Recently we published an article Influencers, Advocates, and Those Who Pass Out the Kool-Aid which addressed the risky endeavor of getting information, reviews, and recommendations from influencers in the ski industry. More recently there was a situation at Killington Resort brought about by a brand's influencers' actions egregious enough to force Killington to suspend their lift tickets.
(From Facebook)
Mike Solimano, President, Killington Resorts.
This is totally unacceptable and my team has already blocked their passes. This is the exact type of behavior we are trying to prevent. Our teams will be on the hill trying to find this behavior in real time. As announced recently we are starting a paid on-mountain safety team that will be working to stop this behavior. (I reached out Mike with no reply.)
Overview
Two skiers and a third recording the action on opening day posted video of their reckless skiing, not only putting themselves in danger but also exposing innocent skiers to their risky behavior, due to the crowds and extremely limited terrain. Numerous sources familiar with the situation confirmed this was not the first time that there have been incidences with these particular skiers. These skiers posted videos on their social media channels showing them weaving through crowded areas and past SLOW SKIING signs at speeds close to 50 MPH. After their passes were pulled this video along with others were removed from their channels.
Leading up to this season, Killington was hard at work to move away from and soften their “Beast of the East” reputation. Their goal is to make their trails safer for everyone from beginners to experts and to change the etiquette on the mountain. This isolated situation could potentially move that back years.
The reason we are bringing this up is that we are in an environment that spews “Now is not the time to have that discussion” after a major catastrophe. Well, since no one did get seriously hurt, that opens the door for us to have this hard discussion about the sensationalism of one-upmanship and putting others at risk for the sake of clicks and notoriety under the guise of "stoke".
It’s not a problem until it’s a problem
Collisions on the ski trails are one of the top fears of every skier and boarder. There are inherent risks involved when you have a multitude of skiers and riders varying in ability on limited terrain. While accidents happen, being able to avoid them and not selfishly put others at risk can go a long way to everyone enjoying the space.
The incident at Killington with the skiers more concerned with their social media posts that day than the safety of others is a huge concern for the mountain as well as others on the hill. In our opinion, it's also a concern for the industry as a whole.
Manufacturers and brands need to sit up and take notice. Everyone wants all the benefits of “free advertising” through social media and influencers. But, this recent situation makes a strong case that nothing is free and everything comes at a cost. Do you want, and can you afford, to have your brand associated with skiers or boarders who are willing to put others at risk so they keep getting supplied with gear, or likes, or money?
By supporting these irresponsible skiers with free skis, board, or an outfit, good will and free advertising could quickly turn around into a court case or worse: the cost of losing a life. A brand can easily say “We in no way support dangerous and or reckless skiing or riding of any kind. The ski hill should be a safe and welcoming place for skiers of all abilities." That does not mean they are 100% innocent of the actions of athletes they endorse. Even if a good lawyer cannot prove culpability, the financial cost of being in court, as well as the social cost of having your brand associated with skiers who have no regard for anyone but themselves can be substantial.
All that said, we are not suggesting manufacturers are responsible for someone who has a social media channel and tags a product because that's what he uses. That is entirely different than a person who receives product either gratis or at a reduced cost to help promote a brand. The random gear fan or aficionado is also in a different category than an employee who is promoting the brand. A good lawyer can quickly follow an equipment trail.
Right now all we have is a couple of skiers who temporarily lost their pass privileges, which is a small price in the whole scheme of things. To the brand managers and social media managers reading this: now is your chance to evaluate who you are endorsing or permitting to use your name on their social media. Brands, you need to watch each of these “influencers” closely because they are representing you. More responsibility needs to be taken by the skiers*, boarders, and also by the brand they represent. We urge all skiers and riders to do so responsibly and respectfully, especially when recording social media content.
There is an on going discussion on the topic in this thread: Props to Killington for pulling the season passes of 3 "sponsored" skiers
*Note: We did not name the skiers because we do not feel they deserve any additional attention in this situation.
(From Facebook)
Mike Solimano, President, Killington Resorts.
This is totally unacceptable and my team has already blocked their passes. This is the exact type of behavior we are trying to prevent. Our teams will be on the hill trying to find this behavior in real time. As announced recently we are starting a paid on-mountain safety team that will be working to stop this behavior. (I reached out Mike with no reply.)
Overview
Two skiers and a third recording the action on opening day posted video of their reckless skiing, not only putting themselves in danger but also exposing innocent skiers to their risky behavior, due to the crowds and extremely limited terrain. Numerous sources familiar with the situation confirmed this was not the first time that there have been incidences with these particular skiers. These skiers posted videos on their social media channels showing them weaving through crowded areas and past SLOW SKIING signs at speeds close to 50 MPH. After their passes were pulled this video along with others were removed from their channels.
Leading up to this season, Killington was hard at work to move away from and soften their “Beast of the East” reputation. Their goal is to make their trails safer for everyone from beginners to experts and to change the etiquette on the mountain. This isolated situation could potentially move that back years.
The reason we are bringing this up is that we are in an environment that spews “Now is not the time to have that discussion” after a major catastrophe. Well, since no one did get seriously hurt, that opens the door for us to have this hard discussion about the sensationalism of one-upmanship and putting others at risk for the sake of clicks and notoriety under the guise of "stoke".
It’s not a problem until it’s a problem
The incident at Killington with the skiers more concerned with their social media posts that day than the safety of others is a huge concern for the mountain as well as others on the hill. In our opinion, it's also a concern for the industry as a whole.
Manufacturers and brands need to sit up and take notice. Everyone wants all the benefits of “free advertising” through social media and influencers. But, this recent situation makes a strong case that nothing is free and everything comes at a cost. Do you want, and can you afford, to have your brand associated with skiers or boarders who are willing to put others at risk so they keep getting supplied with gear, or likes, or money?
By supporting these irresponsible skiers with free skis, board, or an outfit, good will and free advertising could quickly turn around into a court case or worse: the cost of losing a life. A brand can easily say “We in no way support dangerous and or reckless skiing or riding of any kind. The ski hill should be a safe and welcoming place for skiers of all abilities." That does not mean they are 100% innocent of the actions of athletes they endorse. Even if a good lawyer cannot prove culpability, the financial cost of being in court, as well as the social cost of having your brand associated with skiers who have no regard for anyone but themselves can be substantial.
All that said, we are not suggesting manufacturers are responsible for someone who has a social media channel and tags a product because that's what he uses. That is entirely different than a person who receives product either gratis or at a reduced cost to help promote a brand. The random gear fan or aficionado is also in a different category than an employee who is promoting the brand. A good lawyer can quickly follow an equipment trail.
Right now all we have is a couple of skiers who temporarily lost their pass privileges, which is a small price in the whole scheme of things. To the brand managers and social media managers reading this: now is your chance to evaluate who you are endorsing or permitting to use your name on their social media. Brands, you need to watch each of these “influencers” closely because they are representing you. More responsibility needs to be taken by the skiers*, boarders, and also by the brand they represent. We urge all skiers and riders to do so responsibly and respectfully, especially when recording social media content.
There is an on going discussion on the topic in this thread: Props to Killington for pulling the season passes of 3 "sponsored" skiers
*Note: We did not name the skiers because we do not feel they deserve any additional attention in this situation.
