Killington Spinning

[threecy]

Since Killington is SO popular around these parts, I thought I'd try a new line of dicussion.

I think most here will agree that SP/Powdr's PR with Killington, at least in the internet world, hasn't helped their business decisions - here's the scenario:

You're the PR guy - you've been tasked with putting a good spin on the less than popular business decisions made (this is not a dicussion of whether or not their decisions are bad, but rather how they could have presented them to people in these parts a bit better...let's keep this a positive, focussed discussion, so no sarcastic quips about K-Mart).

Example: Closing Skyeship Stage 1 a few midweek days

With rising energy costs and the environmental impact of wastefully using energy, we've decided to be as green as possible. As a result, we have decided to close the Skyeship base area on quiet midweek, non-holiday days.

By closing this lower portion of trails, we will be able to groom more trails throughout the mountain, keep midweek prices low, and save enough electricity to take X cars off the road for a year or power Y houses for a month.

Skyeship Stage 2 will continue to be open 7 days per week. Skyeship Stage 1 and the Skyeship Base Lodge will continue to be open Thursday-Sunday every week, and every day during holiday/vacation periods.

 

[AdironRider]

Id argue that you cant really put a positive spin on a retraction of services in a service industry. You just cant. You pump out PR in other venues where you've increased services, and stay the hell away from the stuff you retract. Otherwise your just bringing more publicity to stuff people arent going to like no matter how you spin it. Like in your example you pump out PR on increased snowmaking on the upper trails, without ever mentioning the fact your closing the Skyeship 3 days a week. Sure the diehards are going to know either way, but you dont use it as part of the advertising campaign.

 

[Highway Star]

Skyeship Stage 1 is going to be open FRIDAY through SUNDAY.

Not Thursday.

 

[SkiDork]

The spin (as told by cmfrvt at my house Sat night) is to wait for the actual skiing conditions, which will be superb.

We shall see...

 

[Tin Woodsman]

Also, if I'm the chief PR guy, I'd demand that my bosses tell me everything I have to spin up front. It's MUCH better to get the bad news out there all at one time than to have it slowly leak out. That just keeps reinforcing the lousy feelings.

Also, I would insist that I have something to talk about with respect to the long-term plan. If people can understand how the service and season curtailments along withthe price increases fit into a broader plan to make the skiing experience better, they are less likely to complain. All K skiers have gotten is "we'll only eat what we kill", which isn't exactly a lot to hang your hat on if you're looking for optimism.

 

[threecy]

Some good points, I'll revise this:

Closing Skyeship Stage 1 a few midweek days

With rising energy costs and the environmental impact of wastefully using energy, we've decided to be as green as possible. As a result, we have decided to close the Skyeship base area on quiet midweek, non-holiday days.

By closing this lower portion of trails, we will be able to groom more trails throughout the mountain, keep midweek prices low, and save enough electricity to take X cars off the road for a year or power Y houses for a month. In addition, these trails will allow for potential Saturday powder days for those who cannot make it to the mountain during a work week with snow.

Skyeship Stage 2 will continue to be open 7 days per week. Skyeship Stage 1 and the Skyeship Base Lodge will continue to be open Friday-Sunday every week, and every day during holiday/vacation periods. Rams Head and Snowshed will continue to be open with a large variety of novice and beginner cruising terrain.

 

[eastcoastpowderhound]

I think threecy is on to something with the green spin...yeah, sure, its not why they're doing it, but its a good way to spin it...makes a positive out of a negative and its makes it tougher to come back and attack the stated rationale for the decision.

 

[DJAK]

Three - I see where you are coming from, but..

Saying your motive is X, when it is cleary something other than X, is not a good habit to get into.

You could relay the side benefits as such, but shouldn't make a habit out of stating false motives. That's not spin. That's BS. There's a difference IMHO.

 

[threecy]

Three - I see where you are coming from, but..

Saying your motive is X, when it is cleary something other than X, is not a good habit to get into.

You could relay the side benefits as such, but shouldn't make a habit out of stating false motives. That's not spin. That's BS. There's a difference IMHO.

It's really not that far off, it's sort of implied with the ticket price part of the statement.

 

[trtaylor]

It's really not that far off, it's sort of implied with the ticket price part of the statement.

Here's a test...would Steve Kirchner approve this press release if the situation was one of his resorts?

 

[threecy]

Here's a test...would Steve Kirchner approve this press release if the situation was one of his resorts?

I'm not really putting this in press release format...almost more of something you'd see on a web site. If they want a press release and good spin, they can pay me and I'll add to it and make it halfway decent Just trying to make some examples.

