Thoughts on Snowsports

Iain Martin, The Ski Podcast

The sad demise of the catered chalet ski holiday
Ideas / Tour Operators

The sad demise of the catered chalet ski holiday

by iain on Sep 25, 2023 • 8 Comments
Looking through a recent survey from Le Ski, I was struck by one stat in particular. While it was encouraging to read that the number of UK skiers and snowboarders is predicted to grow by 14% in winter 2023/24, the fact that only 13% stay in catered chalets highlighted how...
Will ChatGPT make ‘ski experts’ redundant?  
Ideas

Will ChatGPT make ‘ski experts’ redundant?  

by iain on May 11, 2023 • No Comments
AI (Artificial Intelligence) is changing fast. A few years ago, it was just the name of one of Steven Spielberg’s less good movies, but in 2023 AI has moved from the world of ‘futurologists’ into the mainstream. The chances are that even if you haven’t tried ChatGPT (or Google’s ‘Bard’),...
'Parrots in the Snow: the rise and fall of Bladon Lines' - article in 'Ski+Board' magazine
Iain / Ideas / Tour Operators

‘Parrots in the Snow: the rise and fall of Bladon Lines’ – article in ‘Ski+Board’ magazine

by iain on Mar 8, 2023 • 3 Comments
Iain’s article ‘Parrots in the Snow: the rise and fall of Bladon Lines‘ has now been published in ‘Ski+Board’ magazine. It’s also now available as a special episode of The Ski Podcast My first experience of working in the ski industry came 35 years ago when I went to Chatel...
Ski Touring in Morocco: A Photo Essay
Iain / Resorts

Ski Touring in Morocco: A Photo Essay

by iain on Feb 8, 2019 • No Comments
Iain from Skipedia recently went ski touring in Morocco. Flying into Marrakech, and then travelling to Imlil (1740m), Iain then spent three nights at the Refuge des Mouflons (3207m), ski touring to different 4000m peaks. Ski hire was from Braemar Mountain Sports, guiding and logistics were organised by Toubkal Guide. You...
'I'm a modern-day Batman' says anti-ESF campaigner
Resorts / Tour Operators

‘I’m a modern-day Batman’ says anti-ESF campaigner

by iain on Nov 2, 2014 • No Comments
These are difficult days for the ESF in the UK. The current legal cases against Simon Butler and Le Ski have stirred up plenty of negative sentiment within the British market against the ESF. Both cases – which deal with different aspects of the law – are currently at different...
Why do chalet girls bake a cake every day?
Tour Operators

Why do chalet girls bake a cake every day?

by iain on Aug 13, 2011 • 2 Comments
Okay, not strictly anything to do with marketing, but just for fun… So why do chalet girls bake a cake every day? As far as I know chalets have always left out a cake for their guests to tuck into for ‘afternoon tea’. After a long day on the slopes,...
Latest entries
Great experiential campaign by Asics
Marketing

Great experiential campaign by Asics

by iain on Dec 1, 2011 • No Comments
We liked this recent video we stumbled across on YouTube by Asics. It’s running, not snowsports, but still worth paying attention to. As sponsors of the New York Marathon they first set up a 60 feet long video screen and challenged the public to run the same pace as Olympic marathoner, Ryan Hall manages for...
Snowboarding 'makes a splash' with urinal game
Ideas

Snowboarding ‘makes a splash’ with urinal game

by iain on Nov 30, 2011 • No Comments
The nadir of the commercialisation of snowboarding must surely have now been reached with the news that a British company are combining snowboarding with urinating. Even Shaun White wouldn’t stoop this low At Skipedia, we recently looked at Shaun White’s foray into the world of chewing gum. You might feel that if he can earn...
If there's no snow, maybe it's time for virtual ski holidays?
Ideas / Resorts

If there’s no snow, maybe it’s time for virtual ski holidays?

by iain on Nov 25, 2011 • No Comments
With December arriving next week, the current state of the slopes in Europe looks extremely worrying.  Why is all the snow over in North America and not in Europe?  At the risk of sounding like Kevin the Teenager: ‘It’s so unfair!’ North America opens early, Europe opens late… Over the pond – Aspen, Whistler and others...
Ideas for using QR codes in the ski industry
Mobile

Ideas for using QR codes in the ski industry

by iain on Nov 23, 2011 • No Comments
eBay launch shop with QR codes only We at Skipedia were interested to read that eBay will be opening a pop-up shop in Soho this Christmas. The shop will stock 200 lines of products, but have no tills.  The only way to buy the products will be through the eBay mobile app. Cash and credit cards will not be...
Small is beautiful: Why Obermutten has more Facebook fans than Zermatt and Verbier...
Resorts / Social Media

Small is beautiful: Why Obermutten has more Facebook fans than Zermatt and Verbier…

by iain on Nov 17, 2011 • No Comments
The tiny Swiss village of  Obermutten has shown just how simple social media is… The hamlet of 79 residents promised that when anyone likes their Facebook page they would print off their profile and pin it up in the village. The pictures quickly filled up the town’s main noticeboard, and now they are using the side...
A glimpse into the future: 'A Day Made of Glass'
Mobile

A glimpse into the future: ‘A Day Made of Glass’

by iain on Nov 13, 2011 • No Comments
At Skipedia we love this amazing insight into a future that’s probably not so far away (2020?). Let’s just hope that not every product’s an Apple…

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The opinions expressed here represent my own and not those of my employer. Please feel free to support or disagree with me in the comments section of each blog entry.