Snowsports Festivals Rebrand, Expand Offerings With New Online Platform

December 16, 2020
Snowsports Festivals Rebrand, Expand Offerings With New Online Platform

Snowsports Industries America is hoping that a dual-pronged approach to updating two long-standing expos will create an avalanche of excitement.

In announcing its new strategy and rebranding of events, SIA is getting the ball rolling with a new immersive platform, Snowboundfest.com.

The website serves primarily as a showcase for two November events: Rockies and New England Snowbound Festivals. It includes a healthy dose of ski-related news, notes and interviews to maintain engagement with attendees. Event swag like ski hats and face masks (it is 2020, after all) is available for purchase in a retail section.

The website reflects a deliberate decision to attract consumers, rather than concentrate on the buyers and exhibitors within the winter sports industry. Everything from the website to the name changes to the agendas is geared toward attracting a broader audience interested in discovering experiences unavailable elsewhere.

Consider the centerpiece events, which are rebranding without relocating. Rockies and New England Snowbound Festivals sound much more like geographic events than Denver and Boston Ski and Snowboard Expos, which had been their names for the past 40 years.

Larger audiences and more opportunities are in the offing, notes SIA, which acquired the Denver and Boston Ski and Snowboard Expos from BEWI Productions, Inc., in January 2020.

 Both 2021 festivals will remain a prime opportunity to find deals on state-of-the-art equipment. But there will also be art shows, autograph signings, panel discussions, concerts, movie premieres and other new activations for attendees.

If it sounds like a Comic-Con of snow sports events, that’s not a coincidence. Snowbound Festivals are aiming to capitalize on the mass interest in winter sports, and bringing enthusiasts together for shared experiences over multiple days.

Brian Stephenson was named as the director of Snowbound Festival in July after building a strong marketing and management reputation at ReedPOP, where he was responsible for large-scale consumer events including New York Comic Con, Star Wars Celebration and more. He isn’t shy about his dream to recreate the same success with these events.

“We have an incredible opportunity in front of us to engage and expand the community of winter enthusiasts through welcoming, meaningful and immersive experiences,” Stephenson said in a statement. “We look forward to partnering with the entire winter outdoor community on Snowbound and sharing in the success that comes with embracing all enthusiasts in the winter lifestyle.” 

Brands, ski resorts and retailers should benefit from the broader experience, as the country warms to traveling again next winter. 

“By creating a compelling, multi-platform destination, our goal is to celebrate the entire winter outdoor culture and lifestyle in a way that is inspirational and accessible to all,” explained Nick Sargent, president of SIA. “Brian is the ideal person to help Snowbound Festival inspire a larger audience to join us outside once the snow starts to fall.”

Spaceshop, a web design agency that specializes in digital commerce for the events industry, created the new online platform for SIA. 

 

Add new comment

Partner Voices
Dallas already boasts 35,000 hotel rooms, award-winning global cuisine, and a walkable downtown. But we are just getting started. Visit Dallas is thrilled to announce that the city of Dallas is doubling down with a massive new convention center and entertainment district. Featuring 800,000 square feet of exhibit area, 260,000 square feet of meeting rooms, and 170,000 square feet of ballroom. The center will connect business travelers with dining and shopping options in the popular Cedars District means more places to get down to business, and even more ways to unwind. “Dallas is already a great meetings and conventions destination, with the accessibility of two major airports, affordable labor, and an outstanding hotel product,” said D. Bradley Kent, Visit Dallas senior vice president and chief sales officer. “The new center and Convention Center District will enhance Dallas’ competitive position and are exactly what our customers’ need and have been asking for." What’s New – AT&T Discovery District Located in the heart of Downtown Dallas, this new district on the AT&T corporate campus is tailor-made for groups of all sizes. It boasts a multi-sensory experience, including outdoor event space, the AT&T Theater, and multiple dining outlets including JAXON Beer Garden and The Exchange, a bustling food hall. Hotels Coming Soon Names like the JW Marriott (Downtown), lnterContinental Dallas (Uptown), and Hotel Swexan (Uptown) are adding luxury amenities and bountiful event spaces. The projects will debut in 2023 and beyond. JW Marriott This new, 15-story, 283-room hotel will open in the heart of the city’s downtown Arts District this year. The property features a 25,000-square-foot grand ballroom, as well as a spa, restaurant, lobby bar, fitness center, and a rooftop pool deck and bar. InterContinental Dallas  Located in Cityplace Tower in Uptown, InterContinental Dallas will feature sweeping panoramic views of the Dallas skyline. Guests will enjoy spacious, high-end rooms and amenities, including more than 21,000 square feet of event space.   Hotel Swexan Hotel Swexan, a new, 22-story luxury property, is rising in Uptown’s Harwood District and will make its mark on the Dallas skyline. Opening this year, it is a sculptural building with cantilevered upper floors, as well as a 75-foot rooftop infinity-edge swimming pool and a hidden underground lounge.