 

[ctenidae]

One has to wonder what percentage of K skiers actually have any idea that ASC isn't around anymore, or could pick out Skyship Satge 1 or whatever on the map, or know/care that the A41 is no more, or know that there is actually skiing possible before Christmas and after MLK Day, or have any clue of the other 4000 evil things Powdr has done.

20 people bitching on a couple of message boards does not a PR disaster make.

 

[SkiDork]

One has to wonder what percentage of K skiers actually have any idea that ASC isn't around anymore, or could pick out Skyship Satge 1 or whatever on the map, or know/care that the A41 is no more, or know that there is actually skiing possible before Christmas and after MLK Day, or have any clue of the other 4000 evil things Powdr has done.

20 people bitching on a couple of message boards does not a PR disaster make.

I see your point, but I think the message is getting out...

 

[Tin Woodsman]

One has to wonder what percentage of K skiers actually have any idea that ASC isn't around anymore, or could pick out Skyship Satge 1 or whatever on the map, or know/care that the A41 is no more, or know that there is actually skiing possible before Christmas and after MLK Day, or have any clue of the other 4000 evil things Powdr has done.

20 people bitching on a couple of message boards does not a PR disaster make.

Apparently you didn't read the thread on K-Zone where a presumably now unemployed Killington hack sent an e-mail to their childrens programs e-mail list to share the bad news on pricing. The thing is, she CCd the list instead of BCCing it and it became an impromptu mailing list for complaints flying back and forth from long-time Killington families, none of whom have ever heard of K-Zone or A-Zone.

As if that wasn't enough, apparently Sugarbush smelled an opportunity and has now sent an e-mail to that very same list letting them know about the pricing and programs there. Yeah, I think it's safe to say that there are more people noticing than just 20 people bitching on a message board.

 

[threecy]

Apparently you didn't read the thread on K-Zone where a presumably now unemployed Killington hack sent an e-mail to their childrens programs e-mail list to share the bad news on pricing. The thing is, she CCd the list instead of BCCing it and it became an impromptu mailing list for complaints flying back and forth from long-time Killington families

Zoinks!

 

[ALLSKIING]

The spin (as told by cmfrvt at my house Sat night) is to wait for the actual skiing conditions, which will be superb.

We shall see...

We shall.....If it is then thats all that matters to me.

 

[millerm277]

One has to wonder what percentage of K skiers actually have any idea that ASC isn't around anymore, or could pick out Skyship Satge 1 or whatever on the map, or know/care that the A41 is no more, or know that there is actually skiing possible before Christmas and after MLK Day, or have any clue of the other 4000 evil things Powdr has done.

They don't, but they do get angry when they can't use parts of the mountain because the lift isn't running, when they can't use the main lodge because they decided to close it during the week, when the prices are much higher, yet they're getting less.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Killington, VT

SP/Powdr's goal is to bring back the glory of Killington. Unfortunately this is going to be a long process and we have to make some short term sacrifices in order to run the mountain more efficiently. The following changes in service will be made for the 2007-2008 season:

(List Service Changes Here)

We are making these changes with the goal of slowly and properly making Killington, once again, the number one snow-sports destination in the East. We are just as upset about these service changes as you are. We apologize in advance for these changes and we are confident that they will be restored in future seasons.

(SP/Powdr's boilerplate here)

 

[ctenidae]

Apparently you didn't read the thread on K-Zone where a presumably now unemployed Killington hack sent an e-mail to their childrens programs e-mail list to share the bad news on pricing. The thing is, she CCd the list instead of BCCing it and it became an impromptu mailing list for complaints flying back and forth from long-time Killington families, none of whom have ever heard of K-Zone or A-Zone.

As if that wasn't enough, apparently Sugarbush smelled an opportunity and has now sent an e-mail to that very same list letting them know about the pricing and programs there. Yeah, I think it's safe to say that there are more people noticing than just 20 people bitching on a message board.

I didn't.

I won't deny that there are a lot of people who are or will be peaved. But they will still likely be a small percentage of total skiers at K. The changes certainly won't help Killington much, financially, but it might not really hurt them that much. People are still going to pack the hotels on holiday weeks, the slopes will still be crowded with weekend vacationers, and things will move along.

Beano's press release form is pretty good, though. Honest, at least. Powdr probably doesn't want to show all their warts at once, though. As long as different groups ae pissed off at different things, the impact won't be as bad. When everyone's pissed at the whole list, thoguh, is when it gets ugly.

 

[BeanoNYC]

Powdr probably doesn't want to show all their warts at once, though.

I worked in Public and Media Relations for 8 years. Press releases can be very transparent to the reader. It's best to keep it honest and simple with as little b.s. as possible.