Repositioning the Catskill’s mosT underappreciated resort
The Challenge
Windham Mountain is one of the closest major ski resorts to the New York Metro population center. In recent decades, the resort’s biggest challenge was that skiers and riders in their market thought of Vermont ski resorts first, Hunter Mountain (a close Catskill competitor) second, and Windham Mountain third. The resort lacked a clear brand position, its visual identity and campaign strategies meandering about without creating a unique or relevant point of differentiation for the mountain.
While skier days (and overall revenue) showed Windham Mountain to be a strong player in the industry, management wanted to take the brand to a higher level. The new owners wanted an identity that would make them a destination ski resort rivaling Beaver Creek or Deer Valley. In doing so, they expected an increase in season pass sales, increased traffic to the Windham Mountain website and higher lodging occupancy.
Insightful Thinking
Smith & Jones undertook a comprehensive analysis of new and existing market research data, consisting of skier surveys from around the region, one-on-one interviews with stakeholders, core customers and non-customers and secondary research from industry sources.
Our findings helped us refine our target audience: skiing families with heads of household aged 35-54, most living in the New York metro and surrounding areas. Their incomes are high, their homes expensive and their zip codes exclusive. These consumers desire a family-oriented environment, tend to stay overnight and expect the creature comforts of an upscale lifestyle. They want ski terrain for all abilities, amenities for younger members of their group, the best snowmaking and grooming and a brand that understands why they ski (to be active with family and friends). An experience that Windham Mountain can deliver, on all accounts.
The insights gleaned from our research helped Smith & Jones identify opportunities to focus the brand’s position and make it more relevant, differentiated and desirable to this audience. We recommended repositioning the resort from its current perception (a nice, close, smaller mountain) to the more meaningful and emotional brand promise, “a sophisticated, playful, alpine experience.”
Meticulous Execution
We designed and tested a new corporate identity, the playful “W-skier” logo, that became an instantly recognizable visual icon. The creative platform introduced an updated color palette, a fresh photographic style and a light-hearted campaign theme that invited skiers and riders to “come out and play”. We then executed the new positioning in a top-to-bottom overhaul of its brand standards, mass media creative, on-mountain signage, website and collateral.