The one thing I love most about Mammoth’s safety policy update video.
Gregg Blanchard /
Rather than have me launch in with a long-winded intro, let me share the video right up front and then we’ll dissect it a little bit afterward.
The reason and context for the post are pretty self explanatory once you watch. Here’s the edit.
There’s a lot to like in this update from Mammoth for example.
I love the production value. Yes, they’re using a solid camera, but the lighting is what sets apart so many great visuals from average visuals and they’ve taken the time to do this at a really high level. And notice how clean that audio is? Buttery. These simple things remove reasons people might get distracted instead of focusing on the message.
I dig the casual outro. It’s a simple technique you’ve probably seen many times, but it really helps make this message feel just that little bit more human and less stiff without having to change the message itself. It also adds a little bit of balance to the dramatic opener.
I’m a big fan of the clarity around their policy. I have to admit that I honestly don’t know what it would take at my local mountain to get my pass pulled. Mammoth being so clear and up-front about such a tricky subject is a solid bit of transparency we haven’t seen many resorts talk about.
Through the Patrollers’ Eyes
But the thing I love the most is the line where Dan shifts from talking about penalties to helping people see through the eyes of a patroller:
“So imagine, just for a moment, that you are a ski patroller on a mitigation route with explosives and while you’re waiting for your shot to detonate someone ducks a closure and enters the path of the runout zone that you’re trying to release. That is absolutely terrifying for that patroller. We are in the business of helping people and saving lives, not killing and injuring people.”
This is a powerful line that brings all of this down to a very real, human level that is very hard for folks to ignore. Dan delivers these lines simply, clearly, but also forcefully so the message is taken as seriously as it needs to be.
Really good stuff from the team at Mammoth.