Killington Ad Irony

[skibum1321]

My home mtn (Wachusett) gets crowded, skied off, has kids on slopes beyond their ability...I think most resorts deal with these same issues. So I guess the size of the crowd @ K just rubs me wrong.

Every resort deals with these issues but it is clearly a problem at some places more than others. I find this to be more of a problem in Mass, southern NH and southern VT. Alot of the less experienced skiers don't necessarily want to make the trip up north. Also, the stigma of resorts such as MRG and Magic keeps some of the lower level skiers away. In terms of becoming skied off, I think that natural snow trails are much better about not becoming icy as well.

 

[SkiDog]

Night life: whatever I happen to dream about after passing out from a long day of skiing.

I spend remarkably little time considering any of the above at any mountain I'm skiing at.

Clearly Killington focuses on nightlife, and if I were 22 again i'd probably LOVE it, but like you I think very little of what happens after the ski day is over aside from food and a warm place to sleep..I prefer QUALITY skiing over pretty much anything else..I think for the most part Kmart provides quality skiing, there may be better, there are certianly worse, so until I cna get a place somewhere else I guess kmart it is for me...

M

 

[madman]

I have heard the same complants since 1977 to expensive, to crowded , to much grooming, to many people over there heads. You are right on all counts, ON THE WEEKEND! Big K is a mid week Mt. Allways has been; allways will be!!! They dont groom half as much and you almost never stand in line. You can have trails to yourself and ski the Mt. the way you want. I dont like what they did to Skye Peak and Superstar. Way to open. I remember when Downdraft was a tree trail and Bear Mt was just a dream. Some changes are good and some are not so. Take a few sick days and ski Wed or Thurs it is still a great Mt.

 

[Brettski]

however coming from Jersey places like JAY just arent worth the extra like 2 hours except on certian occasions..

M

But it's such an easy drive.....it's just about the same amount of time to Lake Placid....Gotta be at least a long weekend though

Kmart is 4 1/2 hours from me in No. Jersey

Gore is about the same

Never been but the Berkshires is about 3, 3 1/2?

 

[Talisman]

Some very valid points....avoiding people is a BIG deal there yuou are correct, but I again say that if you know how to ski the mtn you dont EVER see a crowd...

M

I think there is hyperbole in the statement above unless we have different definitions of what makes a crowd. I don't care how long you have skied Killington, on an early season Saturday with limited terrain open means you will be skiing in a crowd at some point to get back to the lift even if you poach closed trails. While I recognize Killington has some very interesting terrain and a lot of trails off the beaten track, I prefer skiing where I want versus trying to avoid the crowds by doing laps on the South Ridge chair.

I enjoy skiing Killington, especially mid-week and recognize the size, terrain and snow the mounatins has to offer. On weekends I drive by Killington to go to Pico or Sugarbush and when there is enough natural snow Magic.

 

[riverc0il]

yeah ticket prices are high, arent they everywhere????

no

It may get crowded, but again where doesnt really on a good day in the New England area?

lots of places with better terrain, friendlier people, and cheaper tickets.

killington does have some great terrain, no doubt. but that doesn't make it a good mountain to ski at with exception of when there are no other alternatives. different strokes for different folks though, i am glad killington offers what it does which keeps the crowds down at the places i like to ski.
:beer:

also, i think we all have differing opinions of the word "crowd". i am used to skiing trails (on a weekend keep in mind) in which 50% of the time, i can stop on the trail and look up and down and not see another skier (i am also talking in bounds here). i see 10 people within eye sight of me on the same trail and i think it's crowded. and i can quickly rattle off a dozen great ski areas that meet that definition of lack of crowds. so no, there are a lot of great ski areas that are not crowded, even on the weekends.

 

[riverc0il]

I also agree that its probably a factor of "biggest always gets raked over the coals"

gotta disagree here. sugarloaf, smuggs, stowe, jay, and bush are all pretty big mountains that do not get raked over the coals. i don't think the bash against killington is specifically against that particular mountain, but rather the dominating corporate influence that has filtered down throughout their operation.

the point of the innitial post, as brian pointed out, was not to make fun of killington but rather to call attention to an ironic marketing ploy. Mc..... as in McDonalds, the largest fast food "chain" in the country. Mc as in ASC, one of the largest ski corporations in the country. ASC mountains are far more alike than the many independantly owned mountains, many of which have very unique and qwirky personalities. for ASC to suggest other mountains are McMountains when they are anything but is, well, just what i've come to expect.

 

[thetrailboss]

OK, here is the ad in question. Note the small text in the bottom:

Click on the image and it will enlarge so that you can read it...interesting how they incorporate the usual criticisms of 'mundane' and 'cookie cutter' into their ad to refute these claims. :blink:

In essence, they are subverting the claims to their favor...i.e. "you're mundane and we're unique."

 

[riverc0il]

HOLY CRAP THAT AD IS WORSE THAN I IMAGINED!

seriously, most hanious piece of crap advertising i have EVER seen in my life, and i have seen a lot of crap!

 

[bvibert]

HOLY CRAP THAT AD IS WORSE THAN I IMAGINED!

seriously, most hanious piece of crap advertising i have EVER seen in my life, and i have seen a lot of crap!

Now that you mention it, I think that is the WORSE ad I've seen as well.

 

[castlerock]

 

[thetrailboss]

OK..and...what did you have to say? :wink:

 

[Greg]

OK..and...what did you have to say? :wink:

Re-read the ad. He had me all screwed up...

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Look at it again: I take the bold type to be perfect representation of what Killington is: A McMountain near a world of mountains (i.e. MRG, 'Bush, etc.)

Truth in advertising, if you ask me (but WTF do I know, what's my degree in, Marketing? Doh!)

 

[riverc0il]

awesome castlerock!!!!

best subvert i have ever seen!

 

[thetrailboss]

Got it... :lol: Funny!

 

[bvibert]

Great job castlerock! Best post I've seen all week! :beer:

 

[sledhaulingmedic]

Perfect, Castlerock. I didn't realize I was reading your words of truth, as opposed to ASC's deceptive propaganda

Fine work

 

[JimG.]

HOLY CRAP THAT AD IS WORSE THAN I IMAGINED!

seriously, most hanious piece of crap advertising i have EVER seen in my life, and i have seen a lot of crap!

Now that you mention it, I think that is the WORSE ad I've seen as well.

Even if it's the WORST ad you've ever seen, it's an effective and profitable ad because...

you saw it. You looked at it and read it. You even enlarged it to read it more clearly. Even if it's outright lies, it worked and worked very well. We have a whole 3 page thread dedicated to it.

Genius.

 

[SkiDog]

HOLY CRAP THAT AD IS WORSE THAN I IMAGINED!

seriously, most hanious piece of crap advertising i have EVER seen in my life, and i have seen a lot of crap!

Now that you mention it, I think that is the WORSE ad I've seen as well.

Even if it's the WORST ad you've ever seen, it's an effective and profitable ad because...

you saw it. You looked at it and read it. You even enlarged it to read it more clearly. Even if it's outright lies, it worked and worked very well. We have a whole 3 page thread dedicated to it.

Genius.

youre SOOOO RIGHT.....like they say...ANY press is good PRESS...

M