chalk
boards at the lift a thing of the
past,” said Monte Rios, president
and CEO of Sitour USA. “This
creates enormous opportunities
for national and local advertisers
alike to truly reach the highly
attractive demographic of skiers
and snowboarders, who are
affluent, educated, active, health
conscious and committed to the
sport,” he added.
These new signs from Sitour will
be installed at more than 80
resorts nationwide this year, after
successful test installations.
Wintergreen Resort in Virginia is
the first US mountain to install a
comprehensive system covering
all lift lines, tubing and base areas.
Advertisers like ConAngra Snack
Foods‚ Slim Jim, Bel Group's Mini
Babybel cheese and General
Motors‚ Chevrolet division, have
already booked in while a few
others are still in the process of
striking a deal.
According to Anthony Lanza,
superintendent at Belleayre
Mountain in the Catskills region
of New York, “These message
centres create a highly visible and
effective marketing tool for
promoting nov_dec and future
events and other activities at the
mountain. The graphics really get
the attention of our guests. The
targeted impressions we get
from the Sitour LED wireless
reader boards deliver the best
value in advertising.”
Sitour has been instrumental
in pioneering new ground in
advertisements on the snow,
beginning with inventing the trail
map concept more than 40 years
ago. Since then, it has introduced
panoramic trail maps, multi-use
ski and snowboard rack displays,
vertical tower ads and wireless
LED message centres. Sitour USA
provides exclusive on-site ski
resort advertising in 14 countries
with 1,000 resorts.
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