Wednesday, November 18, 2009

New campaign features local athletes

Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber kicks off fresh marketing effort

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By JON DUVAL
Express Staff Writer

“Play Hard, Ski Free” is one of the messages of the chamber’s new “The Fun Never Sets” marketing campaign. Courtesy graphic

Local athletes will be advocating on behalf of the Sun Valley area as part of the Sun Valley-Ketchum Chamber & Visitors Bureau's new promotional tool, "Sun Valley Champions."

The athletes include X-Games medalists Zach and Reggie Crist, Olympic Nordic skiing hopefuls Morgan Arritola and Kate Whitcomb, and 24-Hour Solo Mountain Bike World Champion Rebecca Rusch. They will be featured in the chamber's 2009-10 Getaway Guide, on the organization's Web site and for other promotional efforts.

Chamber Marketing Director Karrie Westergard said the athletes will be featured in promotional literature and on the chamber's Web site.

The chamber will host a Meet the Champions reception for some of the local athletes on Monday, Nov. 23, from 5-6:30 p.m. at the Roosevelt Grille in Ketchum. One of the athletes being showcased is 8-year-old skateboarder Jedson Waters.

"We just want people to come out and hear what they'll be up to," Westergard said.

The chamber last week also unveiled a new theme for both the organization itself and for the 2009-10 winter season—"The Fun Never Sets." The theme was created by Boise-based advertising agency Drake Cooper, which also worked on chamber promotion last year.

"[This] theme is flexible enough to promote not only the area's boundless recreational and cultural opportunities, but also the events and the lifestyle that make Sun Valley the destination of choice for many different visitors, businesses and people," said Ramona Duke, chamber public relations and social media manager, in a news release. "The target audience is not limited to a specific demographic."

For this winter, the chamber is also promoting the message of "Play Hard—Ski Free" to target winter sports enthusiasts from families to college students. The message refers to free lift tickets that will be included with certain Sun Valley lodging packages.

The message will be included in the chamber's promotion of new winter events, including the Sun Valley Nordic Festival, which will take place Jan. 30 through Feb. 7 and include snowshoe and Nordic ski clinics and races, culminating with the popular Boulder Mountain Tour.

Jon Duval: jduval@mtexpress.com