Activating the Senses to Go Way Beyond Skiing

Running a Heli-Skiing Operation Isn’t Easy

To do so, you need extensive knowledge of safety procedures, mountain conditions, and varied terrain. On top of that, skiers of this caliber expect first-rate service, meaning the need for a lodge and guest experience that is unparalleled. Regina, Mark, and the people at Crescent Spur have been doing just this for nearly 20 years now.

They first called smashLAB in 2001, and were taken aback by the cost of a website. After a little convincing, they did choose to hire us, and from there, a real friendship formed. Their first site proved successful, helping them convey the spirit of their operation, and assure new clients that their service was of the highest level. It also set the stage for future brand efforts.

In the years that followed, we helped Crescent Spur form a clean and timeless identity system, as well as an iconic mark that they utilize extensively in their own branded clothing. Additionally, we assisted in bringing consistency into a number of printed promotion pieces, digital brochures, and email campaigns.

Sometimes Good Isn’t Good Enough

At a certain point, we found that we weren’t really doing that much with Crescent Spur. Their marketing materials were in good order, their website was still working well, and customers were singing their praises. Around the end of 2008, though, we were calling them again, saying it was time to start pushing harder.

Frankly, this wasn’t an easy sell. They continued to receive positive feedback from their marketing materials—often hearing that theirs were amongst the strongest in the industry. While we were rather happy to hear that the work was holding up so well, we felt they could go so much further. Just like they were upgrading their lodge every year, we reminded them that the nearly 8 year old website was starting to feel a little “long in the tooth.” Technology had changed a lot over the decade, and we wanted to take another look at what we could do to tell their story and take a more aggressive approach with their digital marketing.

Over the following year, we set out to raise the bar on how Crescent Spur conveys their value, while more accurately reflecting the visitor experience. We went right back to square one, starting with a fresh discovery process. This involved extensive analysis of the marketplace, examination of their client-base, and even some personal (scotch-fueled) discussions with their most passionate customers. We learned an awful lot by doing so, but—more than anything—we started to truly understand what drives these people who traverse the planet to ski at Crescent Spur.

Looking Past the Obvious

The refreshed crescentspur.com digs deeper into the heli-skiing experience, conveying what people experience there: remarkable skiing, exquisite food, and a special camaraderie found by those who embark on these adventures year after year. New photographs, spectacular video content, richer stories, and a desire to showcase the unique details of the operation are all found in the new site.

Without any prompting by Crescent Spur, their customers often persuade other skiers to book a trip with the operation. Such dedication is rare and, as a result, we felt it important to give enthusiasts better ways to share this story and engage them in activity around the lodge. Part of this came in the form of a blog with regular updates and colorful stories.

Crescent Spur has found a way to better engage with those who already love visiting their operation. Additionally, they are offering some compelling opportunities that help them extend their reach to new adventurers who might not otherwise have heard of them. The best part? With each new visitor, they have reached another who will then talk to their friends and effectively “advertise” for them. 

Getting All “Social”

Every company needs to carefully consider whether social media is right for their marketing. Sometimes it really isn’t, and we have cautioned many against it. For Crescent Spur, however, we felt it presented a strong opportunity to engage with new audiences. For it to work, though, we needed a plan... and active involvement on their behalf.

This process began by determining goals and objectives, as well as exploring potential approaches and methods of execution. In order to help them to engage with their audience, we readied the tools and had a number of discussions on how to utilize them well. Over the following months, we remained in close contact, coaching them through the process and helping them activate these channels.

We also ran a campaign that integrated a Facebook contest, in order to reach potential visitors. This consisted of creative for the campaign, integrating a contest platform, outreach to industry, general media planning, and administration. In just 6 weeks, they had engaged with many new skiers, gaining 3,900 “Likes”, and notably high levels of interaction. It’s a good first step in this space, and opportunity to reach untapped parties.