SnowSports Industries America (SIA), the snow sports industry’s member-owned trade association, hosted the 2nd annual INDUSTRY + INTELLIGENCE daylong education event January 27th in Denver, Colorado. The day of educational seminars, industry networking, and community conversation served to inform and invigorate the snow sport industry before the opening of the 2016 SIA Snow Show at Denver’s Colorado Convention Center.
Nearly 20 sessions took place during the free education day, which began with SIA Research Director Kelly Davis’ opening remarks sharing the initial results of the groundbreaking Downhill Consumer Intelligence Project (DCIP). The DCIP provides a comprehensive understanding of the trends of snow sports consumers, providing SIA members with first hand interview data on consumer intent to buy, social trends and regional specific data to inform brand and retailer strategies and tactics for growth.
“Kicking off the Snow Show with some of the industry’s leaders is so important to the advancement of all our businesses,” SIA Incoming President Nick Sargent. “It’s a fast moving industry that we are in, and tuning into the right intel can help us stay ahead.”
A highlight for many was keynote speaker and Vice President of International Marketing at GoPro, Bryan Johnston. Johnston was joined by professional skier and mountaineer Chris Davenport, and together led a dynamic discussion about the growing popularity of short form content and how the democratization of video production is an essential tool for the marketing of winter sports.
“User generated content affects everyone’s lives from athletes, to brands to retailers to families going on ski and snowboard trips,” said Johnston. “There’s a way we can all work together to improve the critical mass of the winter sports industry, because we’re in a competitive fight with people being pulled to do a lot of different things.”
Presented by Blue Acorn and Bronto, INDUSTRY + INTELLIGENCE also included presentations by Nate Fristoe, Director of Operations at RRC, who spoke about both the evolving snow sports consumer and the methods behind an accurate estimate of the size and characteristics of the market. Jessica Kaplan, trend consultant and writer, delivered a thorough trend report, highlighting how the snow sports industry is driving trends. “Our world, the snow sports industry, has been highlighted so often recently in non-endemic publications, in the movies, in television, and on the world stage with the issue of climate change. This is so important beca
use it shines a light on our world and our industry. People see beautiful places, high style, and a lifestyle that makes them want to be a part of it,” commented Kaplan.
“INDUSTRY + INTELLIGENCE is really useful to us,” said Jean Miklaus, Director of Resort Services, Retail, Rental & Groups at Copper Mountain, CO. “We bring our whole team. Education is so important – it helps my staff with growth and development, and helps them to get out of their bubble and see a broader spectrum of what retail is like in the rest of the country. It gives them a bigger picture.”
A full list of the INDUSTRY + INTELLIGENCE seminars can be found here.
The 2016 SIA Snow Show is being held at the Colorado Convention Center from January 28 to January 31, 2016, with over 500 exhibitors and 18,000 visitors gathering to discuss and unveil the industry’s newest trends and products. Immediately following the Snow Show will be the On-Snow Demo in Copper Mountain, Colorado from February 1 to February 2, 2016.
