INDUSTRY MARKETING INITIATIVES - SNOWMONSTERS

Snow Monsters is a grassroots, broad-based program to develop and promote children's skiing and snowboarding in North America.  NSAA, SIA, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team are partners.

*  Snow Monsters are the symbol of everyone's on-slope fun and a voice for the mountain lifestyle, physical fitness, good health, environmental respect, and other issues important to all skiers and snowboarders.

* The characters (Snowball the Snow Tiger, Powder Pig, Mogul Gophers, Snowboard Beaver, Snow Snake and Blizzard Babies – each with unique talents) only exist for skiing and only relate to skiing/snowboarding.

*  Supporting collateral includes video tapes (safety and environment), coloring books, posters, CD, audiotape, trading cards, plush toys, apparel, helmet stickers, licensed products, costumes, event materials, internet content, etc.

*  It's important to develop children's interest in skiing and snowboarding, inspire trial, and convert them to lifelong members of the sport.

*  Digital Kids 

      - There's a new generation that communicates electronically.

      - According to research conducted by the National School Boards Foundation, parents and children alike view the Internet as a positive new force in children's lives. They believe the Internet is a powerful tool for learning and communicating within families, and they want their children to be on the Internet.

      - Snow Monsters is a way to include children’s activities/content on your website while supporting a national program to grow the sport. 

*  Snow Monsters is positioned as an “educational program,” not an advertisement.

      - Snow Monsters always shows the fun, excitement and variety of snowsports, but every product is tied to a theme of safety, courtesy, environmental respect or another important educational message. 

      - Educators, school programs, and parents welcome Snow Monsters because it isn’t a blatant marketing program.

*  Long-term, industry-wide benefits.

      - Today’s children are the future population of active skiers and snowboarders.

      - The entry and retention of children into snowsports is critical to the entire family’s participation (i.e. if kids don’t enter and participate, they will pull their family out).

*  The Snow Monsters are ethnically and culturally diverse.

      - They are all colors and no colors.  They speak all languages. 

      - They appeal to kids of all “flavors.”

*  The Snow Monsters won’t become outdated.

      - There will be new stories and updated messages, but the basic characters don’t need to change each year.

      - It’s the advantage of the long-term durability of children’s entertainment – it’s recycled with each new crop of kids.

*  Viral marketing.  Children can be marketing partners, not just customers.

*  It’s a program that other people and organizations will associate with – it’s a “good cause.”

      - The educational, non-commercial, fun messages that Snow Monsters sends to children are easy and popular to support.

      - Celebrities that have supported Snow Monsters with their time and talent include: Aretha Franklin, Picabo Street, John Lee Hooker, Lenny Kravitz and others.

      - The Snow Monsters were even invited as children’s entertainment at the 1998 White House Christmas Party.

*  Our competition is Disney, Nintendo, and Cartoon Network – not each other.

*  Take a kid to the slopes today.

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