Case Study: Monarch Mountain

Situation

One of the few locally-owned mountains in the state of Colorado, Monarch Mountain didn’t have the support of a large conglomerate (i.e. Vail Resorts) to gain the same type of awareness that its competitors had. And it had not solidified a consistent brand identity, messaging or key differentiators. BPR was tasked with broadening awareness of the mountain while also driving season pass sales within the state, key drive-to markets, and nationwide.

Strategy

BPR worked with Monarch Mountain to develop brand messaging that highlighted its unique differentiators, and package it into easily digestible formats for all audiences both internally and externally, including employees, fans, media, etc.

Results

In its inaugural season of partnership with Monarch Mountain, BPR landed the resort in top-tier national and endemic ski and outdoor publications including The New York Times, USA TODAY, Powder, Hemispheres, Men’s Journal, The Dallas Morning News, Outside, Freeskier, Bloomberg, Austin American-Statesman and many more.
Media impressions totaled more than 419 million across print, online and broadcast media, incorporating Monarch Mountain’s new messaging to build a consistent brand identity.
Monarch Mountain’s season pass sales increased by 27 percent in its first year working with BPR.
Through PR and paid social media efforts alone, 280 college passes were sold in the inaugural year, generating more than $75K in sales, and $3K donated to Big City Mountaineers – with no other promotion utilized outside of BPR’s efforts.

Situation:

One of the few locally-owned mountains in the state of Colorado, Monarch Mountain didn’t have the support of a large conglomerate (i.e. Vail Resorts) to gain the same type of awareness that its competitors had. And, having never worked with a communications firm in the past, it had not solidified a consistent brand identity, messaging or key differentiators. Many consumers within towns adjacent to Monarch Mountain weren’t aware of its existence! BPR was tasked with broadening awareness of the mountain with coverage that included its new brand messaging, while also driving season pass sales within the state, key drive-to markets, and nationwide.

Strategy:

Tactics:

BPR developed messaging to highlight brand differentiators (it is locally owned and one of only three mountains in the state to operate on 100 percent real snow) as well as its value propositions for target consumers (it is located off of the epically congested I-70 corridor, by which most other ski mountains are accessed).

BPR integrated this messaging into a comprehensive press kit, and wove the locally-owned message into a social media campaign that highlighted the personalities that work at the mountain (including several owner-employees).

Messaging was communicated to media in a variety of creative ways – including drops featuring branded locally-made jam, teasing that skiers can “avoid the jam” of I-70 traffic, by skiing Monarch instead of other popular Colorado resorts, and by sending snow to media in other markets immediately following a major dump, allowing them to experience a taste of Monarch’s 100 percent natural powder first-hand.

To bolster messaging around Monarch’s support of the community, BPR recommended developing a philanthropic partnership in conjunction with the launch of its inaugural college season pass. BPR identified and fostered a partnership with Big City Mountaineers (BCM), a nonprofit offering outdoor experiences for underserved youth – a mission that paralleled that of Monarch’s. $10 from each college pass sold went to BCM.

Results

419+ million	27% increase	$75K	$3K
MEDIA IMPRESSIONS	IN SEASON PASS SALES DURING 2016	GENERATED THROUGH COLLEGE PASS SALES, TOTALLING 280 PASSES	DONATED TO BIG CITY MOUNTAINEERS THROUGH COLLEGE PASS SALES

Overall

in its inaugural season of partnership with Monarch Mountain, B Public Relations landed the resort in top-tier national and endemic ski and outdoor publications including The New York Times, USA TODAY, Powder, Hemispheres, Men’s Journal, The Dallas Morning News, Outside, Freeskier, Bloomberg, Austin American-Statesman and many more.