I have been nothing but impressed by Killington’s video marketing efforts over the last few years.

There are many reasons why, but perhaps the biggest is the range of styles and voices and approaches they use that each serve a great purpose on their own but also work together beautifully for the greater good.

Let me share three examples, the last of which is perhaps the best resort video I’ve ever seen.

Conditions – Jonathan
The first video is the classic conditions update, but in this case it’s told from the perspective of a long-time pass.

Yes, I love that the voice is a guest not an employee, but conditions videos are never going to be viral hits and, honestly, don’t need to be overthought. After all, a video like this will only be relevant for about 24-48 hours.

So I love that they kept it simple. The video quality is really solid, but there’s no flashy editing or effects, just a couple runs with Jonathan and a soundbite recorded for voiceover.

Killington, Then and Now
Next is a more evergreen, storytelling piece. Good voiceover, high quality imagery, really smooth editing. A lot of resorts are making these, but this is such a well-crafted piece.

And notice that theme. Broader story that will be relevant for decades which justifies a bit more time and effort to do it right. And they did. It’s clear that more thought, time, and effort went into this video as it should if it’s going to tell the story of the entire resort for years to come.

Snowmaker Training
Now, a conditions video and brand story video are a straightforward enough formula. You look at the value, multiple it by the shelf life, and adjust resources accordingly.

Where it’s not so clear is when you stray from the norm. When you take an angle like humor.

There have been many, MANY attempts at funny videos from resorts over the years, but I think Killington is the only resort who has truly pulled it off on a consistent basis. The reason, as far as I can tell, is pretty simple: you have to go all in.

This video, as the headline suggests, blows my mind. It’s incredibly clever, but it’s also amazingly well-made.

Look at each shot and you’ll see lighting and setup and framing that you simply don’t see in resort videos. Toss in really solid editing and just a great story to begin with and…man…amazing stuff. Really amazing stuff. I think I’ve watched this one about 20 times…so far.

Do, or Do Not
There’s a danger with trying to be funny that, if you skimp on budget and effort, it just comes across as quirky or cute. I truly believe that to pull off funny as a resort, sometimes you have to do your absolute best work. Perhaps even better than any other videos you make.

Is there ROI? I absolutely believe there is, but as ironic as it sounds, it does feel like you have to spend a lot to get it.

Killington has proved that they not only have the tools and people and relationships in place, but that they have the guts to go all-in on the execution to actually pull it off.

About Gregg & SlopeFillers
I've had more first-time visitors lately, so adding a quick "about" section. I started SlopeFillers in 2010 with the simple goal of sharing great resort marketing strategies. Today I run marketing for resort ecommerce and CRM provider Inntopia, my home mountain is the lovely Nordic Valley, and my favorite marketing campaign remains the Ski Utah TV show that sold me on skiing as a kid in the 90s.