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.